“You can’t give me the dreams that are mine anyway, half the world away…”
‘Half the World Away’ is a song written and performed by Noel Gallagher, as part of the hugely popular rock band Oasis. It was originally released simply as a B-side to ‘Whatever’ in 1994.
it only gained mass popularity when it was selected as the theme tune for The Royle Family. Its lyrics speak of a helplessly dull existence, which marry up perfectly with the hilariously dull antics of everyone’s favourite sofa surfing family.
The Royle Family is a British sitcom written by Caroline Aherne (who was also known for playing the cheeky Mrs Merton and sadly passed away in 2016) and Craig Cash. They starred as the hapless couple Denise and Dave, with Sue Johnston, Ricky Tomlinson and Ralf Little completing the unit of telly-mad couch potatoes. It initially ran for three series between 1998 and 2000 before returning for a slew of specials until 2012.
Is it possible to watch an episode of The Royle Family without singing along to its theme tune? We think not. But it could have all been very different. When Noel Gallagher was first approached for the use of his song, he was confused and suggested another of his compositions ‘Married With Children’.
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