Noel Gallagher is looking forward to getting a "highly worthwhile cheque" thanks to Aurora’s cover of his ‘Half The World Away’ for this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert.
While the High Flying Birds frontman is slightly dismayed the Oasis track will always be "synonymous" with the festive season after it was used in the department store’s ‘Man On The Moon’ TV campaign, he is looking forward to getting a healthy boost to his bank balance.
Introducing the song during a live acoustic performance for BBC Radio 2 in London on Monday (07.12.15), he told the crowd: "Now I’m going to sing you a song that will forever be synonymous with Christmas from now on and, as is well known, it’s not my favourite time of year. Having said that, at least it comes with a cheque, which, believe me, is highly worthwhile."
The quick-witted guitarist then added: "And don’t go buying me John Lewis vouchers for Christmas, trying to be a smart a**e, inside a card that says ‘Noel’."
Noel will rake in thousands of pounds for allowing his track to be used from an initial payment by John Lewis and in royalties from sales of Aurora’s cover and public plays of the tune – which was first released as a B-side to ‘Whatever’ in December 1994 and peaked at number three in the UK charts.
‘Half The World Away’ was also used as the title track for British sitcom ‘The Royle Family’.
During his acoustic set, Noel played a mixture of Oasis classics and rarities such as ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Slide Away’, ‘Sad Song’ and ‘Listen Up’ and songs from his solo career including ‘If I Had A Gun…’ and ‘The Death of You and Me’.
He was joined for the intimate concert at the BBC Radio Theatre by former Oasis guitarist Gem Archer who he described as "my former right-hand man, who is now my left-hand man".
Noel Gallagher to get ‘highly worthwhile’ cheque from John Lewis
