The Importance Of Being Idle

Album: Don't Believe The Truth (2005)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Noel Gallagher (Q magazine, May 2005): "A cross between The Kinks and The La's. About being a lazy so and so. I spent a lot of last summer just sitting around the house doing nothing, really impressed by my lack of drive."
  • The band doesn't appear in the video. It features the Welsh actor Rhys Ifans and a group of dancing undertakers lip-synching to the track. Rhys Ifans was for a short while the lead singer of Welsh band Super Furry Animals before they achieved chart success. He has been in the movies Notting Hill (1999), Little Nicky (2000) and Vanity Fare (2004).
  • The was Oasis' second consecutive #1 single in the UK, after "Lyla." It was the second time they had back to back #1 hits, but the first time in the same calendar year. "All Around The World" and "Go Let It Out" followed each other in the late '90s but had a gap of 2 years between them.
  • This is only the second time that an Oasis single with Noel rather than Liam on lead vocals has topped the UK charts, his first being "Don't Look Back In Anger" back in 1996.
  • This was Oasis' 19th straight Top 10 UK hit, beating a long standing record for a group that was previously held jointly by The Beatles and ABBA. The all-time record is held by Madonna, with a total of 34 in a row between 1984 and 1995. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for all above
  • The video was shot on Caradoc Street, East Greenwich, London. The band appears for about 5 seconds: Gem Archer, Andy Bell and Zak Starkey are playing cards on a coffin while Liam is sitting by a desk and Noel is shaving. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    callum - london, England
  • Some of the second verse, with the reference to begging his doctor for "One more line," seems to be referring to an actual event as this resembles Noel's account of how he gave up cocaine in 1998. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    J S Balboa - Essex, England

Comments: 7

  • Marina from Winnipeg, Canadadifferent sounds for oasis, still good though.
  • Louise from Newcastle, United KingdomOne of Oasis's best songs I reckon.
  • Olivia from Perth, AustraliaThis is one of my favourite Oasis songs
  • Jimm from Cleveland, Tnpersonally, I view this song like "I'm Only Sleeping, Part 2"
  • Keith from Perth, Australiait was actually a song about a book, various ppl over the years have written chapters in it about how doing nothing is the best thing in the world.
  • Keith from Perth, Australiaalso the other three members are in the video they're sitting at a coffin playing cards
  • Jen from Perryville, MdActually the band does appear in the video but they dont play. Noel is the guy shaving and Liam is the guy who is sitting at the desk with his feet up.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Yacht Rock Quiz

Yacht Rock QuizFact or Fiction

Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"They're Playing My Song

Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.