Don't Look Back In Anger

#34 by Oasis

Congrats to Jennifer Haddock 🌼, the winner of the First Dueling Jukeboxes competition! Her song writing prompt, No Rain, by Blind Melon, walked away with the prize. This was a really fun side-gig, I think we’ll do it again sometime! And thanks to everyone who participated 🙏 our little writing group, readers included, this is becoming a beautiful community.

Since Jennifer won, she gets to decide who’ll receive our Week #33 Feature! Here’s her pick, and award introduction-

Week #33 Feature🏆

Thanks for all the entertaining submissions to the Dueling Jukeboxes prompt. I appreciated those who submitted for both songs, and there were so many quality submissions—from Theresa Greene’s poems, to Bill Ferguson 🇨🇦’s heartfelt short stories, to Chris B. Writes’s B-side poem (I almost chose “Change”), and Gray’s beautiful micro. If I have to pick a winner — and MJ says I do — I choose Scott MacLeod’s micro, “The Bees Knees.”

“Sunshine leaves her no excuse for sitting things out. Avoiding the world. No rain gives her an excuse. No one to blame but herself.”

It’s hard to choose, and I don’t envy MJ having to make these choices! Honorable mention: Theresa Greene’s “You’ve got it bad” poem about the maga man. -Jennifer Haddock

Here’s this week’s prompt, Don’t Look Back In Anger, by Oasis!

"Don't Look Back in Anger" is a song by English rock band Oasis, released on 19 February 1996 by Creation Records as the fifth single from their second studio album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995). (Via Wikipedia)

“Don’t Look Back in Anger” was written by the lead guitarist and chief songwriter, Noel Gallagher, and produced by Gallagher and Owen Morris. It was the first Oasis single with lead vocals by Noel, who had previously only sung lead on B-sides, instead of his brother, Liam. Noel later sang lead vocals on six other singles.

The single was the second Oasis song to reach number one on the UK singles chart, and it was certified seven times platinum in the UK. The music video was directed by Nigel Dick, featuring Oasis performing at a mansion with a large group of women. Critically, the song received positive reviews. It is one of Oasis’s signature songs and has been played at almost every live show. In later decades, it has been included in retrospective rankings of best songs, and has been described as an “anthem” by critics in various contexts.

In a 2019 Esquire interview, Noel Gallagher said, "I remember writing it in Paris on a rainy night. We had just played a strip club: our set finished, the strippers came on. We were nothing, an insignificant little band. And I remember going back to my hotel room and writing it, and thinking, 'That'll be pretty good when we record it.' If I'd have known that night what I know now about people playing it at fucking funerals and weddings, I'd never have finished the song. Too much pressure."

Calling all Poets, Fiction, or Non-Fiction writers that love music — Share your prose of 1500 words or less, using the prompt, Don’t Look Back in Anger.

Remember:

• Each Tuesday I’ll publish a newsletter with that week’s song prompt — along with a featured writer’s submission from the previous week.

• Anyone is then free to run with it! Just add the link to your story or prose in the comments of this newsletter.

• Subscribers to Stories from the Jukebox, also have a chance to be featured in the following week’s newsletter. And I’ll do my best to give feedback and restack each submission.

There’s always rules:

1. All forms of prose are welcome, just keep it under 1500 words.

2. Submissions must be published by midnight on Monday.

3. Submissions must include a tag/link to this week’s Song Prompt Newsletter embedded within the post.

   While anyone is welcome to add their post in the comments at any time — all rules must be followed for a post to be eligible to be featured or shared.

How would you like to pick our prompt? Find out how to join our revolving list of Headliners here.

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My pal Phillip Slater chose our prompt this week, which means our revolving Headliner list is beginning anew! And I just want to take a moment to say how much I appreciate all of the Jukebox’s Founding & Paid Subscribers. This publication would not be capable without the generous donation you provide. 🙏 Be it a gift of monetary value, or of time, your effort is truly appreciated!

Phill’s given us a powerful Headliner submission this week. His message, “To love, not hate,” is one that we must never forget.

Here’s this week’s Headliner, Don’t Look Back In Anger, by Phillip Slater!

Don’t Look Back In Anger…

I actually wrote this piece several years ago. It was my response to the suicide bombing at an Ariane Grande concert in Manchester, United Kingdom.

As always, with this kind of thing, no words are really enough. The message, though, remains as important as ever, so I wanted to share it here ❤️. -Phillip Slater

Do you know a reader or writer that’d be perfect for this prompt? Share it with them!

Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Oh and if you’re an email reader, just hit reply — I want to hear from you too!

Don’t like commitments, but still want to support my writing? You can make a one-time contribution here.

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