Edited on September 2025

There are so many songs inspired by people that are such a surprise. Oasis’ Talk Tonight is one of them.

The British band who would have turned 30 years old in 2021, was created by brothers Liam and Noel Ghallager, in Manchester. However talented and great, Oasis became known as well for the very public fights between siblings. One of these disputes eventually made brothers change paths, which was the case in September 1994. That year they were touring the US for the first time, after the release of their debut album,  Definitely Maybe. On the stage in LA, Liam threw his tambourine on Noel, who not only left the stage but the band too. That time, he wasn’t bluffing.

Noel disappeared for days and manager Tim Abbot found him in San Francisco. The guitarist was staying with a fan he met while Oasis was in town. The girl took him in, took care of him and calmed him down. Noel agreed to go back, but something changed from that date on. He would also sing.

Noel wrote the songs, but never felt really confident to become a vocalist.  Talk Tonight changed everything. It was personal and special, it was his.

On the documentary Supersonic, the band agrees that Talk Tonight was a pivotal song to change paths. Noel is sweet and clear on his lyrics:

Sleepin’ on a plane
You know you can’t complain
You took your last chance
Once again I
Landed, stranded
Hardly even knew your name
I wanna talk tonight
Until the mornin’ light
‘Bout how you saved my life
You and me see how we are

The fact that he admits he barely knew her was bittersweet, but once Noel shares the story behind the song saying he couldn’t recall her face or name, the Internet went crazy. In 2016, the muse was found.

Her name is Melissa Lim and she still lives in San Francisco. She tells pretty much the same story, except, naturally, on how he wouldn’t know her name. As she shared with journalists, their friendship lasted for over a year with constant phone calls. They lost touch only after Noel met his future wife, Meg Matthews.

Melissa has the photo to prove they met and suggests more influence than only a song. As she tells, she would always pick up his calls saying “what’s the story, morning glory”, a quote of the movie Bye Bye Birdie. That’s the title of the second album, in which is recorded Talk Tonight too. In 1995, Oasis was already huge and Noel was distant. Melissa says that her goodbye was cool and that she affirmed that “won’t look back in anger” at those days they spent together. Another song written with her in mind, maybe? Definitely? That part is not mentioned anywhere else.

Melissa admits she was sad when she saw the documentary Supersonic in which Noel says not to remember her name or face. It’s not for nothing that in Talk Tonight he also sang “I’ll never say that I Won’t ever make you cry”. In any case, Melissa is happy to be part of Oasis‘ story in any way. After all, Talk Tonight made Noel sing and eventually go solo. Without her, that would have not happened.

And 31 years later, on the band’s historic comeback tour, Melissa was in the audience in Los Angeles. Yes, Noel sang “Talk Tonight.” Emotion doesn’t sum it up.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Melissa Lim (@sfmel)