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Musical B-Sides

by Steven Wagenheim
26 replies
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In another thread Michael posted a B side to a moderate Trogg's hit. The
trouble with finding B-sides on YouTube is that there just aren't a lot of
them.

I've almost made a career out of listening to B-Sides of 45s (when they
made 45s) and there have been some great ones.

Problem is, I can't find many.

Here is one. It's the B-side of Lola by the Kinks.

  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    A couple of B-sides I remember fondly:

    This is the B-side to "She Loves You", called "I'll get You"



    And a great song which was the B-side to "The Last Time", "Play With Fire":




    Frank
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

      A couple of B-sides I remember fondly:

      This is the B-side to "She Loves You", called "I'll get You"

      YouTube - The Beatles - I'll get You


      And a great song which was the B-side to "The Last Time", "Play With Fire":

      YouTube - The Rolling Stones - Play With Fire (1965)



      Frank

      Thanks Frank. The trouble with Beatles and Stones B-Sides is that almost
      every song they made got played anyway, so B-Sides don't really have
      the same juice as with other groups. Even the Kinks Apeman got some
      radio play.

      But there have been some amazing B-Sides by some one hit wonders
      that nobody ever heard of. I just can't find them anywhere and it's
      really pissing me off.

      Doesn't anybody listen to the backs of 45s anymore??? :confused:
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Heres a rant....I see ITunes is now selling digital 45s...whats up with that? Talk about a stupid concept.
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Okay, here's the B-Side from the classic "Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac, called "Jigsaw Puzzle Blues". I think I played this almost as much as the A-Side when it came out






      Frank
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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

        Okay, here's the B-Side from the classic "Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac, called "Jigsaw Puzzle Blues". I think I played this almost as much as the A-Side when it came out


        YouTube - JIGSAW PUZZLE BLUES (1968) by Fleetwood Mac w/ Danny Kirwan





        Frank

        Good one Frank. This one passed me by. Never heard it.

        Thanks.
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      • Profile picture of the author Ken Strong
        Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

        Okay, here's the B-Side from the classic "Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac, called "Jigsaw Puzzle Blues". I think I played this almost as much as the A-Side when it came out
        I love early Fleetwood Mac -- hardly anyone in the US knows they existed for years before Stevie Nicks.
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        • Profile picture of the author KimW
          Originally Posted by KenStrong View Post

          I love early Fleetwood Mac -- hardly anyone in the US knows they existed for years before Stevie Nicks.
          Stevie who?

          Some of their best work was done long before they picked up Buckingham and Nicks.
          They charted in ( I think) the late 60s with Oh Well (Peter Greene era)
          And had minor success with the Bob Welch era ;Listen to Mystery To Me.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post

      Heres a rant....I see ITunes is now selling digital 45s...whats up with that? Talk about a stupid concept.
      Well, I guess for the folks who never got the original 45s and can't find
      them anywhere, it sure beats having to lay out $14.99 for a whole album.

      How much are they selling them for? If 99 cents, it's sure worth it. The last
      time 45s cost 99 cents was 1971.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    I think about a buck and 1/2,but I just opend up my ITunes and I don't even see them anymore, maybe it was a short lived offer?
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Flask
    I think I recall "Beth" by Kiss was a B-side song. Peter Criss sang lead vocals for it.

    I may have had the 45. I can't remember what the A-side title was.

    Wasn't "Beth" their highest charting single and re-released as an A-side?


    Kevin

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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Kevin Flask View Post

      I think I recall "Beth" by Kiss was a B-side song. Peter Criss sang lead vocals for it.

      I may have had the 45. I can't remember what the A-side title was.

      Wasn't "Beth" their highest charting single and re-released as an A-side?


      Kevin

      YouTube - Beth- KISS

      Depends on where you lived. In New York, Beth was always the A side.

      Heck, I don't even know what's on the back of it.

      But yes, throughout history, certain songs were released with one side
      in one country and another side in another. It's all about demographics
      and what they think will sell.

      Off the top of my head, I can't think of any other examples (there are
      so many) but if I do, I'll post them.

      Oh wait, I just thought of one. "You Can't Always Get What You Want"
      was originally the B side of a monster smash single by the Stones. I
      think it was Honky Tonk Woman but not 100% sure.

      That song, when re-released in 1972, went on to be super big hit for
      them.

      That may be one of the biggest B sides in history that didn't get noticed
      till many years later.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
    There were also singles where the A-Side didn't chart, but some DJ somewhere flipped it over and the B-Side became a huge hit. Unfortunately, I can't think of specific examples off the top of my head. But it makes me long for the days when DJs had some freedom to play what they wanted.

    B-Sides I liked were...

    M Factor - M (Flip side of Pop Muzik)
    The Sermon - The Police
    Talk Talk - The Vapors (Flip side of Turning Japanese)
    Something Strong - Bob Welch

    I know there are mnore, but that's all that comes to mind.

    Apeman is one of my favorites by the Kinks.

    I know 45s were still 99 cents when I started buying them in 1979/1980.

    You are right about trying to find B-Sides on YouTube; very difficult.

    Rock on!
    Michael
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Michael Oksa View Post

      I know 45s were still 99 cents when I started buying them in 1979/1980.
      Maybe in Wisconsin Michael, but not in NYC. By the start of the 80s, a 45
      here cost you a good $2. Of course everything in this fricken part of the
      world is more expensive.

      Don't even get me started on that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dave Patterson
    Here's the song "Candy Man" that was the B-side to "Cryin" - Roy Orbison

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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    I wasn't into pop 45's...But my favorite flip side is...The flip side of Immigrant Song by Led Zepplin:

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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

      I wasn't into pop 45's...But my favorite flip side is...The flip side of Immigrant Song by Led Zepplin:

      YouTube - Led Zeppelin: hey hey what can i do
      Kurt, in my opinion, the flip side should have been the hit. What a great
      song!
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      • Profile picture of the author Kurt
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        Kurt, in my opinion, the flip side should have been the hit. What a great
        song!
        Hey Steven,

        At the time, The Immigrant Song was my favorite song of all time, we were all kids then, which is why I bought the 45.

        But over the years, Hey Hey What Can I Do kept growing on me, to the point that today it is probably my favorite Led Zep tune.

        And looking back, I agree with you that it should have been the "hit". Either way, two pretty good songs on a 45.

        PS. The original 45 was worth a small fortune at some time. I did have the original, but wore it out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
    I still like the A-Side of that particular Zep song. Probably because it seems to be about Vikings, and I'm mostly of Norwegian/Finnish descent (though there are several more).

    The B-Side still hasn't grown on me, but it's not a bad song.

    ~M~
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    IN general Zep was not a "singles" band.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kurt
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post

      IN general Zep was not a "singles" band.
      I think Immigrant Song was released in 71. It may have been their only single. Not being a "singles" band only adds to the value of this single.
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      • Profile picture of the author KimW
        Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

        I think Immigrant Song was released in 71. It may have been their only single. Not being a "singles" band only adds to the value of this single.
        I agree 100%. I didn't know Zep had released ANYTHING as a single.
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        • Profile picture of the author Kurt
          Originally Posted by KimW View Post

          I agree 100%. I didn't know Zep had released ANYTHING as a single.
          I actually still own a single of Immigrant Song and Hey Hey, but it's not THE original single, which I also owned at one point in time.
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          • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
            For those of you who didn't know Zep was a singles band, they were...a big
            one.

            Here is a list of just some of them starting with their first song, and then
            their first big hit which made number 4 on the Billboard charts (number 5
            on the New York charts).

            Communication Breakdown (1969)
            Whole Lotta Love (1970 from the 1969 2nd album, first big hit)
            Living Loving Maid (1970)
            Immigrant Song (late 1970 number 16)
            Hey Hey What Can I Do (flip side of above...number 32)
            Black Dog (1972 though album came out a year earlier)
            Rock and Roll (1972...same album as above)
            D'yer Maker (1973)
            Over The Hills And Far Away (1973 and one of my fav Zep songs)
            Trampled Under Foot (1975...should have released Kashmir)
            Fool In The Rain (1980...hardly made a whimper on the airwaves)

            Now, the big surprise...a rare single that very few people have. I
            don't have it but my friend Paul picked it up in New York one day.
            I should get him to bring it over so I can take photos of it.

            Stairway To Heaven.

            I almost passed out when I saw it.

            I don't know if it was a DJ copy (possible) or what, but it's real.

            Anyway, there you have it. Zep was a big singles band and actually got
            a lot of AM airplay in New York.

            They never had a song chart higher than 5, probably because most of
            their fans didn't know Zep made singles.

            Same with The Who. Most people don't realize how many singles they
            had after the early days of "I Can See For Miles" and "Magic Bus".

            The Who was a BIG singles band.

            Anyway, this has been your musical public service announcement for
            today.

            Hope you enjoyed it.
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            • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
              [quote=Steven Wagenheim;1221400]
              Fool In The Rain (1980...hardly made a whimper on the airwaves)[QUOTE]When I started 7th grade it WAS all over the airwaves - at least in Wisconsin. But that's where you start getting into regional differences. Still, kind of a funny song, and the punchline is very similar to an older song.

              They never had a song chart higher than 5, probably because most of
              their fans didn't know Zep made singles.
              Just had a thought. Maybe Zep fans didn't care if they had singles, because they already had the album anyway. I knew they released singles, but they were still an album band.

              By the way, it would be cool to learn more about the STH single.

              Rock on!
              Michael
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  • Profile picture of the author lcombs
    I don't recall too many 'b' sides. Actually, I can't remember the names of most of the songs I like. For a couple of reasons.
    But, mostly because by the time I really got into buying music I was buying albums and cassettes. So, I rated bands by the quality of the album as whole. Rubber Soul, Zepplin 4, Who's Next, Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs, etc.

    I do recall, however, "I'm Down" being the 'b' side but I can't recall the 'a' side.
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    King of all B-sides - Public Enemy's B-side about B-sides, from the B-side of the 12" single "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" (both later appearing on Fear of a Black Planet):

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