For those of you who remember 45 RPM records...  ;)

What an awesome surprise experience to bring home a new 45, flip it over and get blown away by what's on the other side!

In some instances the strength of a "B" side created a "two-sided" hit in which the B side enhanced the sales and/or popularity of the A side, and both sides would often chart as hits.  This wasn't that rare.  The Beatles had quite a few of these, as an example "I Feel Fine" b/w "She's A Woman".

There have been times when the "B" side was so good, it trumped the original "A" side.  One example is the Doobie Brothers' hit, "Black Water".  It was originally released as the "B" side to the Doobies' underrated hit, "Another Park, Another Sunday".  But DJs flipped the record over after a short time, preferring "Black Water", and there you go.

Any "B" sides of yours that you thought were outstanding, remarkable or otherwise memorable?

A favorite of mine (others of you may recall this one): the "B" side of the Led Zeppelin tune, "Immigrant Song" was a most delightful Zep entry entitled "Hey, Hey, What Can I Do".

For those of you who remember 45 RPM records...  ;)

What an awesome surprise experience to bring home a new 45, flip it over and get blown away by what's on the other side!

In some instances the strength of a "B" side created a "two-sided" hit in which the B side enhanced the sales and/or popularity of the A side, and both sides would often chart as hits.  This wasn't that rare.  The Beatles had quite a few of these, as an example "I Feel Fine" b/w "She's A Woman".

There have been times when the "B" side was so good, it trumped the original "A" side.  One example is the Doobie Brothers' hit, "Black Water".  It was originally released as the "B" side to the Doobies' underrated hit, "Another Park, Another Sunday".  But DJs flipped the record over after a short time, preferring "Black Water", and there you go.

Any "B" sides of yours that you thought were outstanding, remarkable or otherwise memorable?

A favorite of mine (others of you may recall this one): the "B" side of the Led Zeppelin tune, "Immigrant Song" was a most delightful Zep entry entitled "Hey, Hey, What Can I Do".


I dont really remember 45's, but "Hey Hey What Can I Do" is one of my favorite Zeppelin songs.  I sure hope they didn't rip that one off.

  Dang, I can't remember any b-sides from my 45s.  I'll have to do some looking around to jog my memory because I think there's a few b-sides that were pretty awesome...

Sure I remember those 45 rpm's...still got 'em.

One single I remember in particular was Depeche Mode's "Somebody", b/w "Blasphemous Rumours". Now in UK, this was double A- sided, but we (in The Netherlands) hardly ever got to hear anything else but "Somebody". Such a shame...

One single I remember in particular was Depeche Mode's "Somebody", b/w "Blasphemous Rumours". Now in UK, this was double A- sided, but we (in The Netherlands) hardly ever got to hear anything else but "Somebody". Such a shame...


That's interesting.  I can only recall Blasphemous Rumours and not Somebody.

All my singles are in the UK so I can't look up any B sides.

I always listened to B sides.  My favorite is "Milk Cow" by norman Greenbaum.  It's the B-side to Spriit in the Sky.

And I think "Too Many People" is the flip side to "uncle Albert" by wings.

my big b-side is "rage in the cage," which was on my b-side of smash-hit "centerfold" by the j geils band. smokin' tune. 8)

my big b-side is "rage in the cage," which was on my b-side of smash-hit "centerfold" by the j geils band. smokin' tune. 8)


That was an awesome one indeed!

My sister had the 45 of Skeeter Davis' "End of the World" and she used to play the B side which had a song "No Never" on it. I remembered that song but couldn't remember who sang it. I asked my sister but she didn't answer my question. Then I asked here but no one knew it. My sister FINALLY answered my question-I was able to get Skeeter Davis' Greatest Hits CD and that song was on it.



Cat

In some instances the strength of a "B" side created a "two-sided" hit in which the B side enhanced the sales and/or popularity of the A side, and both sides would often chart as hits.  This wasn't that rare.  The Beatles had quite a few of these, as an example "I Feel Fine" b/w "She's A Woman".

There have been times when the "B" side was so good, it trumped the original "A" side.  One example is the Doobie Brothers' hit, "Black Water".  It was originally released as the "B" side to the Doobies' underrated hit, "Another Park, Another Sunday".  But DJs flipped the record over after a short time, preferring "Black Water", and there you go.



Another really great exmple of this is Rock Around The Clock. The B side of that "Thirteen Women (And Only One Man In Town)" was touted to DJ's at radio stations as the A side, but once the movie "Blackboard Jungle" came out (RATC is used in the opening credits), DJ's flipped over the record and one of the 1st rock and roll phenomenos was born.

For me, I personally love A Japanese Dream by The Cure which was the B-side for Why Can't I Be You. And one more from the 70's was Full Moon Turn My Head Around by Off Broadway usa which was the B side for Stay In Time. (I don't know how many people might know this song, they were a band from Chicago, so that single got HEAVY airplay here.)

Another really great exmple of this is Rock Around The Clock. The B side of that "Thirteen Women (And Only One Man In Town)" was touted to DJ's at radio stations as the A side, but once the movie "Blackboard Jungle" came out (RATC is used in the opening credits), DJ's flipped over the record and one of the 1st rock and roll phenomenos was born.

For me, I personally love A Japanese Dream by The Cure which was the B-side for Why Can't I Be You. And one more from the 70's was Full Moon Turn My Head Around by Off Broadway usa which was the B side for Stay In Time. (I don't know how many people might know this song, they were a band from Chicago, so that single got HEAVY airplay here.)

"Surf and Spy" was an instrumental B side by the Go-Go's (I think the A side was "Our Lips Are Sealed".

"Whip It" by Devo had a great B side with "Turn Around"

I also really like "You Don't Know What You've Got" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts which was the flipside of "I Love Rock and Roll"

"Whip It" by Devo had a great B side with "Turn Around"

I had a 45 of "Whip It" but it was backed by "Freedom Of Choice". I got it brand new in '80, so it wasn't reissued yet. Maybe it was a Canadian thing.

I also remember Supertramp's "Bloody Well Right" backed with "Dreamer". Got the single in '78. "Dreamer" was a hit in the UK in the mid 70's but wasn't really popular in North America until the release of their live album "Paris" in 1980.

Also I had a 45 RPM of "Low Rider" by "War" backed with "Why Can't We Be Friends".

I also have a 45 of the Get Back by the Beatles with Don't Let Me Down on the flipside.

"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones was a pretty good B-side. :P

They Might Be Giants have a habit of making their B-sides even better than the A-sides...

The only problem with B-sides is that once the single is out of print, you can't really get ahold of them anymore.

The all-time best ever B-side was on the reverse of Jasper Carrott's (really rather dire) Funky Moped.


It was.. of course.. Magic Roundabout :)

"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones was a pretty good B-side. :P

They Might Be Giants have a habit of making their B-sides even better than the A-sides...

The only problem with B-sides is that once the single is out of print, you can't really get ahold of them anymore.



I hear ya. Another B side that I thought about was the flip side of The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia by Vicki Lawerence. It was called Dime a Dance. Now, I seeing if I can find a copy on line so I can hear it again.



Cat

Most b-sides are usually on the same album that the hit single is on and some aren't 

Fleetwood Mac had "Silver Springs" which was the b-side of "Go Your Own Way" and wasn't on the Rumours. I also had the 45 single of Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom' and on the b-side is a live version of " I Saw Her Standing There" featuring John Lennon. I don't think that was on any Elton John album.

I think the "b" side to American Pie was the second half of American Pie.  If I'm not mistaken the song was too long for just one side so it faded out, you flipped over the 45 and played the rest of the song.

I think the "b" side to American Pie was the second half of American Pie.  If I'm not mistaken the song was too long for just one side so it faded out, you flipped over the 45 and played the rest of the song.



I always hated that when they split a song. Can you say "8-track tape"?  ::)  I remember my sister had a Lynard Skynard cassette and they cut the song Freebird in half (one half on one side and the other half on the second side). Why couldn't they record it at the beginning of one side so they could get the entire song on one side? With a 45, they just couldn't do that with. They HAD to split it in two-unfortunately. I also remember on AM radio, they wouldn't play the entire song because it was too long. They cut the intro and the end-and a verse or two in the middle.



Cat

Back in 1956, we in Britain had what was a most delightful flip side on The Platters' 'Only You'...

...it was 'The Great Pretender' and it more or less became a double 'A' side on the strength of those two tracks...

Indeed, both songs were hits for other artists in Britain before The Platters' version was even released...the delay was caused by the US label (Mercury) not having a British outlet at the time...

One of my favourite B-Sides was 'Blue (Armed With Love)' by Wham! which was on the flipside of 'Club Tropicana'.  It was also their only original B-Side.  All their other singles had either a remix, an album cut or an instrumental version

I think the "b" side to American Pie was the second half of American Pie.  If I'm not mistaken the song was too long for just one side so it faded out, you flipped over the 45 and played the rest of the song.


I had that 45 and thought it was kind of dumb.

You know, Carl Douglas' hit "Kung Fu Fighting" was originally recorded as the B-side to "I Want to Give You My Everything" by Larry Weiss.

Can't remember any 45s at the moment, BUT a cassette single (technically the same idea - two songs on one cassette - flip the cassette over you get a different song) in 1996 was a good song.

Duncan Sheik "Home" was the B side of the cassette single "Barely Breathing" which I liked alot.

Another one I discovered just now via Amazon.com (searching for cassette single) that would have been a good one...

Candlebox - side One: Far Behind (album version) side two: YOU (Live Version)

I have in front of me the Electra/Asylum 45 of Queen's "We Are The Champions" (A side) and "We Will Rock You" (B side).

Mason Williams released a single of "Long Time Blues". The B side is "Classical Gas".

And my favorite, from Morris Minor and the Majors: A side is "Stutter Rap", B side is the appropriately named "Another Boring B Side".

Another one I discovered just now via Amazon.com (searching for cassette single) that would have been a good one...

Candlebox - side One: Far Behind (album version) side two: YOU (Live Version)


Yeah!  Good one which I forgot about.  I used to have this!

Sometimes b-sides became the playground for the engineer and the producer.  A Flock of Seagulls, Human League, Soft Cell, Duran Duran, New Order, Depeche Mode...especially Depeche Mode.  Some of those who listened to those b-sides more than the a-sides later got the taste for electroacoustic/computer music.  I'm one.  Radiohead is another. 

I dont really remember 45's, but "Hey Hey What Can I Do" is one of my favorite Zeppelin songs.  I sure hope they didn't rip that one off.


brown sugar/bitch by the rolling stones

I had that 45 and thought it was kind of dumb.

You think that was dumb? Try the flipside of Napolean the XIVs They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha Ha. It's the song played backwards. I wondered if anybody ever listened to it.

You think that was dumb? Try the flipside of Napolean the XIVs They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha Ha. It's the song played backwards. I wondered if anybody ever listened to it.


Ha, I reversed that song on my computer and listened to it.

... It didn't sound very good.


Some songs sound amazing backwards, like Bowie's "Move On."