since July 7, 2004.OK, so we all know that singles don’t necessarily have B-sides anymore, thanks to the advent of compact discs. But back in the day when singles were pressed and played on 45 rpm vinyl, B-sides were often overlooked and underplayed, or they became just as – if not more – popular as the A-sides.
So, without further adieu, here is a sampling of some B-sides – some that became hits and others that stand as reminders of great music that tends to be overshadowed:
Mamas and the Papas, "Straight Shooter" (flip side of "Twelve Thirty"): Their opener at the Monterey Pop Festival – where lead singer Denny Dougherty forgot the words – the lyrics tend to be slightly chauvinistic or perverted, depending on how you take them: "Don’t get me mad/don’t tell a lie/don’t make me sad/just get me high/baby, what you’re holdin’/half of that belongs to me, yeah."
Simon & Garfunkel, "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" (flip side of "Hazy Shade of Winter"): From the poetry-laden Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme, this is a soft, wistful love-letter-in-a-dream, compared to the raucous, self-loathing misery of the A-side.
The Guess Who, "Undun" (flip side of "Laughing"): This was the Canadian rockers’ only dually popular 45. "Undun" got as much airplay – if not more – than its A-side counterpart. It also includes lead singer Burton Cummings’ flute solo, just another side of the multi-faceted artist.
C.W. McCall, "Long Lonesome Road" (flip side of "Convoy"): If "Convoy" could be a romantic ballad about truck driving, it would be this. With simple lyrics that may seem tongue-in-cheek, they are all too realistic: "it’s a long lonesome road/through the lifetime of a trucker/but me and this old truck/we’re gonna make it."
Jefferson Airplane, "She Has Funny Cars" (flip side of "Somebody to Love"): The opening track of Surrealistic Pillow – likely the band’s most popular album – it provides a driving beat as well as that twangy guitar so definitive of the San Francisco Sound.
The Beatles, "Revolution" (flip side of "Hey Jude"): You know, sometimes opposites really do attract. "Hey Jude" is about peace, while "Revolution" is protest. "Hey Jude"’s four-minute fade inspires love; "Revolution"’s some four minutes of rockin’ inspires action. While "Hey Jude" will reign as THE classic of the two, they each have their own place in music history, pop culture and in our hearts.
The Eagles, "Visions" (flip side of "One of These Nights"): This is the only Eagles song with lead vocals performed by fired guitarist Don Felder, accompanied by co-writer Don 'Has a Bad Hair Day' Henley. Besides the title track, "Visions" is the only rockin’ tunes on the One of These Nights album, thanks to Felder’s guitar work.
The Moody Blues, "Isn’t Life Strange" (flip side of "I’m Just a Singer (in a rock-n-roll band)"): One of life’s most proverbial statements, yet it’s one where the live version (especially Live at Red Rocks) rates over the original. That wasn’t meant to discredit bass player John Lodge’s writing, particularly the inserted love song: "wish I could be in your heart/to be one with your love/wish I could be in your eyes/looking back there you were/and here we are." Though I may feel that one live performance is superior, the original is still well worthy of mention. Otherwise, this space would be occupied with something like "How I Never Sang a Song That Wasn’t Popular" by The Beatles.
Though B-sides may not be the most popular – or even popular at all – they are still worth mentioning. After all, without B-sides, there wouldn’t be hit singles.
Copyright © 2004, Talia M. Wilson
published in Cooper Point Journal, April 22, 2004
since July 7, 2004.