A Fascinating Look at Rock ‘n Roll B-Sides
Editor: Today is the first installment on a new feature series focused on those wonderful rock ’n roll B-side gems we’ve discovered over the years from our old friend Scott Bourne.
Back in the formative years of what is now called classic rock, most music fans discovered new music either on the radio, or on their own record players. The common record company practice in those days was to release a single with the anticipated hit song on the A-side and some throwaway track on the bottom of the record – the B-side.
As it turns out, there was some damn good music on those flipsides. This new series focuses on those B-sides that were as strong, if not better and/or sometimes more popular, than their A-side counterpart.
The early years of Rock
We’ll start with one of the greatest songs from the golden age of rock.
Many of you may be surprised that a song like Bill Haley & His Comets’ “Rock around the Clock”, which basically heralded the new era of Rock music in 1954, was never meant for release. After constant pressure from the artist, it was put on the backside. So, basically in those days, well BEFORE AOR, it meant until the B-side of “Thirteen Woman” was played by an intrepid DJ there was a good chance the song, that ultimately changed music history, would’ve never reached the public’s ears.
Then there’s this one from the most famous band ever…
I was aghast when one of my friends informed me that this world beater of a song, which changed the course for Macca and The Beatles, was the B-side to “Yellow Submarine”. When the needle dropped on “Eleanor Rigby” and the rest of Revolver, the listening audience must’ve been shocked at the new experimental sound that drew a very wide line in the sand from their usual very simplistic 2:00 pop/rock song.
It became so popular it was re-released as one of the first “double A-side” singles and has retained its status as one of the great songs in the Rock and Roll canon!
And wrapping up today’s list, this one from arguably the greatest hard rock band ever…
This one is a personal story wrapped up in the greater story that is Led Zeppelin. Growing up in the late 70’s I was a fanatical Zep fan. I knew every note sung or played and every bass thump or kick drum hit – inside and out. I had to because that’s all we got from them. They prided themselves on mystery and famously didn’t do interviews. Bootlegs were hard to find and they would not have released one 45 single if it wasn’t for losing major BATTLES with their record company.
So, all we had were the albums – incredible albums. BUT, one day while going thru record bins, I saw a 45 squeezed in between the Zep LP’s. It was small and had an odd version of the LZ III cover, Japanese writing and a sticker that said – “IMPORT”. It was as expensive as an LP. This little record had “The Immigrant Song” on the A-side and a song I never heard before as the B-side. I am a very impulsive buyer when it comes to music, so I got it.
Nothing prepared me for the B-side song: “Hey, hey, What can I do?” I just didn’t understand how such a perfect and beautiful song was such a mystery. It was the first time a band, that I could remember, openly gave a gift to their fans. I have played this song in bands many times and whenever I hear the song – it takes me back to that day when the most mysterious band in the world let me into theirs.
Well, there is another part of the story that still haunts me to this day. On the back of the 45 sleeve were the lyrics to TIS. Remember, up until Stairway they didn’t include lyric sheets, so I was really curious about what Plant was singing but…..they were wrong!!!! Instead of “our only goal will be the western shore” the lyrics were “and when we get there we will twist and shout”. This was among many mistakes. I was pissed and so confused. I am not sure what happened to it. Now…obviously …it is a MAJOR collector’s item. Haunts me still!
Scott Bourne
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