# Best B-Sides **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 26, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874 "2011-10-26T16:48:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/1 "2011-10-26T16:48:22Z")
In case you’re too young to remember, musicians used to put out these things called “singles” that had A-sides (that got radio play) and B-sides (often tracks not available on albums). Some groups had B-sides that were just as strong as the A-sides (The Beatles were probably the leaders in this category, though The Smiths were right up there). So, what are some of your favorite B-sides? My small initial list: **The Beatles** - Rain **The Smiths** - London **U2** - Sweetest Thing (the original version from '87) **Sugar** - Needle Hits E And, probably my all-time favorite: **Marshall Crenshaw** - You’re My Favorite Waste of Time ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/2 "2011-10-26T16:52:49Z")
**The Who** – [Baby Don’t You Do It](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOfT4wPPWh4) (b-side of Join Together). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/3 "2011-10-26T17:00:24Z")
\*\*Beatles \*\*-- Revolution ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/4 "2011-10-26T17:03:37Z")
**Led Zeppelin** - Hey Hey What Can I Do ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/5 "2011-10-26T17:08:08Z")
**Pearl Jam** - Yellow Ledbetter **Elvis** - Hound Dog ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/6 "2011-10-26T17:11:49Z")
**The Doobie Brothers** - Black Water ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/7 "2011-10-26T17:19:20Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > **The Doobie Brothers** - Black Water I’m not sure if that counts, since it was released a few months later as an A-side that went to #1, but I guess technically it was a B-side at one time. On re-reading the thread, the same applies to “Hound Dog”. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/8 "2011-10-26T17:20:52Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > I’m not sure if that counts, since it was released a few months later as an A-side that went to #1, but I guess technically it was a B-side at one time. As I understand it, it was a B-side at the time that radio stations started playing it, which is what led to it becoming popular…and ultimately re-released as an A-side. ---
**Author:** ![pinqy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a3d4f5/32.png) [@pinqy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinqy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/9 "2011-10-26T17:22:16Z")
Ritchie Valens: La Bamba ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/10 "2011-10-26T18:05:10Z")
I LOVE cool B-sides. Here are just a few of my faves: “[Midnight Hour](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci5MnScpfPc)” by ? and the Mysterians. (It was originally going to be the A-side.) “You’re In A Bad Way”, B-side of “I Got Rhythm” by The Happenings. It’s a rather eerie tale of a girl who puts the wrong sugar cube in her coffee, if you know what I mean. “[Fireball](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87XUhR4BHRc)”, B-side of “Love Can Make You Happy” by Mercy. Not at all what you’d expect from the A-side; it’s a psychedelic surf-rock instrumental. “[Whatcha Gonna Do 'Bout It](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJtB3yyBNTQ)”, B-side of “Pay You Back With Interest” by the Hollies. It had appeared on LP a couple years previously. “[Patricia Ann](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-vEVlrKZiA)”, B-side to “Playgirl” by Thee Prophets. Again, not at all what you’d expect – garage-rock with a vocal that sounds oddly like the Ramones. “[Half the Time](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhwfHu2GU0w)”, B-side to “Enough” by Bohemian Vendetta. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/11 "2011-10-26T18:36:05Z")
Any Beatles B-side could easily be an A-side. Judy Collins - “Who Knows Where the Time Goes,” B-side of “Both Sides Now.” ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/12 "2011-10-26T18:55:00Z")
“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor was originally a B-Side to another song. It became a hit and new copies were pressed with it as the A-Side. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/13 "2011-10-26T18:58:34Z")
Kinks: “I Need You” Mamas & Papas: “Got A Feeling” Dave Clark Five: “Hurting Inside” Zombies: “I Want You Back Again” ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/14 "2011-10-26T19:03:28Z")
A couple of more recent bands. **Arcade Fire** - [Surf City Eastern Block](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv_SGePWxVU) **Radiohead** - [Talk Show Host](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU7sUENatUU) Both are right up there with the best songs by these artists. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/15 "2011-10-26T19:07:18Z")
KISS- “Beth” Originally released as the B side to “Detroit Rock City.” To this day, Beth remains the band’s highest charting single. ---
**Author:** ![Kylede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kylede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kylede)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/16 "2011-10-26T19:16:26Z")
**La Bamba** by Ritchie Valens… it was the b-side to his hit song “Donna” ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/17 "2011-10-26T19:21:43Z")
[Urge for Going](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMhNTFzmRw0). B-side of Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark single. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/18 "2011-10-27T00:16:21Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > **Pearl Jam** - Yellow Ledbetter What I came to post. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/19 "2011-10-27T01:30:43Z")
[“Fox on the Run”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXf3QttUPlI) by Manfred Mann. (It’s now a bluegrass standard, with some of its lyrics [del]asininely fucked up[/del] changed, but it was born in the world of British rock.) > [@koeeoaddi](#): > > [Urge for Going](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMhNTFzmRw0). B-side of Joni Mitchell’s Court and Spark single. +1. That was the other one on my list. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874/20 "2011-10-27T21:29:41Z")
**Hound Dog** was the “B” side to **Don’t Be Cruel**. (I forget the singer’s name.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-b-sides/600874.md?page=2)