Brilliant B-Sides/ Overlooked Double-As

[Glory Lurker]

Interested to get some suggestions of great B-sides, or tracks on double-As that didn't get the rotation that the other track did.

Oasis obviously had some stunners (only up until Some Might say, though, IMHO), and the Restless Natives soundtrack is peerless, but what else should I look out?

And, do bands release singles anymore, or is it just tracks to download (and do they even have the equivalent of b-sides?)?

[Pretty Boy]

Hey Hey What Can I Do by Led Zeppelin and Carry Me Home by ACDC spring to mind.

Less well known B sides I'd throw in are Fog by Radiohead, Get Your Hands Out of My Grave by The Cribs and Despair in the Departure Lounge by the Arctic Monkeys.

[snooky]

"You're So Good To Me"/"Sloop John B" (ironically) - Beach Boys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBWH10U178k

[Mr White]

Oasis did indeed have some belting bsides. I'd say they continued past some might say though. Stay Young (bside of D'Yer Know What I Mean) and The Fever & Going Nowhere (bsides to Stand By Me) are amongst their best and would have improved the disappointing third album had they been included on it imo.

[Tyler Durden]

Interested to get some suggestions of great B-sides, or tracks on double-As that didn't get the rotation that the other track did.

Oasis obviously had some stunners (only up until Some Might say, though, IMHO), and the Restless Natives soundtrack is peerless, but what else should I look out?

And, do bands release singles anymore, or is it just tracks to download (and do they even have the equivalent of b-sides?)?

Rain is one of my favourite Beatles songs, the b-side to Paperback Writer and one of the earliest and best psychedelic rock songs.

Arctic Monkeys b-sides are brilliant if you like the band, right up to AM. Stop the World I Wanna Get Off and 2013 really great. In earlier album cycles they had guest vocalists (Miles Kane, Richard Hawley) sing with the band under the name the Death Ramps. Also did a good cover of Red Right Hand, as played on Peaky Blinders.

I'm a big fan of Blossoms. Prior to their debut album coming out they released 3 EPs with some brilliant b-sides.

Think it is a bit of a dying art but depends what type of music you're into. Oasis are the undeniable kings of the b-side and we could devote another entire thread to how different their legacy might be if they'd used the songs differently- the Masterplan as a b-side FFS! Personally I wouldn't have it any other way

[wpj]

The Jam had a few cracking b sides which weren't on albums I seem to recall. It's a while ago now though

[Tyler Durden]

The Jam had a few cracking b sides which weren't on albums I seem to recall. It's a while ago now though

Tales from the Riverbank for one

[Hiber-nation]

Tales from the Riverbank for one

The Butterfly Collector as well. I also loved Smithers-Jones but it's probably not most folks idea of a classic Jam song.

The Beatles Revolution and Bowie's Suffragette City are 2 of the best, off the top of my head.

[Moulin Yarns]

Wings 'C Moon'I much prefer the other side. Maybe because the BBC banned it.

[Danderhall Hibs]

Oasis did indeed have some belting bsides. I'd say they continued past some might say though. Stay Young (bside of D'Yer Know What I Mean) and The Fever & Going Nowhere (bsides to Stand By Me) are amongst their best and would have improved the disappointing third album had they been included on it imo.

:agree: Talk Tonight, the Masterplan, Half the world away.

The list goes on.

[YehButNoBut]

T Rex Jeepster

B side Life's A Gas one of the best I can remember

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjiNROf_U4Y

Or B side of Bowies John I'm only Dancing which was Hang on to Yourself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZi1zMgGGGk

Bowie would have been 70 yesterday, still sadly missed.

[Greentinted]

I've had a good bit of stick over the years for liking these guys but no longer do I give a flying one...
Anyway, amongst many of their lesser known tracks, I always enjoy hearing this one. I think it is the B-Side to Call Me (1985)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2Zvq1SvJxg

[Smartie]

The Stone Roses had a few belters, none better than this imo (B-side on She Bangs the Drums).


https://youtu.be/hLJxDnGHrd4

I'm pretty sure Mersey Paradise was on the CD single as well.


Bands really did used to give away a lot of superb music as b-sides.

[The_Exile]

'Acquiesce' is Oasis' best song IMO, and that was a B side on 'Some Might Say' I think?

[O'Rourke3]

My Favourite is "There ain't half been some clever B*st@rds" the b side of Ian Dury's "Hit me with you rhythm stick". Favourite b side story was Brown girl in the ring which was and still is the B side to River of Babylon. People who had bought the first then bought the second without realising they'd bought the same disc twice....

[Hibby Bairn]

Angel Eyes was B side to Voulez Vous by ABBA. Or was that a double A side?

[Hermit Crab]

New York City Cops by The Strokes on the Hard To Explain single. Got banned/recalled after 9/11, I still have the single somewhere.

[wpj]

Flip side to Tommy Gun by the Clash is 1 2 got a crush on you, great tune

[The Modfather]

The Jam had a few cracking b sides which weren't on albums I seem to recall. It's a while ago now though


Tales from the Riverbank for one


The Butterfly Collector as well. I also loved Smithers-Jones but it's probably not most folks idea of a classic Jam song.

The Beatles Revolution and Bowie's Suffragette City are 2 of the best, off the top of my head.

The Jam, now we're talking! :cool2: Should have their own thread given they are the greatest band of all time, endoff :wink:

Love Smither-Jones, the B-side was better than the version that made it on to Setting Sons IMO.

They also had a some excellent The Who Covers as B-sides, So Sad About Us, Disguises.

There's a b-side and rarities album, "Extras", as well as a 5 cd "Direction Reaction Creation" which has loads of covers, rare songs and reworked versions of songs. Both well worth a purchase.

[WeeRussell]

Interested to get some suggestions of great B-sides, or tracks on double-As that didn't get the rotation that the other track did.

Oasis obviously had some stunners (only up until Some Might say, though, IMHO), and the Restless Natives soundtrack is peerless, but what else should I look out?

And, do bands release singles anymore, or is it just tracks to download (and do they even have the equivalent of b-sides?)?

Loads of B-sides/demos/unreleased oasis beauties, including:

Fade away
I will believe
Let's all make believe
Thank you for the good times
Stay young
Acquiesce
Half the world away
Rockin chair
It's good to be free
Cum on feel the noize (slade cover)
Do yer wanna be a spaceman

Off the top of my head.. that would make a pretty good album even if I say so myself :greengrin

[At The Edge]

some more to add to the list of excellent b sides
Queen 'We will Rock You' started out life as the b side to We are the Champions in 1977
the Clash 'Pressure Drop' b side to English civil war
Jesus and Mary Chain 'Kill Surf City' b side to April Sky very upbeat from the East Kilbride gloomsters
The Exploited 'Hitlers in the Charts again' b side to Dead Cities, way better tune from Wattie and co
David Bowie ' The man who sold the world' b side to Space Oddity

[Hiber-nation]

Best Clash B side for me is The Prisoner, B side of the great (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais.

TV Stars by the Skids is always good for a laugh.

[Smartie]

Gordon Smart has a show on Radio X now, and I saw on Facebook the other day that someone on his show had told him that his name sounds like it should be a Blur b-side.

Which made me chuckle.

[KingFranck]

some more to add to the list of excellent b sides
Queen 'We will Rock You' started out life as the b side to We are the Champions in 1977
the Clash 'Pressure Drop' b side to English civil war
Jesus and Mary Chain 'Kill Surf City' b side to April Sky very upbeat from the East Kilbride gloomsters
The Exploited 'Hitlers in the Charts again' b side to Dead Cities, way better tune from Wattie and co
David Bowie ' The man who sold the world' b side to Space Oddity


Thought with your avatar you'd have mentioned the magnificent singles by Stiff Little Fingers

Suspect Device B Side Wasted Life !
Nobody's Hero and Tin Soldiers which I remember being a double A Side and rightly so
Just Fade Away has Go For It and Doesn't Make It Alright on the B Side (competition closed that wins !!)

[matty_f]

The Stone Roses had a few belters, none better than this imo (B-side on She Bangs the Drums).


https://youtu.be/hLJxDnGHrd4

I'm pretty sure Mersey Paradise was on the CD single as well.


Bands really did used to give away a lot of superb music as b-sides.

The Roses had some great b-sides.

Very hard to see past Oasis though, they had b-sides better than some bands could ever hope to have as an a-side.

[brianmc]

There'll be users in their teens/twenties reading this and thinking WTF is a B side?

*sadly I don't fall into either category

[WeeRussell]

New York City Cops by The Strokes on the Hard To Explain single. Got banned/recalled after 9/11, I still have the single somewhere.

It was on 'This Is It' and then replaced by 'When it Started' after 9/11 apparently? Confusingly, my Ipod has New York City cops on it but under the title 'When it Started'.. I'm assuming that's because I scanned the album I bought and the laptop assumed it was the updated version.

Quality album nonetheless!

[easty]

It was on 'This Is It' and then replaced by 'When it Started' after 9/11 apparently? Confusingly, my Ipod has New York City cops on it but under the title 'When it Started'.. I'm assuming that's because I scanned the album I bought and the laptop assumed it was the updated version.

Quality album nonetheless!

Brilliant album. One of my favourites