Best B-sides - Fuck you if you don't even remember them

[Zaireeka]

The B-side is one of the saddest losses of the music industry, imo. There's no greater joy than returning to an album I like years later and discovering that there's more music within the same style I like.

Anyways, onto the actual B-sides. My favourite song might just be one - Cuttooth by Radiohead. I love this song from start to end, especially the subtle punchiness that the song has with its piano and background ambience. All of the B-sides from their Kid A/Amnesiac era are one of my favourite pockets of their discography, really. I also quite like "India Rubber" and "Permanent Daylight" from their Bends-era output, as well as "Paperbag Writer" from Hail to the Thief, though that song is much more of a niche affair.

Another B-side I enjoy is Faust by Gorillaz - my favourite song from the band. It's nuts how much music Albarn was putting out during Phase 1/2 of the band, and how much of the good stuff was relegated to their B-sides. Maybe it's hipster-y of me to say, but I genuinely think their B-sides/rarities are superior to much of their main catalogue, especially "Spitting Out the Demons", "Stop the Dams", "Hong Kong", "12D3" and "Left Hand Suzuki Method"

Weezer had some pretty good B-sides while they were in their prime. I'm stuck in an endless tug-of-war between whether I prefer "Susanne" or "Waiting On You" from Blue/Pinkerton, both of which are strong contenders for my favourite song from the band. "You Gave Your Love to Me Softly" and "Long Time Sunshine" are other favourites of mine.

 

[Otterly]

favourite song might just be one - Cuttooth by Radiohead

Radioheads B sides are consistently better than most bands actual output. Not only one per release either, they have a few little EPs which were fab.
How soon is now (smiths) was a B side as well wasn’t it?

 

[Migraine Box]

For a bit of background, Genesis usually included an instrumental track (or songs with very long instrumental breaks) on every album, and for Invisible Touch, that was The Brazilian. The B-Side for In Too Deep was another instrumental, Do The Neurotic, and (imo) it clears The Brazilian on every level. Absolute shame it didn't make the cut and was banished into the b-side realm, though thankfully it's been included in box sets in recent years.

 

[Ted's of Beverly Hills]

For a bona fide B-side, Julie Don't Live Here Anymore off of ELO's Twilight single was a pleasant surprise when I started collecting vinyl a couple years ago:

The pillows didn't initially release any of their music on vinyl but they had a ton of CD singles with so many B-sides that they released two compilations just for them over the course of their career. The best known ones made it into FLCL, including Sleepy Head:

and Come Down:

 

[Yamaha YM2612]

Zeppelin- hey hey what can I do
Prince- shockadelics

 

[Нарру Саmреr]

I'm too young to remember B-sides. I'm too young to remember Billy Joel—he was before my time. I'm going to post anyway because it's one of Billy's best hidden gems. What a legend! Ain't it the truth, ain't it the proof!

 

[The Token Ethnic]

Now this is a fun and nostalgic thread.

 

[3MMA]

Just posted a personal fav of a b-side in the Goth/ Post Punk/ Deathrock/ Etc thread. Day late & a dollar short but quote-posting is available, loathe as I am to quote myself. It’s from a 7” record by Siouxsie & The Banshees, Israel single, b-side w/ Red Over White:

Siouxsie & The Banshees - Red Over White
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Red Over White.mp4

Spoiler: Lyrics

the woods and the town
covered in snow
all transformed to a fairytale
like the fresh page of a book opened up
ready
waiting
for the story to begin
for you're all in a scene
objects in black ink
fringed in white
breathing and living
and anticipating
a colour
all transformed to a fairytale
unreal and inviting
inviting you to step in
and follow the path neverending

you're now leaving
imprints
and somehow expecting
expecting someone

maybe the prince in disguise
suffering a snow queen curse
but you're wrong of course
it's in reverse

out in the snow
muffled
the last silent night
the last sacrifice
red running over white
red running over white
red
running over white
red
running over white
running red
over white
running red
over white

red over white
red over white
red
over white

 

[No-Eyed Square Guy]

Rare good Captain Beefheart cover I happened to pull out tonight (not the right notes, but nobody does that):

It is the b side, though on the record that's not obvious.

 

[MC2]

I have quite a few early 1980s UK New Wave records. This is probably my favourite b-side track out of the lot of them.

 

[General Patton]

I will forever judge RHCP for not putting this on their album.

That bass line though.

 

[souschef]

Maroon 5's B Side collection from their second album was pretty solid. It's a shame what this band turned out to be over the years

 

[General Patton]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=tnOe3DwzYWM
Maroon 5's B Side collection from their second album was pretty solid. It's a shame what this band turned out to be over the years

To this day I play their first album with no shame. Sunday Morning is my jam.

 

[singlele]

The Go! Team, perhaps best known for being on the LittleBigPlanet soundtrack, did a version of Willow's Song from The Wicker Man.

 

[kcbbq]

My favorite is an Iron Maiden b-side (of Be Quick or Be Dead, IIRC), Nodding Donkey Blues. It's a dirty blues song, a style that mostly died out in the 1930s which made use of not so subtle double entendre.

 

[Rotter]

 

[3MMA]

Big Mouth - The Muffs

RIP to the lead singer, she passed away not that long ago. My fav b-side from The Muffs, the first few lines of the first verse always put me in a good mood.