The B-Side to the Forty-Five

The term “B-Side,” traditionally referred to the least-anticipated song on a 7 inch vinyl music disc. It was a common practice to make the second (B-Side) song “filler,” since it did not have the same commercial potential  as the main (A-Side) featured recording.  While the term “B-Side” refers to music, it can also be attributed to other less-emphasized events that contain multiple parts, sections, or sides. 

The origins of the term ‘B-Side’ can be directly linked to the philosophical principle of opposites.  According to the book, Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations, the idea of the Yin and Yang, “describes how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another.”  That example fits into many scenarios where two sides function as part of a larger object or process. In the music industry, the B-side of a record was not considered an equal counterpart. Some B-sides might feature an extended version of the record on the other side. Other B-side releases might contain an instrumental version of the A-side’s song.

There are some notable examples of vinyl 45 records featuring the A-Side and the B-Side as equal options. The A-Side is the song that has commercial appeal. That is the song that record companies use as a marketing tool. That A-Side is for DJs and radio station programmers, so they can play the music  for their audiences.  That A-Side is the song that consumers could buy in anticipation of that particular artist’s upcoming musical  release. The sales performance and popularity of that ‘single’ might be used to predict the potential success of that album’s release. The traditional ‘single’ is also the song that music-oriented radio stations play as part of their entertainment programming.  Because of digital media and the popularity of music streaming, everything is different now.  Commercial radio is not the only place where music is released and played.

A particular vinyl 45 disc recording by the legendary Chicago-based Soul music group, The Impressions was released in the Netherlands on the Artone label.  The year was 1964, and the songs were, “Keep On Pushing/ I’m So Proud (Side-B).”  Because this musical release was an import, it may have contained two ‘A-Side’ songs for availability and promotional purposes.  It was smarter to provide two stellar songs at once, in order to prevent a loss of overseas momentum for the album’s  anticipation. The  gesture was also a form of listener appreciation, for an international audience that was so far away.  What can be said for sure is that both songs could command respect as A-side vinyl singles on their own.

An example of how a “B-Side” recording sometimes represents the “A-Side” of music applies to another Impressions song from June, 1969.  In this case, the record label was  Curtom, and the song, “Choice of Colors” was backed on the “B-Side” by the song, “Mighty Mighty Spade & Whitey,” which was distributed by Buddah Records.   The song, “Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey)” initially received  resistance from radio stations, making it seem like the song could not have been officially released as an A-Side song. The song, “Choice of Colors,” reached number #1 on Billboard‘s R&B chart for one week, and reached  number #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song, “Mighty Mighty Spade & Whitey” was  not released as an official single, but did receive radio airplay, and was released as an A-side vinyl 7 inch disc. The version of “Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey),” recorded Live at Paul Colby’s The Bitter End  in N.Y.C. is recognized as a legendary live performance. That version is featured on the 1971  album,  Curtis / Live!

Determining which songs should be “A or B-Side” singles is not based on a specific formula. Musicians and record executives often know which songs make the best A-Sides, based on their experiences and observations. Songs that may seem to have a broader appeal are usually featured as A-Side singles.  Many music label executives might prefer a formulaic approach, while the artistic approach may be just as popular.  The process of selecting which A or B-Side records to release as lead singles is not an exact science.

Even though the B-Side often represents an insignificant filler or a ‘throwaway’ choice, that is not always the case.  When we say “B-Side,” we are often referring to an underestimated option.