The B Side Surprises

When you hear someone say the ‘B’ side of a song, it means a single that was sent to the radio stations contained the ‘A’ side, the executives decided was the hit, yet the record label needed to press another song on the other side to complete the vinyl, thus our “The B Side surprises.”

“Born in the USA,” was perhaps Bruce Springsteen’s biggest radio hit, but the ‘A’ side or intended hit was actually a tune called “Shut Out the Night.” The singer won out as “Born in the USA” was a huge song in concerts, so the label realized they had made a mistake and pushed “Born in the USA” instead.

The Four Tops were supposed to have a big hit with the song, “Sad Souvenirs.” The problem is that everyone loved the B side better. You know it as the Four Tops classic “I Can’ Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch.)”

Although both songs were hits, “God Only Knows” was the B side to the Beach Boys single “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.”

“Green Onions” by Booker T and the MGs put the band on the map. Oddly the A side would have sent them to the cellar – the A side was called “Behave Yourself.”

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