Category: Great B-Sides

Some great songs never made it onto an album, instead languishing on the flip-side of a single. In this series I examine some terrific songs that didn’t make it onto a studio album. Some have since been recognised as part of the artists’ canon, others are still obscure.

Feel free to send ideas for b-sides to cover.

You’ve Got The Power by Van Morrison: Great B-Sides

Van Morrison is a prolific recording artist, releasing more than 40 studio albums during his solo career, as well as … Continue Reading You’ve Got The Power by Van Morrison: Great B-Sides

The Plague by Scott Walker: Great B-Sides

Scott Walker is one long-time favourite artist who I’ve barely mentioned on this site. Born Noel Scott Engel, in Ohio, … Continue Reading The Plague by Scott Walker: Great B-Sides

Omnibus by The Move: Great B-Sides

There was a lot of great pop music in the 1960s, and Birmingham psychedelic rock band The Move are overlooked … Continue Reading Omnibus by The Move: Great B-Sides

Don’t Break This Rhythm by Peter Gabriel: Great B-Sides

Sometimes a record is so jammed with great songs that something worthy has to be shipped out to a b-side. … Continue Reading Don’t Break This Rhythm by Peter Gabriel: Great B-Sides

Das Schützenfest by Faith No More: Great B-Sides

Faith No More have covered a lot of ground over their career – in particular, 1995’s King for a Day… … Continue Reading Das Schützenfest by Faith No More: Great B-Sides

Ten Guitars by Engelbert Humperdinck: Great B-Sides

Arnold Dorsey struggled to break into the music industry until he was advised to adopt a more interesting stage name. … Continue Reading Ten Guitars by Engelbert Humperdinck: Great B-Sides

What’ll I Do by Bill Withers: Great B-Sides

Universally beloved soul singer Bill Withers passed away this week. He came from the small coal mining town of Slab … Continue Reading What’ll I Do by Bill Withers: Great B-Sides

…Baby One More Time by Fountains of Wayne: Great (Almost) B-Sides

Power pop band Fountains of Wayne was formed by Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood – they took their name from … Continue Reading …Baby One More Time by Fountains of Wayne: Great (Almost) B-Sides

La Bamba by Ritchie Valens: Great B-Sides

‘La Bamba’ is a traditional Mexican folk song, from the state of Veracruz. Ritchie Valens, a 17 year old rising … Continue Reading La Bamba by Ritchie Valens: Great B-Sides

Carry Me Home by AC/DC: Great B-Sides

It’s a long way to the top (if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll), and Australian hard rock band AC/DC spent … Continue Reading Carry Me Home by AC/DC: Great B-Sides

Mystery Train by Elvis Presley: Great B-Sides

Of all the b-sides that I’ve covered in this series, Elvis Presley’s cover of ‘Mystery Train’ is the most iconic. … Continue Reading Mystery Train by Elvis Presley: Great B-Sides

Grendel by Marillion: Great B-Sides

Marillion were named after JRR Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, and were formed in 1979. Early Marillion were often compared to the … Continue Reading Grendel by Marillion: Great B-Sides

Dancing Barefoot by U2 and Karen by The Go-Betweens: Great B-Sides

Patti Smith was one of the first punk artists to make a record. 1975’s Horses, produced by John Cale, was … Continue Reading Dancing Barefoot by U2 and Karen by The Go-Betweens: Great B-Sides

The Exploding Boy by The Cure: Great B-Sides

The Cure have been around for more than forty years, with leader Robert Smith the only constant member. The band … Continue Reading The Exploding Boy by The Cure: Great B-Sides

Another Lonely Christmas by Prince: Great B-Sides

The b-side is often a British commodity, but one American artist was the equal of any British artist with the … Continue Reading Another Lonely Christmas by Prince: Great B-Sides

Let My People Go by The Pursuit of Happiness: Great B-Sides

Canadian power-pop band The Pursuit of Happiness scored a surprise top 40 hit in 1986 with their independent single ‘I’m … Continue Reading Let My People Go by The Pursuit of Happiness: Great B-Sides