just a b side eh?

Something that always impressed me about the Beatles was the quality of their B-sides. I liked their value for money approach which after the Please Please Me included not repeating themselves elsewhere or taking the easier option of putting out an album track. There always seemed to be a strong product identity; albums were albums and singles were singles. Quality was high resulting in the plain fact that most of their B sides would have been a lot of other bands A sides. One of the great B’s was She’s A Woman. This is a top tune and a major part of their live set which is a testament to the strength of the work. I’m trying to imagine the bands of today having that kind of ethic – putting a so called b side into the live set! Ho hum! Most groups today might use acoustic versions of their hit songs, or worse, an instrumental version of the main track. Other offences include the use of the extended remix and in most cases it is just self indulgent rubbish full of its own self importance. That kind of easy way out attitude just doesn’t cut it for me. It’s short changing the buyer. The Beatles didn’t do that. There was always a strong tune on the flip. Don’t Let Me Down, Revolution, Yes It Is, Things We Said Today – all somehow B-sides? You know the phrase “B-Side” somehow gives the impression that it’s not as good. This tells you how strong their singles were when tunes like these were relegated to the less important side. Today, we live in an era where the single means nothing. In their day, the single was just that, it was a SINGLE product with two unique tracks on board. Then, somehow the single became a leader for the album from which it came – in other words – merely an advert for the album. Using it as a device, a hook to make you buy. Now of course, in this world of the download you can just buy the track you like and ignore the B-side. I’ve said it before, there is something lost about that kind of consumption. The Beatles sold singles and albums by the truck load BECAUSE of the strong song writing and originality of product. Who wouldn’t bet on some of those B sides becoming hits in their own right due to the download phenomenon? A single wasn’t just bought as a collectable, never to be opened or played. You know, it’s the “Oh, I don’t need to play this anyway, ‘cos I’ve got it on the main album anyway” attitude, which begs the question – WHY buy it? If only Mr McCartney’s people had thought how it used to be done in the Beatles period during the Press To Play campagn. That was the time which ended my need to buy all of the formats. One of the singles (“Press” I think?) had NINE different versions available. Unfair to the loyal collector(like me) that. Shelling out left, right and centre for basically the same tracks again and again. More like RIP OFF I’d say now.
So, candidate for the best EVER b side? What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts – feel free to drop me a line on the subject.
My own favourite? Surely it must go to I am The Walrus! How that song ever got be a b side is inexplicable to me.
What was that about the quality of Beatles B sides?