TDTY Vol. 5, No. 18. Alan Warner. 2020

 

VOL. 5 NO. 18 FLIPSIDE THE DOOR TO YESTERDAY. ALAN WARNER. 2020

 Back in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s (and other decades), 

pop, rock, R&B and country records were released 

in the form of double-sided singles. 


The majority of these 45’s were individually launched by record companies 

who, in their infinite wisdom, decided which track had the most potential 

and which would therefore receive the heaviest promotional push. 

These chosen tracks were referred to as ‘A’ sides. 


However there were times when songs on the ‘B’ side eventually proved to 

have greater potential and the singles were flipped switching the ‘B’ to the ‘A’ side.

 

The following is a group of unforgettable hit records 

which were B-sides when they were first released…


I WILL SURVIVE 

(Dino Fekaris/Freddie Perren)

by Gloria Gaynor

Pro: Dino Fekaris in assoc.w/Freddie Perren 

(Polydor: 1978) 

https://youtu.be/xNDRrpG1Gc4  

It’s hard to believe that this disco staple was not  

the A-side when Gloria’s single was issued in late ’78 

but it was hidden on the flipside of another Gloria Gaynor track

 SUBSTITUTE, a song written by Willie Wilson.


MAGGIE MAY 

(Rod Stewart/Martin Quittenton)

by Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart 

(Mercury: 1971) 

https://youtu.be/EOl7dh7a-6g  

Rod’s magnificent breakthrough hit. It was 

originally issued with Rod’s excellent cover 

of Tim Hardin’s REASON TO BELIEVE 

as the A side but DJ’s began playing 

MAGGIE MAY turning it into a million-selling topside.


GREEN ONIONS 

(Booker T. Jones/Steve Cropper

Al Jackson Jr./Lewie Steinberg)

by Booker T. & The MG’s 

(Volt: 1962) 

https://youtu.be/ugOoiG05TyE  

Consistently popular Hammond organ-led soul instrumental 45 by 

Booker T. and his group of Stax session players. GREEN ONIONS was 

initially released as the B-side to another tune written by the group 

namely BEHAVE YOURSELF.


I’LL BE AROUND 

(Thom Bell/Phil Hurtt)

by The Spinners

Pro, Arr & Cond: Thom Bell 

(Atlantic: 1972) 

https://youtu.be/AOgfQoEUNHI  

Known in the UK as The Detroit Spinners, this soul group had previously 

recorded for Motown and then with Philadelphia’s Thom Bell helming some sessions 

for Atlantic, their success was assured. First issued as the B-side of the Yvette Davis composition HOW COULD I LET YOU GET AWAY, the single was wisely flipped and I’LL BE AROUND topped Billboard’s R&B chart in October ’72. 


FRANKENSTEIN 

(Edgar Winter)

by The Edgar Winter Group

Pro: Rick Derringer 

(Epic: 1973)  

https://youtu.be/P57rRpl2hpo 

This powerful chart-topping instrumental fronted by keyboard-playing saxman 

Edgar Winter was originally released as the B-side to HANGIN’ AROUND, 

a song co-written by Edgar with fellow musician Dan Hartman.  

 

UNCHAINED MELODY 

(Alex North/Hy Zaret)

by The Righteous Brothers

Pro: Phil Spector

Arr: Jack Nitzsche

Eng: Larry Levine 

(Philles: 1965) 

https://youtu.be/te51eVrFWEc 

This song was written for a long-forgotten 1955 prison picture but it struck gold 

in ’65 when recorded by the blue-eyed soul duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield 

aka The Righteous Brothers. However, their single was originally released as the B-side 

of the Gerry Goffin/Carole King/Phil Spector song HUNG ON YOU. Bill & Bobby’s version 

of UNCHAINED MELODY became a chart hit again in 1990 when it was used in the 

Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore movie “Ghost”.


THE STRIPPER 

(David Rose)

by David Rose & His Orchestra

Pro: Jesse Kaye 

(MGM: 1962) 

https://youtu.be/hcOtxUrx-ps 

Initially issued as the B-side of maestro Rose’s orchestral version of Robert Maxwell’s

 instrumental melody EBB TIDE which was memorably featured that year on the 

soundtrack of Metro’s Paul Newman/Geraldine Page film “Sweet Bird Of Youth”. 

With its dominant raunchy trombone figure, David Rose’s 45 of THE STRIPPER 

garnered much attention prompting MGM to switch it as the A-side and it topped 

Billboard’s Hot 100 in the summer of ’62. 


MOVE IT 

(Ian Samwell)

by Cliff Richard & The Drifters

Pro: Norrie Paramor 

(UK Columbia: 1958) 

https://youtu.be/0vQ2jMlTAYo 

This marked the very first of seemingly countless UK hits by Cliff Richard. 

Written by bass guitarist Ian Samwell of Cliff’s group The Drifters who changed 

their name to The Shadows. The original A-side was Cliff’s cover version of the 

Aaron Schroeder/Sharon Silbert song SCHOOLBOY CRUSH which was first recorded 

by American singer Bobby Helms. However, UKTV’s “Oh Boy!” producer Jack Good 

voiced his influential opinion that MOVE IT should be the A-side, it was flipped and 

MOVE IT reached UK#2 that November.


(We’re Gonna) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK 

(Jimmy DeKnight/Max C. Freedman)

by Bill Haley & His Comets

Pro: Milt Gabler 

(Decca: 1954) 

https://youtu.be/hzYBEJgKjv0  

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK eventually hit #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 

July ’55 but when it was first sent out by Decca to radio stations, the song on the 

flipside namely Dickie Thompson’s composition THIRTEEN WOMEN (And Only 

One Man In Town) received the promotional pitch. A few months later, when 

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK memorably appeared on the soundtrack of 

MGM’scrime drama “Blackboard Jungle”, the 45 was flipped and re-issued.

 It even became the title of an early rock movie in which Bill Haley starred.


From time to time, hit songs could be found tucked away in different places. 

For instance, the flipside of The Box Tops’ 1967 American hit NEON RAINBOW 

was the Dan Penn/Spooner Oldham composition EVERYTHING I AM which, when 

recorded by British group Plastic Penny on Larry Page’s Page One label, turned 

into a chart success reaching #6 in early ’68.

https://youtu.be/997XNYIBRsc


Another hidden B-side was Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich’s HANKY PANKY 

which when first released was the flipside of the song THAT BOY JOHN on 

Jubilee in ’63 as recorded by Jeff & Ellie as The Raindrops; 


That’s the same HANKY PANKY with which Tommy James & The Shondells 

topped Billboard’s Hot 100 three years later; here’s their version produced by Henry Glover: 

https://youtu.be/DCnXFePGGmU



As in all my postings, the recordings listed and referenced above 

are in no way intended as definitive collections.


Please send any comments or suggestions to

 thedoortoyesterday@gmail.com


Rock on.


Alan Warner 


© Alan Warner, 2020. 


Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and 

written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. 

Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to 

Alan Warner with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.







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