The Best False B Sides in Pop Music

From The Smiths to Nirvana, these are the best false B sides in pop music.

Introduction

The hidden tracks on CDs, the songs at the end of cassettes, the deep cuts on vinyl albums — these are the false B sides. And while some may argue that they’re not really B sides at all (since they were never intended to be singles), we think they deserve their moment in the spotlight.

From experimental oddities to fan-favorite album tracks, these are the best false B sides in pop music.

What are false B sides?

When an artist records a song for a single, there is usually only enough time and money in the budget to record one version of the song. However, if the artist or their record label believes that there is potential for the song to be a hit, they will often record multiple versions of the song (known as “mixes”) in order to appeal to different audiences. The extra versions of the song are typically released as B-sides on the single.

False B-sides are songs that were recorded for a single but were never released as a B-side. These songs are typically only available on bootlegs or promotional copies of the single. They are often high quality recordings that were simply left off of the official release due to time or space constraints.

There are many false B-sides in pop music, but some of the best include:

“Purple Haze” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
“I Feel Fine” by The Beatles
“I Can’t Explain” by The Who
” subsidies by David Bowie

The Best False B Sides

As a diehard fan of the band, I was elated to find this album of their false B sides. I had no idea what a false B side was, but I soon learned that these are the tracks that didn’t make the cut for the regular A side album. There are some real gems on here that I never would have heard otherwise.

“I’m So Tired” by The Beatles

“I’m So Tired” is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and released on their 1968 album The Beatles (also known as “the White Album”).

The song is notable for its tired, rambling vocal delivery by Lennon, who wrote the song while struggling with severe insomnia. The lyric makes reference to Lennon’s own# insights about the world during his tired state, as well as to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which he had been reading at the time.

The song has been interpreted as a commentary on the Vietnam War, with Lennon imagining himself as a soldier who is “so tired” of the fighting. Lennon later said that he was not making a political statement with the song, but was merely trying to capture the experience of exhaustion.

Despite its exhausted-sounding title and lyrics, “I’m So Tired” is driven by an uptempo, energetic guitar riff. The song is one of the few Beatles tracks to feature all four band members playing together on their respective instruments at the same time.

The song was poorly received by critics upon its release, but has since been reappraised as one of the highlights of The Beatles’ later years. In 2000, it was voted No. 79 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 100 Greatest Beatles Songs”.

“Angie” by The Rolling Stones

“Angie” is a song by The Rolling Stones, featured on their 1973 album Goat’s Head Soup. The song was a massive hit, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and #5 in the UK.

The song is about a woman who is no longer in The Rolling Stones’ life, and how she has left them feeling anguished. While the lyrics can be interpreted in many ways, it is generally agreed that the woman in question is Anita Pallenberg, who was Keith Richards’ girlfriend at the time.

False B sides are often seen as being of lesser quality than the A side, but this is not always the case. “Angie” is proof that a great song can be found on the B side of a single.

“Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac

“Go Your Own Way” is a song by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released as a single in December 1976. Written by Lindsey Buckingham, it was included on the band’s 1977 album Rumours. Buckingham’s fingernail scraping during the song’s opening guitar solo was accidental and he left it in the final mix.

The song became one of Fleetwood Mac’s signature songs and is one of Buckingham’s most enduring compositions. It has been covered by many artists, including Lissie, whose 2010 version reached number two on the US adult contemporary chart and number seven on the UK Singles Chart.

“Go Your Own Way” has been described as an “anthem of rocks lasting appeal” and “one of rocks most memorable anthems”. It is ranked number 122 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. In 2004, it was rated number 8 on VH1 Classic’s list of “The 100 Greatest Songs of the ’70s”.

Conclusion

To conclude, there are many great false B sides in pop music. These tracks often provide a more interesting and varied listening experience than the A side. They can also be a great way to discover new artists and songs that you may not have heard before. So next time you’re looking for something new to listen to, don’t forget to check out the B side!