What's Your Favorite Album Side?

Smoke

Silver Member
Sorry, you only get one. If in a quandary, flip a coin. Add commentary if it might help.

Back in the day when LP albums had sides; more often than not, the "A" side got worn out and the "B" side went almost unplayed. But in some cases, the "B" side hit you right where it counts.

For me, it's the "B" side of "Carolina Dreams" from "The Marshall Tucker Band". Only three songs: "Desert Skies," Never Trust a Stranger," and "Tell it to the Devil."

One night in late summer 1977 - my 18th year - I caught my mom sitting in MY bedroom in MY armchair wearing MY headphones listening to MY records - she yelled, "You gotta listen to this album!" I'd already heard it, but "Heard it in a Love Song" was the hit on the radio at the time and the flip side of the album was, well... the "flip" side.

So, one day when I was in the "right mood," I took her advice and listened. Really listened. Headphones and all. Since that day, I've "listened" to a lot of music, but no album side has bumped MTB's "B" side of "Carolina Dreams" from the top of my list.

Mom left to go find better music with Jimi, Janis, Bonzo and Lennon and left me with my old album collection. But sometimes, I'll pop in my new MTB CD and listen to the "B" side of "Carolina Dreams" while cuddling that old record with the strange brown stains on the album sleeve, and I'll hear in the back of my mind, "You gotta listen to this album!"

I did.

Love you Mom!!

John
 
What a sweet story! Great topic. :eard it in a Love Song is one of my all time favs. Best album side for me is a tie -both sides of Beatles Revolver.
 
Boston - Boston
A Side
More Than A Feeling
Peace Of Mind
Foreplay/Long Time
 
The B side of Paranoid (Black Sabbath) was incredible... The A side... yea whatever, all the big hits which I can barely stand hearing anymore (Paranoid, War Pigs, and Iron Man)... But man I love the B side: Electric Funeral, Hand of Doom, Rat Salad, Faeries Wear Boots...

On the flip side Sabotage (also Sabbath) had an incredible, and underrated A side. Hole in the Sky, Megalomania, Symptom of the Universe (with the bad-ass trippy ending)... Side B sucked.

Side B of Ritual de lo Habitual (Janes Addiction), and side A of Rust in Peace (Megadeth) also got heavy play back in High School when I still had albums.

Nice thread... sides were fun... now its just a big 3000 song shuffle.
 
Definitely showing my 80's roots here but believe I actually had both of these on vinyl and wearing out both of these sides:


Yes - 90125
"A" side
Owner of Lonely Heart
Hold On
It Can Happen
Changes

Huey Lewis and the News - Sports
"B" side
Walking on a Thin Line
Finally Found a Home
If This Is It
You Crack Me Up
Honky Tonk Blues


Both kind of cheesy but good memories :)
 
I'll go B-sides because I like big endings.

Although I was never one to play one side over another. if I put a record on, I'd listen to the whole thing, even if I didn't like certain songs.
 
I have several that I'd call 'favourites', all for different reasons.

Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse
Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
Belphegor - Lucifer Incestus
Kreator - Pleasure To Kill
Dark Funeral - The Secrets Of The Black Arts
Mercyful Fate - 9
 
John, you have a hip mum!

Side 3 of Zappa's double live, Roxy and Elsewhere is a treat - first is Cheepnis (with the "invisible nylon string attached to the jaws of a gain spider", then Son of Orange County has a brilliant mood and solo leading to with an inspired segue into More Trouble Every Day, with the drum motif that inspired Phil Collins's air drumming orgasm in In the Air Tonight. Great music, great lyrics - with none of his crude adolescent carry on.

It's been so long I'd need reminding with most of my old albums but that one stands out, along with side 1 of Apostrophe.

Side 1 of Steely Dan's Aja - Black Cow, Aja and Deacon Blues.

Side 2 of King Crimson's Disipline - Thela Hun Ginjeet (insane rhythm section with covert recording of Adrian Belew talking about how he almost got mugged) , the atmospheric and original The Sheltering Sky, and the hypnotic title track where they get multiple overlaying .time sigs to sound funky and natural.

Here's one you wouldn't expect- Side 1 of Supertramp's Crime of the Century - School, Bloody Well Right, Hide in Your Shell and Asylum. The other side would be even better except for the irritating Dreamer.

Side 1 of Dark Side of the Moon - Breathe, On the Run, Time and Great Gig in the Sky.

Also side 1 of Wish You Were Here - Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Welcome to the Machine.

Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow, side 2 - Cause We've Ended As Lovers, Thelonius,
Freeway Jam, Diamond Dust
.

That's enough for now :)
 
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