But something that has been lost is the curiosity and excitement that comes with buying singles and checking out the B-sides. Whether it was 45's, cassettes, or CDs, singles could have unreleased tracks, remixes, covers, or live versions that you weren't going to find anywhere else. You might like it, or you might hate it. The record store became a casino, and you were a gambler. And win or lose, you always came back.
On the flip-side, what I don't miss is buying entire albums just to get one song. I'm looking at you soundtracks! Yes, we bought them because we were fans. And we would find other songs on those collections that we enjoyed, too. But we knew we were dropping our money just to get to that one song.
Strictly speaking, the B-side isn't gone. It's just something else now. It's a "bonus track" on a "deluxe" edition. And you get to preview it. You get 30 - 90 seconds to decide if you want to buy it. Or you don't bother, because it will likely end up on Youtube, where you can listen to the whole thing as much you want to.
Having said all of that, as some of you know, I'm particular to that quartet of 50-somethings from Ireland, U2. And I thought I'd take some time to compile a list of my favorite B-sides and other non-album tracks.
"Spanish Eyes", B-side to "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", 1987
Listening to this track, you get the sense that it was "this close" to being included on The Joshua Tree. If there had been room for just one more song, it would have fit comfortably with the rest. Pretty key element for a solid B-side.
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", from A Very Special Christmas, 1987
From the first release in the Very Special album series benefitting Special Olympics, this is a cover of the Darlene Love classic, with Love herself providing backing vocals. So it definitely honors the original. Great tune, and a sign of things to come.
"Hallelujah (Here She Comes)", B-side to "Desire", 1988
Rattle & Hum, I think, is a pretty unfairly maligned album. It sold millions of copies and had some great tunes on it. It may have not gotten great reviews, but it didn't get lousy reviews, either. Much of the criticisms seemed to come from the fact with Joshua Tree, they released one of the best selling albums of all time, and thus became the biggest band in the world. Rattle & Hum seemed to suggest that they knew it. Maybe if they cut back on the covers and live versions of Joshua Tree tracks, and instead included tracks like this on the main release, some of the reactions might have been more positive.
"Hallelujah (Here She Comes)" is very representative of the band's exploration of American roots music; gospel, classic rhythm n' blues, etc. This, driven by the organs and percussion, you start tappin' your foot, bobbin' your head, and you're hooked.
A good remix should do enough to make an original release sound unique and different, but not sound completely alien & unrecognizable (i.e. "club remixes"). And U2 is as guilty as anyone of this. But this, this is what a remix ought to be.
"A Room at the Heartbreak Hotel", B-side to "Angel of Harlem", 1988
The opening hymnal-esque organ, the soulful backing vocals, the jump in tempo in the final act of the song, the volume of Edge's guitar, it's pretty much gone from exploration to full on love affair with roots music on this one. "For primitive love and a ride on the mystery train..." I'm not sure exactly what that means, but it's probably about sex.
"Night and Day", from Red Hot + Blue, 1990
The first release in the Red Hot series, supporting said organization's efforts to raise funds for AIDS relief and awareness. This album was a collection of Cole Porter covers. This track is just flat out cool. And it was our first indication of just how much things were going to change with Achtung Baby.
"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me", from Batman Forever, 1995
There's plenty to be unhappy about when it comes to Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever, but this song isn't one of them. It was originally a product of the Zooropa sessions, and given how this turned out, curious as to why it wasn't included on that album. It just kinda' kicks ass.
"The Ground Beneath Her Feet", from The Million Dollar Hotel, 2000
The Million Dollar Hotel could probably be described as a bit of a "vanity project." Bono came up with the story many years earlier, it was directed by Wim Wenders, it was poorly reviewed, and barely anyone saw it (which is pretty much vanity projects). The lyrics for the song are credited to author Salman Rushdie, because they're taken from his book of the same name. And while the film was ill advised, the song was not.
"Let me love you, let me rescue me, let me bring you to where two roads meet..." Not exactly sure what this is about, either. As with most rock songs, again, there's a decent chance it's about sex. But there's a definite sense of yearning and desperation here.
"Invisible", 2014
Really, really dig this one. Recorded during the sessions that produced the Songs of Innocence album, this was free download for 24 hrs in February 2014. Promoted during the Super Bowl (marketing!), for each download, Bank of America donated $1 to the AIDS charity (RED). The organization was co-founded by Bono, so if a charitable activity could be described as a bit of a "vanity project", I suppose this could. But when it's for a good cause, I think you can excuse that.
Now, while the free download aspect of this was certainly a sign of things to come in regards to the release of Songs of Innocence, this song was not. And I really hoped it was. The atmosphere, the melody, lyrics, vocals, I dug the whole thing. It did not need to grow on me. It's a roll the windows down, and turn the volume up kind of tune. Which was not my reaction to Songs of Innocence (but that's a separate topic).
Now, while the free download aspect of this was certainly a sign of things to come in regards to the release of Songs of Innocence, this song was not. And I really hoped it was. The atmosphere, the melody, lyrics, vocals, I dug the whole thing. It did not need to grow on me. It's a roll the windows down, and turn the volume up kind of tune. Which was not my reaction to Songs of Innocence (but that's a separate topic).
I’m more than you see here
More than you let me be
I’m more than you know
A body in a soul
You don’t see me but you will
I am not invisible
The lyrics speak to the cultural/social burdens a disease like AIDS places on it's victims, and their defiance in the face of that. But the song could really be about anybody who find themselves in isolating circumstances that they want to break out of it. It's a great song.
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