'B' - Sides that out sold 'A' sides.

[Jim in Pa]

I started this topic because I cant think of any off the top of my head. I hope that some SF members might be able to come up with a few....

Jim

[phil]

Credence did it many times. Bad Moon Rising was the B-side to Lodi; Up Around The Bend was the B-side to Run Thru The Jungle; Who'll Stop The Rain was the B-side to Travelin' Band; Green River was the B-side to Commotion; Down On The Corner was the B-side to Fortunate Son.

[Zabadak]

http://forum.songfacts.com/showtopic.php?tid/148640/tp/29/

[Crazy Don]

The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" was the B side to "Hung on You."

[phil]

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye was a throw away B-side until a DJ flipped it over, and it became a huge song for Steam.

Edited July 12, 2012 by Guest

[Carl]

Maggie May by Rod Stewart was a B-side when it was released. These songs almost always get flipped and re-issued, but it's amazing how many hits started out this way.

[OLD 55]

Words Of Love #5 - Mamas & The Papas was the B side of Dancing In The Street #73.

[Ken]

Kiss' "Beth" was the 'B' side to "Detroit Rock City".

[pinkstones]

"I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor was originally the B-side to her cover of The Righteous Brothers' song "Substitute." DJs flipped the record over and started playing it, and it became huge. The single was then re-pressed with I Will Survive as the A-side. Some other B-sides that became bigger hits than their A-side counterpart were:

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (A-Side: My Bucket's Got a Hole In It) - Hank Williams, Sr.

I'll Be Around (A-Side: How Could I Let You Get Away?) - The Spinners

Roadhouse Blues (A-Side: You Make Me Real) - The Doors

Unchained Melody (A-Side: Hung On You) - The Righteous Brothers

Tequila (A-Side: Train To Nowhere) - The Champs

Green Onions (A-Side: Behave Yourself) - Booker T. and the M.G.s

Rock Around The Clock (A-Side: Thirteen Women [And Only One Man In Town]) - Bill Haley & His Comets

[Uncle Joe]

Yes...go on.

[cyberjudge]

The Horse-Cliff Nobles & Co

From Wikipedia:

"Their second release for the record label was the single "Love Is All Right" b/w "The Horse", which featured the horn section from what would later be known as MFSB. "The Horse" was simply an instrumental version of the A-side, and Nobles, who was the lead singer, does not actually play on the track at all. Nevertheless, it caught fire at radio stations and became a hit, peaking at #2 for three weeks on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968, as well as #2 on the Black Singles chart. It was held out of the #1 spot by Hugh Masekela's "Grazin' in the Grass", on the week of 29 July 1968 - resulting in the extremely rare occurrence of instrumentals occupying both the #1 and #2 slots of the pop charts in the same week ."The Horse" sold a million copies within three months of release, with the gold disc award from the R.I.A.A. made in August 1968."

[Jarlaxle]

Gary Glitter-Rock & Roll, Part 2.

A-side: Rock & Roll, Part 1

[Shackled77]

Midnight Hour B side to '96 Tears'