Question about B sides

[AirForbes1]

I wasn't sure if I should post this in the question forum or this one. Anyway, I have a question about B sides and chart listings.

Were chart listings determined by sales? How would they determine the listing of B sides? Paperback Writer/Rain was a single issued by The Beatles. Paperback Writer, the A side, hit #1 in the UK and US. Rain went to #23 in US. How did they determine that Paperback Writer went to #1 but Rain didn't even make the top twenty?

Thanks.

[edna]

That´s an interesting question. I sometimes wondered about this, and though some radio DJs and people in record companies explained it to me, either I forgot ot I never really understood.

I believe sometimes it also has to do with the times the radio stations play a B side, but I´d love to know about this too.

[Malakin]

In the UK (I'm not sure about the US, but it's likely close)they track the number of "spins" of a single. It's not entirely based on sales, though that is a percentage. So, even if the same amount of singles sell, if the radio plays one more than the other, it's more successful.

[RockTheNorth]

I believe the Billboard charts are based upon number of requests for a certain song and how often it is played on the air.

[Jimmy1104]

I believe the Billboard charts are based upon number of requests for a certain song and how often it is played on the air.

I agree with your statement. I also believe it depends on sales as well as airplay. There have been times when the B side of a record became the hit. Also there were times when both the A & B sides were both hits and charted high. I know the Beatles did it at least a couple of times.

Another one who I can think of is Freda Payne. On her hit record Band of Gold (A side) she also had a somewhat decent hit with Bring the Boys Home on the B side.

Think it is time to do some research. Will get back with some more.

[_jr_]

Here's a b-side piece of trivia I just read in Billboard's Book of One Hit Wonders. (yes, really, there's a book):

The b-side of Carl Douglas' "I Want to Give You My Everything", "Kung Fu Fighting", was the first 45 from England to top the Billboard R&B charts.

[Jimmy1104]

"Kung Fu Fighting", was the first 45 from England to top the Billboard R&B charts.

Didn't he have a follow up song to Kung Fu fighting? I don't recall the name but it was something like Do The Kung Fu or Dancing To Kung Fu.

Anyone know?

[miamisammy29]

I believe he had something called "Dance The Kung Fu", trying to capitalize on the "Kung Fu Fighting" craze......didn't work, however. "Dance The Kung Fu" sold upwards of 6 copies. Of course, I might be exagerrating a little bit....I don't think it sold even that many.

[edna]

Well, I bought one, you know? :beady: And bought another copy for my friend and one for my other friend...

[miamisammy29]

That's three. Can you account for the other three, also? I think not.

[edna]

There was one guy at the record shop buying another copy and... I also saw that record at a party!!!

Who bought the#6?

[Uncle Joe]

And edna gives Sammy a lesson in how the RIAA counts record sales.

[edna]

Guess who just called? The guy who bought the sixth copy!!! He wants to register...

[miamisammy29]

And if you count the three that Carl Douglas gave to his son, his mother, and his gardener, that makes nine. I stand corrected. But I still don't think it made the top 100.

[Trader Jack]

The Carl Douglas song, "Dance the King Fu", was a

Billboard Top 50 song in early 1974! It was even more popular in dance clubs during the Disco craze years. We played this tune in night clubs in that era with good success.

It did sell More than 9 copies to make the National Top 50 Billboard Charts. It was the follow-up tunes to this song that missed the Top 100 in '74 and thereafter.

Some people refer to songs like, "Dance the Kung Fu", as "fast buck" songs, because they are little more than revised Copies of their big hit.

Trader Jack