BARRY LEVINE: The ‘B Side’ on big rock hits

Editor’s Note: This is the second of a two-part series on two-sided, Top 10 hits. Part 1 appeared in The Albany Herald on Sept. 17.

The most difficult aspect of having a two-sided, Top 10 record is getting a “B Side” to generate sufficient interest to climb into the Top 10.

Of the 426 songs that topped the Billboard charts during the first two decades of the modern rock ‘n’ roll era (mid-1955-75), only a handful could be classified as two-sided Top 10 hits.

Here are some, excluding records by Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson and The Beatles which appeared in Part 1. The records are listed in chronological order.

Despite the musical ability he acquired as a youngster, Perry Como had revealed his No. 1 ambition as a youth was to become the best barber in Canonsburg, Pa., his home town. Como mastered his barbering skills that enabled him to open a shop at age 14. Fortunately, his goals turned to music. Como, who released 150 singles during his career from 1946 to 1987, had three two-sided Top 10 hits during the modern rock era. The first was “Hot Diggity,” No. 2, and “Juke Box Baby,” No. 10, in 1956. He connected again later in the year when “More” jumped to No. 4 and “Glendora” to No. 8. He had his final two-sided hit in 1957 with “Catch a Falling Star,” No. 2, and “Magic Moments,” No. 4. Como’s musical success was aided by having a weekly TV variety show.

Pat Boone was the second-best-selling rock artist during the 1950s, trailing only Elvis Presley. He had his first two-sided hit in 1956 when “Friendly Persuasion” jumped to No. 5 and “Chains of Love” to No. 10. He had his second two-sided hit two years later when “A Wonderful Time Up there” and “It’s Too Soon to Know” both peaked at No. 4. Boone, who released 63 singles during his career, had much of his success covering songs by black artists.

The Coasters’ first national hit was a two-sided smash in 1957 as “Searchin’” peaked at No. 3 and “Young Blood” No. 8. The Hall of Fame writing duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller penned both songs. The two-sided hits were the first of many for The Coasters. Among their other Top 10 hits were “Yakety Yak,” “Poison Ivy,” Charlie Brown” and “Along Came Jones.” The Coasters were the first group to have a two-sided, Top 10 hit and the first to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,

Despite regularly notching Top 10 hits during her career, Connie Francis had only one two-sided smash when “Lipstick on Your Collar” peaked at No. 5 in 1959 and the “B Side,” “Frankie,” reached No. 9. Howard Greenfield and Neil Sedaka wrote “Frankie.” She wanted the songwriters to make the song about one of the hottest teen idols of the time: Frankie Avalon. Francis was the first female singer in the modern rock era to have consecutive No. 1 singles when “My Heart Has a Mind Of Its Own” topped the charts in 1960. It followed “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.”

Nicknamed “Little Miss Dynamite” because of her size (4-feet-9) and powerful voice, Brenda Lee had her only two-sided Top 10 hit in 1960 when “I’m Sorry” topped the charts and “That’s All You Gotta Do,” the flip side, peaked at No. 6. The Georgia native was the top-charting female vocalist during the 1960s and was fourth overall, trailing Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Albany’s Ray Charles. She is best-known for her 1958 hit “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” a holiday standard.

When including Chubby Checker’s name on the list of artists who had two-sided hits in the Top 10, one would assume that one of the songs would have been “The Twist” or a derivation of it. Guess again. Checker’s 1962 smash hits were “Limbo Rock” which climbed to No. 2 and “Popeye the Hitchhiker” which peaked at No. 10. These were his last two Top 10 hits. “The Twist” is the only tune in the modern rock era to top the charts on two separate occasions, 1960 and 1962.

Perhaps, the least-likely singer to have a two-sided Top 10 hit was Billy J. Kramer. The native of England had his two-sided hit in 1964 when “Little Children” jumped to No. 7, two spots higher than “Bad to Me.” Kramer, who was managed by Brian Epstein who directed The Beatles’ fortunes, had a brief career. He had his first chart single in 1963 and his last two years later. He recorded several songs penned by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Of the 131 singles released during her glittering career, Aretha Franklin had one two-sided, Top 10 hit. She accomplished the feat in 1968 when “The House that Jack Built” rose to No. 6 and “I Say a Little Prayer” reached No. 10. “The Queen of Soul” had a plethora of Top 10 hits during her career, but only one, “Respect” in 1967, reached No. 1. Among her other signature hits were “A Natural Woman,” “Chain of Fools” and “Since You’ve Been Gone.”

One of the premier groups during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Creedence Clearwater Revival produced nine Top 10 hits during that span. The quartet had their only two-sided smash hit in 1969 when “Fortunate Son” jumped to No. 6 and “Down on the Corner” to No. 10. The group broke up in late 1972 when the Fogerty Brothers, John and Tom, departed over artistic control. Among CCR’s major hits were “Proud Mary” in 1968, “Bad Moon Rising” and “Green River” in 1969, “Travelin’ Band” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain” in 1970 and “Have You Ever Seen Rain” in 1971.

John Denver had four No.1 hits during his career – “Sunshine of My Shoulders” in 1973, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” and “Annie’s Song” in 1974 and “I’m Sorry” in 1975. He combined “I’m Sorry” with “Calypso,” a song dedicated to Jacques Cousteau’s boat, Calypso, to have his only two-sided hit. “Calypso” peaked at No. 2. The Country-Pop singer is also known for one of his other hits – “Rocky Mountain High” in 1972.

Barry “The Old Rocker” Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].