Log In
Register
9.34pm
10 August 2011
Offline
I'll start with “I Saw Her Standing There ” (It was the B-side of “I Want To Hold Your Hand ” in the U.S.), perhaps “All My Loving .”
I think there are many others.
"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)
10.38pm
22 April 2011
Offline
All My Loving was on a single in Canada and became so popular that they imported it to the US.
But anyway I think that Taxman could've been an A-side with maybe Tomorrow Never Knows on the B-side.
10.45pm
4 December 2010
Offline I think those both could have been, though how many singles would people have been prepared to buy? That's a genuine question btw. I suppose it was the height of Beatlemania.
I'd add Drive My Car /In My Life as a double A side. Songs like I Am The Walrus , Hey Bulldog and Revolution had hit potential, but ended up on the B Side (justified for Revolution ) or not on the single at all- Hey Bulldog and I Am The Walrus should have been A-sides, Hey Jude should have been backed with something like Honey Pie and Revolution /WMGGW should have been a double A side.
I told her I didn’t
9.55pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline I firmly believe “It Won't Be Long” would have been a hit if released as a single.
Then again, Ringo reciting “Mein Kampf” would have been a hit for the Beatles in late '63 / early '64. They could do no wrong.
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
10.42pm
10 August 2011
Offline Revolution /While my Guitar … would have been fabulous indeed.
Might have backed Hey Jude with Ringo's “Don't Pass me by” just to be egalitarian (would have put a lot of pounds in Ringo's pocket!)
Always loved “It Won't be Long.”
"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)
11.08pm
26 July 2011
Offline There's no doubt that “Here Comes The Sun ” would have been a major hit if it had been released as a single. When Apple Computers finally got the rights to release Beatlemusic on iTunes, the #1 Beatles song during the first week of sales was this George Harrison gem. I think “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da ” probably could have been a hit single too, as well as the already-mentioned “All My Loving “. Heck, when even their Hamburg recording of “Ain't She Sweet” peaked at #19 back in 1964, you realize anything with the name “Beatles” on the label would sell!
I've got nothing to say, but it's okay..
GOOD MORNING!
GOOD MORNING!!
GOOD MORNING!!!
12.53pm
22 April 2011
Offline I hate to be a know-it-all but Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da was on a single in 1976 with Julia as the b side. I know we're talking about when the beatles were still together though.
9.26pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline I agree with any song the beatles released in 1964 in the U.S. would have been a hit. Looking at wiki we have And I Love Her (#12), Matchbox hit #17. Do You Want To Know A Secret made #2.
Ones that werent released: Im A Loser, It Wont Be Long, I've Got A Feeling (sounds very modern when compared to what is out there just now), Girl, Good Day Sunshine .
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
9.53pm
19 September 2010
Offline Zig said:
I firmly believe “It Won't Be Long” would have been a hit if released as a single.
Then again, Ringo reciting “Mein Kampf” would have been a hit for the Beatles in late '63 / early '64. They could do no wrong.
As much as I hate the reference, I still laughed at that. But as for the question, I think they mostly got it right.
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
7.24pm
14 December 2009
Offline 
I really have to laugh at the notion that “I Am The Walrus ” would’ve been a big hit* as an A-side! Too weird IMO. If it was destined to be a hit, it would’ve benefited from the A-side’s status as a #1, just as Beatles songs like “Revolution ” or “Come Together ” did regularly.
Like already stated, practically ANYTHING released released on either side of the Atlantic in ’64-65 could’ve been a hit based on pure momentum. As for the first three single-less (in most countries) albums, I would say that the obvious singles would be “Michelle “, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da ” and “With A Little Help From My Friends “. In fact, for many years I assumed that those ones WERE actual singles, based on the fact that my mother knew them both well – despite her general unfamiliarity with Beatles album tracks.
*Unless The Walrus just suggested this one for a should’ve-been-obvious joke, in which case ha ha ha, now I get it!
Paul: Yeah well… first of all, we’re bringing out a ‘Stamp Out Detroit’ campaign.
7.58pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline With I Am The Walrus it comes down to whats more playable on the radio, certainly at that time. There is no doubt in my mind that Hello, Goodbye is the more radio friendly track being catchier for the listeners and filled with hooks. It was the right choice despite how much it irked John, and some music critics. IATW is the better song.
IATW was just too different for the time and you can see the audience scratching their heads and wondering what the heck they were listening too. Some people are still scratching their heads wondering what the heck is going on during those 4 1/2 minutes and complaining that it makes no sense and the lyrics are rubbish (Penguins don’t sing damn it!!).
The following people thank meanmistermustard for this post:
Oudis"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
9.23pm
Reviewers
14 April 2010
Offline meanmistermustard said
With I Am The Walrus it comes down to whats more playable on the radio, certainly at that time. There is no doubt in my mind that Hello, Goodbye is the more radio friendly track being catchier for the listeners and filled with hooks. It was the right choice despite how much it irked John, and some music critics. IATW is the better song.IATW was just too different for the time and you can see the audience scratching their heads and wondering what the heck they were listening too. Some people are still scratching their heads wondering what the heck is going on during those 4 1/2 minutes and complaining that it makes no sense and the lyrics are rubbish (Penguins don’t sing damn it!!).
Elementary stuff, that.
I agree with what you said. It is easy decades after to say that this or that song should have been a single. However, if a song wasn’t mainstream pop back then, it would have flopped. A while back, I brought up the fact that I saw old footage of the show, American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark. In the episode in which “SFF” was debuted, he asked his studio audience (record buying teens) what they thought. Half of them hated it. Imagine if it was IATW!
The following people thank Zig for this post:
OudisTo the fountain of perpetual mirth, let it roll for all its worth. And all the children boogie.
10.22pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline That footage of SFF & PL being screened on American Bandstand was included on a bootleg dvd and some of the audiende just sit completely lost after witnessing the promo film and the song. And SFF wasnt a number 1 in the US, it only reached #7 and therefore isnt on 1 (but the US chart system was just strange). It might be on youtube. Yip. Reaction to both SFF and PL.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
10.23pm
14 December 2009
Offline Ha ha yeah, the very thought of hearing “Walrus” on the radio in ’67 – I can imagine all those teenagers fiddling with their transistor-dials, trying in vain to get better reception when that shortwave-static/”King Lear” bit begins!
Paul: Yeah well… first of all, we’re bringing out a ‘Stamp Out Detroit’ campaign.
10.50pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Or complaining to the radio stations that something was wrong with their broadcast every single time.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
10.55pm
19 September 2010
Offline I think I Am The Walrus is the classic case of great song – shit single, for ally he reasons MMM stated above (and saved me from typing out). And I think it goes to show that what was a single doesn’t make it better. The album with the most US #1’s was Let It Be – which is not their best.
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
7.51pm
3 October 2012
Offline Hi this is the biggest panamanian (pty, code for Panama) beatle fan saying hello, I consider that “Rain “, the B-side of “Paperback Writer “, would have made a good and chart topper single.
11.06pm
12 January 2013
Offline WMGGW would have been fabulous with Hey Bulldog as a Double A-Side. And no dought that Drive My Car /In My Life would’ve been great as a Double A-Side. Also Here Comes The Sun /Oh! Darling could’ve worked.
The Incedibly True Story THat Never Ends. By Sam.
Best Friend: WHat are you listening to
Me: The Beatles
Best Friend: Go Figure
10.17pm
21 November 2012
Offline Here Comes The Sun , It Won’t Be Long , maybe even No Reply , Drive My Car , Michelle (for a long time I thought DMC and Michelle both were singles!), Saw her standing there..
Oh and of course Revolution 9 . Obviously.
1.14am
12 November 2012
Offline 
Ha!
Rain should’ve been the A side and Paperback Writer the B side.
"The world is a very serious and, at times, very sad place - but at other times it is all such a joke."-George Harrison
