Anybody know why they chose 'Hey Jude' as the A-side of their August 1968 single, instead of issuing a double A-side single with 'Revolution'? I've read that John wanted 'Revolution' on the A-side, but the other Beatles and George Martin favored 'Hey Jude' which annoyed Lennon. Seems like a simple solution would have been to issue a double A. I love 'Rain' but 'Revolution' seems like about the strongest B-side they released - and it continues to garner airplay to this day.
Do you suppose they were still smarting from the 'Penny Lane'/'Strawberry Fields Forever' single being kept from #1 by Engelbert Humperdinck due to sales of each song registering independently? But then a year later, 'Something'/'Come Together' was issued as a double A-sided single, so they can't have been put off them completely.
I've often read that by the end of their career together, John was frustrated that his songs were often relegated to B-sides, while Paul's songs got the A-sides. And while Paul's songs are often more commercial, the songs that John offered up were still very strong. 'I Am the Walrus' and 'Don't Let Me Down' being other strong Lennon B-sides. It seems like they could have placated John by offering these singles as double-A sides. Of course, they probably didn't know he took it so personally.
Anyone know more about the selection process for their singles? Who made the final call for A-sides and B-sides and whether or not a single would be a double-A side?
Double A's
Re: Double A's
When Revolution was offered up as a single it was the Revolution I version. I think A side, B side or Double A Side are just semantics. It really wasn't until 1969 ish that most charts stopped charting both sides of the single. IMO Don't let Me Down isn't as good as Get Back. I think Hello Goodbye is a great pop song and more of a "single" song instead of I Am the Walrus. Rain is one of my favorite John Lennon songs ever. But Paperback Writer was more commercial.
Singles are supposed to be commercial. I don't think, in most cases, its a matter of which song is better, but which song most record buying people of the 60's are going to like.
Just my 2 cents.
Singles are supposed to be commercial. I don't think, in most cases, its a matter of which song is better, but which song most record buying people of the 60's are going to like.
Just my 2 cents.