Best LP Sides Ever!

[Birdie Num Nums]

Inspired by posts in the 'Favorite Beatles Songs' thread that suggested the A-side of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and the B-side of The Beatles Abbey Road albums were among the best LP sides ever. Meaning, it was just one great song after another great song with little, if any, filler.

For you youngsters out there, LP refers to a 33 1/3 long-playing vinyl record. In terms of recordings of songs on American LPs, there were usually 6 songs per side. (British albums might have some 14 songs per record.) There was an A side and a B side, consisting anywhere from 15 minutes of music per side (think George Harrison's Concert for Bangla Desh album) to some ~25 minutes per side (like RCA's micro-groove LPs of the 1970s, such as The Worst of Jefferson Airplane).

What do you consider among the best LP sides ever recorded?

To start, I offer the A-side of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's Déjà Vu.

 

[chilkoot]

Any number of choices might apply here. But since I have to pick just one...

Warren Zevon's "Stand In The Fire" is probably my favorite live LP, so let's go with side A of that.

 

[Gumby]

Donald Fagan, The Nightfly, Side 1.

 

[Keim]

Marvin Gaye Whats Goin On-Whichever side happens to be playing.

 

[BTravlin]

"Feats Don't Fail Me Now" by Little Feat

Either side.

 

[bjorn2bwild]

My nostalgia pick would be the A side of the one album wonder Its A Beautiful Day.
Ties in with special memories of White Bird Idaho.

 

[Nodak]

A couple of my favorites have already been mentioned. Another of mine is the first Eagles LP I don't believe there is a bad track on either side of that LP.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

I've got to correct myself. LPs had Side One and Side Two (or 1 or 2; sometimes 3 and 4, and Five and Six). 45s had A and B sides.

Steely Dan's Aja, Side One:
Steely Dan - Aja (1977) [Full Album] - YouTube

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Marvin Gaye Whats Goin On-Whichever side happens to be playing.

Yes, indeed! What a great record!
The one we all know:
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (1971) Full Album - YouTube

And the original Detroit mix:
WHAT'S GOING ON FULL LP 36 min.(original motown detroit mix) 1971 MARVIN GAYE - YouTube

 

[MichaelB]

Things I can't narrow to one choice: tastiest food, favorite beer, best LP. There's just too much goodness out there.

Great thread topic, though, just thinking about it brings back so many positive memories.

 

[golfnut]

So many choices but right now I'll go with side 2 of Abbey Road.

 

[sengsational]

To start, I offer the A-side of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's Déjà Vu.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnjiGx-6pII

That's a good one indeed (playing in the other tab as I write this). Makes me miss my younger days as a musician, but that's on my 'get a life tree'.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Selling England by the Pound, Side 1, by Genesis:

 

[Midpack]

I can't choose either, but for whole albums that should be listened to start to finish intact, Abbey Road, Sgt Pepper and Tommy are first to come to mind for me...

 

[Kimo]

Midpack.....I absolutely agree with all three....I would add Dark Side of the Moon and for me, those 4 really stand out....Sgt Pepper can only be listened to in its entirety, correct? Isn't it a sin to play only part of that album? (I don't think I have ever done that and back in the 60's and 70's I would actually wear out the album on my turntable)

 

[MDJO]

Abbey Road B side is awesome. Lot of good memories listening to that side.

Would also vote for Moody Blues "Knight in White Satin" - the entire disc is great from beginning to end.

More modern - Coldplay's X and Y is pretty darn good.

 

[Animorph]

Side 1 of Atom Heart Mother, all just one song "Atom Heart Mother Suite". We actually got the radio station to play it occasionally.

 

[Kimo]

Animorph......I remember phoning "The Obscene Steven Clean" as he was known....it was the 60's after all....on KMET in the LA area and asking him to play this (among others) and he did....

 

[chilkoot]

"I've got to correct myself. LPs had Side One and Side Two (or 1 or 2; sometimes 3 and 4, and Five and Six). 45s had A and B sides."

Calling them 1 and 2 may have been more common, but I recall seeing a number of LPs sporting Side A and Side B. And occasionally you ran across one with "Side A" and "Side A, continued".

Probably just marketing.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

"I've got to correct myself. LPs had Side One and Side Two (or 1 or 2; sometimes 3 and 4, and Five and Six). 45s had A and B sides."

Calling them 1 and 2 may have been more common, but I recall seeing a number of LPs sporting Side A and Side B. And occasionally you ran across one with "Side A" and "Side A, continued".

Probably just marketing.

Funny you should mention this. I just checked my copy of Steely Dan's Aja and it is Side A and Side B for that record.

 

[scrinch]

Animorph......I remember phoning "The Obscene Steven Clean" as he was known....it was the 60's after all....on KMET in the LA area and asking him to play this (among others) and he did....

Ah yes, KLOS and KMET were THE radio stations to listen to back in 70's LA...at least for my buddies and me.

It's hard to pick just one side...how about the A side of Born to Run? Such raw energy and passion!

 

[Kimo]

KMET especially at night was the best!!!! Of course, being the 60's, I always had a little help when listening.....made it sound even better!

 

[Nodak]

The Side A/1 B/2 seemed to be associated with the label, probably some tradition. What used to get me was the pairing of sides if more than one record was involved. Sometimes sides 1 and 2 were on the first disk and 3 and 4 on the second. Other times they were set up for changers with side 1 with 3 and 2 with 4.

 

[Kimo]

After reading this thread and the favorite Beatles song thread I have to go listen to music now....................

 

[scrinch]

After reading this thread and the favorite Beatles song thread I have to go listen to music now....................

With a little help?