Best Radiohead B-sides?

[SkeeK]

my favs are lewis mistreated, fog, talk show host, lull, pearly, polyethelyne, the trickster, a reminder, punchdrunk lovesick..

there's a hell of a lot of great ones, really.

not sure i'd count true love waits as a b-side, but if so then it would be near the top as well.

[gareth brown]

nah, it's only on "I Might Be Wrong [Live]"

[bread n' whine]

What I would put on a b-sides album:

1. Jerusalem/Mr. B (Joshua Tree/Dylan ripoff from their On a Friday demo. it has two alternate titles because someone got it wrong and no one's completely sure.)

2. Inside My Head (Pablo Honey era b-side. was originally going to be the debut single. then they recorded "Creep.")

3. Coke Babies (Pablo Honey era b-side. sounds completely unlike what you'd think from the title.)

4. The Trickster (from the My Iron Lung EP which came out before The Bends. Radiohead's catchiest song ever.)

5. Punchdrunk Lovesick Singalong (from the My Iron Lung EP. proto-OK Computer.)

6. Lozenge of Love (from the My Iron Lung EP. subtle acoustic beauty. lyrics taken from Philip Larkin.)

7. Talk Show Host (b-side from Street Spirit single #1, and Baz Luhrmann's Romeo+Juliet film. proto-Kid A. legendary.)

8. Bishop's Robes (b-side from Street Spirit single #1. as good as Talk Show Host if not better.)

9. Pearly* (b-side from Paranoid Android single #1. also on out of print Airbag/How Am I Driving EP. their best political song ever, and their most lo-fi indie thing ever, and Thom's most impressive falsetto ever, and just all around brilliant.)

10. A Reminder (b-side from Paranoid Android single #2. also on Airbag EP. atmospheric ballad featuring announcements from the Prague metro.)

11. Polyethylene [Parts 1 and 2] (b-side from Paranoid Android single #1. also on Airbag EP. here is all you'll ever need of "OK Computer 2."

12. Meeting in the Aisle (b-side from Karma Police single. Radiohead's first and definitely sexiest instrumental track. proto-Kid A/Amnesiac.)

13. Palo Alto (b-side from No Surprises single. RH does pop-punk better than anyone. makes your ears bleed.)

14. Kinetic (they didn't release any proper singles from Kid A, thus the jump to Amnesiac-- b-side from Pyramid Song single. samples a drum break from Miles Davis' Bitches Brew. without crediting it!)

15. Cuttooth (b-side from Knives Out single. Radiohead's most depressing song, tragic sequel to "Punchdrunk Lovesick." contains lyrics that were later appropriated for "Myxomatosis." this song's a bit better.)

16. Transatlantic Drawl (b-side from Pyramid Song single. Radiohead being Mclusky, then suddenly becoming a sad old horror movie soundtrack. Extremely raw.)

17. Fog (from Knives Out single. along with Pearly*, The Trickster,
and Talk Show Host/Bishop's Robes, their best b-side ever.)

18. Paperbag Writer (b-side from There There single. Radiohead's funkiest song.)

19. Gagging Order (b-side from Go to Sleep single. Thom Yorke and an acoustic guitar, as much of a return to basics as you're going to get. Reminds me of Joni Mitchell. Put this with "Fog" and the others as their best b-side ever.)

hidden track 20 could be the "LA version" of "I Will," a much superior take featuring full band and backing vocals.

And I still left off lots of ones that are worth hearing.

Avoid: "I Am a Citizen Insane," "Fast-track," "Million Dollar Question," "Faithless the Wonder Boy."

"Pop is Dead" is er, a cult favorite. And it's not technically a b-side. It was actually a single!

[u2popmofo]

Too many to list, and I'm too tired. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.

For the record though, the acoustic version of 'Killer Cars' owns me. Actually it 0WnZ me. Whatever.

[Lancemc]

Best Radiohead b-side?

Gagging Order. No contest.

[gareth brown]

Originally posted by bread n' whine

Avoid: "I Am a Citizen Insane," "Fast-track,"
!

.....

[Mr. MIKEphisto]

Originally posted by Lancemc
Best Radiohead b-side?

Gagging Order. No contest.

Yip.

[zonelistener]

Nice post Bread n' wine!

You are a welcomed addition!

[JOFO]

follow me around.

get on it people; fuckin a.

[walkon11]

Originally posted by bread n' whine




4. The Trickster (from the My Iron Lung EP which came out before The Bends. Radiohead's catchiest song ever.)

7. Talk Show Host (b-side from Street Spirit single #1, and Baz Luhrmann's Romeo+Juliet film. proto-Kid A. legendary.)

8. Bishop's Robes (b-side from Street Spirit single #1. as good as Talk Show Host if not better.)


16. Transatlantic Drawl (b-side from Pyramid Song single. Radiohead being Mclusky, then suddenly becoming a sad old horror movie soundtrack. Extremely raw.)

These are my favorites...nice analysis, too.

Special nod to "Alligators in New York Sewers".

Too bad there isn't a thread about unreleased Radiohead songs...'cause Big Ideas (aka Nude, I believe) is by far Yorke's best vocal melody to date (In my opinion). Heartbreakingly good.

[bread n' whine]

Originally posted by blahblahblah


.....

look, there are good instrumentals and bad ones. "Treefingers" is one of my favorite Radiohead songs ever. "Hunting Bears" is a pleasant interlude. "Meeting in the Aisle" is awesome.

"Fast Track" is a poor excuse for an "experimental" track and an insult to fans who buy singles for b-sides, and "I Am a Citizen Insane" is self parody, not even experimental. Autechre sounded like that, nice and melodic and blippy bloopy, ten fucking years ago. Radiohead never just ripped off the IDM genre like elitist idiots said they did, until that track. Well maybe the title track of Kid A (="Flim" by Aphex Twin), but it's still more creative.

Seeing as how "Fog (again)" was also on the same single, you cant blame them that much. If you buy any Radiohead singles, Make them:

Go to Sleep #2 (not #1!) - Gagging Order, I Am a Wicked Child (exhibit A for the "Radiohead could still make a brilliant Bends 2 if they wanted to" argument. well actually "Wicked Child" is nothing that special. but it's a fun tossoff, purer rock n roll than anything RH has done.)
Street Spirit #1 - Talk Show Host, Bishop's Robes (the legendary single that proved they were the best band in the world, xmas 95)
No Surprises #1 - Palo Alto, How I Made My Millions (nice addition to Airbag EP)
Fake Plastic Trees #2 - FPT live acoustic '95, Bulletproof live acoustic '95, Street Spirit live acoustic '95 (Thom's voice is heartbreaking on these)
Pyramid Song maxi single - The Amazing Sounds of Orgy, Transatlantic Drawl, Kinetic (interesting leftovers from the Kid A/Amnesiac sessions)
Knives Out #2 - Fog, Worrywort (beautifully depressing)

That should get you all the best ones you miss on the 2 EPs. You'll have to buy Paranoid Android and Karma Police singles if you cant get the Airbag EP and want official CDs with what's on it.

[-macphisto-]

Hey on Gagging order are there 2 acoustic guitars playing, or is it just one?