Songs at #1 - Flip Side Songs, how to handle in chart compilations?

**Huffstutler** · July 17th, 2011, 11:56 AM

I am going to ask the experts about this one... authors, DJ's, collectors, etc...

I have run across this with Disco songs but not as often as with pop songs from the 1950s-1960s and wonder how this problem is or was handled... or how you would approach this?

For songs that hit the #1 position on the Billboard Charts and the flip side song also shared the spot, would you give equal billing of the flip side song?

Example of Flip Side sharing the #1 spot...

Elvis Presley when he hit the scene almost every #1 hit also shared the spot with the flip side BUT even though technically it was also considered a #1 song, few people remember them or rarely hear them played. Such as everyone has heard of "Heartbreak Hotel" but how many have heard of the flip side "I Was The One" ? Or his hit "Love Me Tender" but how about the flip "Any Way You Want Me" ?

Oh there were several non Presley flips that also were shown sharing the #1 spot but you would be hard pressed to find the flips on #1 Hits compilations so... How would you handle this? Include them with a #1 hits compilation or not especially when you want to be "complete" and correct or omit them since they are "now" obscure but apparent were not so when released especially in the jukebox era?

Thanks!
Eric

**langlang** · July 17th, 2011, 01:40 PM

not really sure about this. but, i would say that only the hit that has received airplay and that people recognize would deserve the number 1 spot. typically, those early disco 45's flip side were a part 2 of the song or an instrumental of the song, this is also true of the twelve inch singles which were listed as instrumentals on the flip-later to be known as dubs. of course, sometimes the flip ends up being the hit, as with gloria gaynors i will survive.

**Huffstutler** · July 17th, 2011, 03:52 PM

elvis1958.jpg

Example of a hit with flip in same spot. They used Bold for the flips that shared while small font for those that don't chart as a dual spot but only gives flip side title reference.

**Cdnbob** · July 18th, 2011, 02:31 PM

I was always under the impression that records like this were considered double-sided singles that were releases where they had two singles released on one record. I recall for instance being a Donny Osmond fan that for example he had a double sided single "Hey Girl" b/w "I Knew You When" and both songs charted and were considered singles. Again later one they did the same thing with "A Million To One" b/w "Young Love". Both songs charted and were considered singles. They also did this sort of things with 90s pop groups like "Steps, Westlife, Atomic Kitten" and "S Club" where they'd released a double sided single and both sides charted.

**Huffstutler** · July 18th, 2011, 03:26 PM

OK, here is one for you that throws a wrench into your theory. 1958 Everly Brothers "Bird Dog" hit #1 on the charts and is also listed with "Claudette". BUT... "Claudette" charted by itself and only reached #30. So... this makes the "flip side" sharing the #1 spot a little crazy. Crazier is that "Claudette" was the A-side while "Bird Dog" the B-side.

**Cdnbob** · July 19th, 2011, 11:42 AM

Originally Written by Huffstutler

OK, here is one for you that throws a wrench into your theory. 1958 Everly Brothers "Bird Dog" hit #1 on the charts and is also listed with "Claudette". BUT... "Claudette" charted by itself and only reached #30. So... this makes the "flip side" sharing the #1 spot a little crazy. Crazier is that "Claudette" was the A-side while "Bird Dog" the B-side.

Exactly what I was trying to get at. For example "A Million To One" got to #23 on the charts while "Young Love" got to #25, yet both were on the same single - A and B sides.

**Huffstutler** · July 19th, 2011, 03:31 PM

Originally Written by Cdnbob

Exactly what I was trying to get at. For example "A Million To One" got to #23 on the charts while "Young Love" got to #25, yet both were on the same single - A and B sides.

Slightly different. What you are saying is that the A side and the B side could both "chart" and peak at different positions. What I am saying is that the A and B side share the #1 slot but in the example I gave about "Bird Dog" and "Claudette"... some charts show both titles as the #1 slot while others don't and state that "Claudette" didn't go to #1 but only to #30. The confusion lies with that charts showing "Claudette" sharing the #1 spot yet it did not reach that status but only went to #30.

In any event, I contacted Joel Whitburn and he states that only flips that actually made it to #1 show up on his compilation charts and not what Wikipedia is showing nor how the various charts of the 1950s were published which would include jukebox and sales as well as DJ play. Still a bit confusing but I am leaning towards only the actual hit and not the flip to include in the compilations though I still have some doubts.

Anyone else want to chime in on this?

Eric