Two Years of the Mixtape: The Flipsiders
Celebrating our second birthday with the best side two, track ones.
Last year, I celebrated our first year with a Mixtape of album openers. It seems only fitting that this time, we flip over the cassette and compile the best side two-track ones across the musical spectrum.
While the first song on any Mixtape—and album for that matter—is the most important piece of the puzzle, the track that opens the flipside is the next crucial element.
The idea of a side two experience fell by the wayside in the 1990s as CDs replaced LPs and cassettes. As a result, albums became longer and more unwieldy. A concise 35 to 40-minute platter had grown—by the early ‘90s—to 50, 60, even 70 minutes, around the length of a ‘70s-era double album. (I nerded out during this time, splitting albums into sides anyway, finding where I figured the split should be. It was a fun game for a spell.)
Considering this, most of these tracks date back to before the ‘90s, when solid second sides were well established. A good second side opener should set the pace for what follows, yet still be a fitting album opener in its own right in other contexts. “Born to Run,” for example, would be a perfect opener for many an album, but for Born to Run itself, no other track could launch the LP more perfectly than “Thunder Road.”
So, here are 100 of my favorite “side two, track ones,” or flipsiders, if you will. Feel free to add your faves in the comments. Thanks to all who’ve subscribed over the last two years. I’m honored that you spend at least a small part of your time with me each week. Thanks, also, for helping spread the word about The Mixtape.
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“Born to Run” - Bruce Springsteen
“Spinning Wheel” - Blood, Sweat, & Tears
“Spill the Wine” - Eric Burdon & War
“Right On” - Marvin Gaye
“Stir It Up” Bob Marley & The Wailers
“Busload of Faith” - Lou Reed
“Move On Up” - Curtis Mayfield
“Nobody’s Fault but Mine” - Led Zeppelin
“Have Mercy On the Criminal” - Elton John
“Holiday” - Madonna
“Turn It On Again” - Genesis
“Street Fighting Man” - The Rolling Stones
“Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” - Jeff Beck
“I’ve Seen All Good People” - Yes
“Perfect Strangers” - Deep Purple
“Rock & Roll Band” - Boston
“Boogie Wonderland” - Earth, Wind & Fire feat. The Emotions
“Here Comes the Sun” - The Beatles
“Phone Call from Leavenworth” - Chris Whitley
“The Chain” - Fleetwood Mac
“Song for Sharon” - Joni Mitchell
“You’ve Got a Friend” - Carole King
“Saint Dominic’s Preview” - Van Morrison
“Dr. Feelgood (Love Is Serious Business)” - Aretha Franklin
“Walking on the Moon” - The Police
“Kickstart My Heart” - Mötley Crüe
“Raw Power” - Iggy & The Stooges
“Bad Company” - Bad Company
“Wooden Ships” - Crosby, Stills & Nash
“Karn Evil 9 1st Impression, Pt. 2” - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
“Jungle Love” - Steve Miller Band
“Jungle Love” - The Time
“When Doves Cry” - Prince & The Revolution
“The Number of the Beast” - Iron Maiden
“Can’t Get There From Here” - R.E.M.
“Sweet Emotion” - Aerosmith
“Fortunate Son” - Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Had Me a Real Good Time” - Faces
“These Days” - Gregg Allman
“The Boxer” - Simon & Garfunkel
“Dog & Butterfly” - Heart
“Dixieland Delight” - Alabama
“Presence of the Lord” - Blind Faith
“Bad to the Bone” - George Thorogood & The Destroyers
“Hoodoo Man Blues” - Junior Wells’ Chicago Blues Band
“Riding with the King” - John Hiatt
“Powderfinger” - Neil Young & Crazy Horse
“You Got That Right” - Lynyrd Skynyrd
“Margaritaville” - Jimmy Buffett
“Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore” - John Prine
“Fire and Brimstone” - Link Wray
“The Wind Cries Mary” - The Jimi Hendrix Experience
“Heartache Tonight” - Eagles
“Hot for Teacher” - Van Halen
“Southbound” - The Allman Brothers Band
“Roll Me Away” - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
“Higher Ground” - Stevie Wonder
“Maggie May” - Rod Stewart
“In a Silent Way” - Miles Davis
“30 Days In the Hole” - Humble Pie
“Hotel Illness” - The Black Crowes
“Heroin” - The Velvet Underground & Nico
“My Michelle” - Guns N’ Roses
“Disposable Heroes” - Metallica
“Funny Vibe” - Living Colour
“Beat It” - Michael Jackson
“The Shape I’m In” - The Band
“When My Baby’s Beside Me” - Big Star
“Kid” - Pretenders
“Career Opportunities” - The Clash
“We Got the Beat” - The Go-Go’s
“Teenage Lobotomy” - Ramones
“Echoes” - Pink Floyd
“The Camera Eye” - Rush
“Switchboard Susan” - Nick Lowe
“Bang a Gong (Get It On)” - T. Rex
“Runaway Train” - Rosanne Cash
“I’d Rather Be Blind, Crippled And Crazy” - O.V. Wright
“Sweet Home Chicago” - Magic Sam
“It’s Too Late” - The Isley Brothers
“Cold Shot” - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
“Bastards of Young” - The Replacements
“You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” - The Cars
“Reelin’ In The Years” - Steely Dan
“Once In a Lifetime” - Talking Heads
“Back Door Man” - The Doors
“Mother” - Danzig
“Industrial Disease” - Dire Straits
“Make It Better (Forget About Me)” - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
“She Bop” - Cyndi Lauper
“The Killing Moon” - Echo & The Bunnymen
“Flamethrower” - The J. Geils Band
“Sin City” - AC/DC
“No More Mr. Nice Guy” - Alice Cooper
“Bloody Mary Morning” - Willie Nelson
“Can’t Let Go” - Lucinda Williams
“8 Miles a Gallon” - Scott Miller & The Commonwealth
“Going Down” - Freddie King
“Mama Don’t” - J.J. Cale
“Hillbilly Band” - The Marshall Tucker Band
Happy birthday! Always enjoy reading your work. And so happy to see "Busload of Faith" in the top 10. What a great song.
Happy birthday to The Mixtape! Here’s to many many more! 🎊