Beth (song)
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| “Beth” | |||||
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| Single by Kiss from the album Destroyer |
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| Released | August 1976 (US) | ||||
| Format | 7" | ||||
| Recorded | Record Plant Studios, New York City, 1976 | ||||
| Genre | Ballad | ||||
| Length | 2 min 45 sec | ||||
| Label | Casablanca NB-863A (US) | ||||
| Producer | Bob Ezrin | ||||
| Kiss singles chronology | |||||
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"Beth" is a song by Kiss, originally released on their 1976 album, Destroyer. To date, it is their highest-charting single, reaching #7 on Billboard's American charts. It is one of only two gold (million-selling) singles for the band (the other being 1979's "I Was Made for Lovin' You"), and their first of two Top Ten singles (along with 1990's "Forever", #8).
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[edit] Song history
Kiss' drummer Peter Criss sings the song, which he co-wrote with Stan Penridge. The song was a last-minute addition to the Destroyer album. According to Bill Aucoin, the manager of Kiss at that time, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley did not want "Beth" on the album because it was not a typical Kiss song. Bill insisted on keeping the song on the record."[1]
When released as a single, however, "Beth" was initially the B-side of "Detroit Rock City". But radio stations, particularly one in Atlanta, Georgia, began playing it more than "Detroit Rock City" and it quickly became a highly-requested selection. Kiss and Casablanca Records reissued "Beth" as a A-side with "Detroit Rock City" as the B-side, and it was far more successful. The single went Gold (the first Kiss single to do so) on January 5, 1977.[citation needed]
In 1977, Kiss received a People's Choice Award for "Beth", one of the few industry awards the band ever won.
"Beth" is also credited as invigorating sluggish sales of the Destroyer album, which many fans initially saw as a misstep. It is also the only Kiss song that features no instrumental performances by any member of the band. Criss is backed by a piano and a string orchestra, a stark departure from the hard rock-oriented band.
[edit] Origin
The song was written by Peter Criss and Stan Penridge, both of whom were in a band called Chelsea. A demo tape of the song, however, was recorded later, during Criss' tenure in another band, Lips, immediately before he joined Kiss.
Although Criss has stated that the original song, entitled "Beck", was about his then-wife, Lydia, this is in contradiction to other statements which point to a woman named Becky (Rebecca, or "Beck" for short), who was the girlfriend of Chelsea guitarist Mike Brand. The song was written as an insult to Rebecca, who would frequently interrupt recording sessions and rehearsals. She was, according to Criss, also a notorious hypochondriac.[citation needed]
Several years later, when Destroyer producer Bob Ezrin was presented with the song, he re-wrote the lyrics and suggested the piano and orchestra. Gone was the caustic (and reportedly profane) diatribe against an annoying woman. What it became was a sweet ballad about missing a loved one while on the road; telling her that even though you're not there and have a job to do, you're still thinking about her. However, it was Gene Simmons who suggested a change in title to "Beth". The two versions of this story alternately have Simmons concerned about fans believing it was about guitarist Jeff Beck or, worse yet, misconstrued as a gay love song about the guitarist.[citation needed]
Live, "Beth" was performed by Peter Criss backed solely by a tape of the instrumental track. However, during the years when Eric Carr and Eric Singer were Kiss' drummers, the song was never performed live by Kiss. The version of Beth featured on the group's 2003 Kiss Symphony: Alive IV DVD and subsequent album would be the only time the song was performed live with a full orchestra.
[edit] Other versions
In 1988, Eric Carr re-recorded the vocal track of "Beth" for the Smashes, Thrashes & Hits compilation. Carr later stated that he strongly regretted doing it, stating it is "Peter's song, and only Peter's song,"[citation needed] but had wanted to sing lead on a Kiss song on a Kiss album for years.
Peter Criss also redid the song acoustic style on his 1994 album Cat #1.
For the Kiss Unplugged album and music video, the original Kiss lineup performed a version of "Beth" that featured Peter Criss on vocals, Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley on acoustic guitars, and Gene Simmons on acoustic bass guitar. However, they had to be taught the guitar version of the song by then-current lead guitarist Bruce Kulick since none of them, save Stanley, knew how to play it properly. The performance received a rousing standing ovation.
Paul Stanley can be seen plucking part of the song's melody on an acoustic guitar as Criss sings in the Kiss television film, Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park. However, this is the only time Criss' natural voice was heard in the film. A voice actor overdubbed his dialogue.
In the years after he was fired from Kiss in 1980, Peter Criss admits that he radically changed the song for live shows. By his own admission, he made it more "Vegasy".[citation needed] With his return to Kiss in 1996 for their reunion tour, the song returned to the setlist. However, when Criss was again let go in 2001 (replaced by Eric Singer, who assumed Criss' catman persona), the song was again dropped from the setlist.
No Use For A Name covered "Beth" on their 1997 album, Making Friends. It is an unlisted track and also is mashed together with the theme from Beverly Hills 90210.
[edit] Appearances on Kiss albums
"Beth" appears on the following Kiss albums:
- Destroyer
- Alive II - Live version
- Double Platinum
- Smashes, Thrashes & Hits - Eric Carr vocal
- Kiss Unplugged - Live acoustic version
- You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!!
- Greatest Kiss
- The Box Set
- The Very Best of Kiss
- 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Kiss
- Kiss Symphony: Alive IV - Live version
- Gold: 1974-1982 - Sound & Vision
- Gold
[edit] References
- ^ David Leaf, Ken Sharp. KISS: Behind the Mask - Official Authorized Biography, Warner Books, 2005 ISBN 978-0446695244Page268
- KISS: United States Singles Discography
- The Complete KISS Singles Chart Action
- SongFacts: "Beth"
- Sherman, Dale. Black Diamond - The Unauthorized Biography of Kiss. CG Publishing, 1997. ISBN (1-896522-35-1)
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