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Dave's Side One · August 26 · 6 min

When Side Two Is Better

Side One has one advantage: It gets to introduce the album. Side Two has another: It gets to use everything Side One already established. In this episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave uses Queen’s A Night at the Opera to explore the four jobs of a great second side: Reopen. Escalate. Deliver. Finish. From “The Prophet’s Song” through “God Save the Queen,” the second side keeps changing shape before arriving at one of rock’s most famous late-album payoffs. The argument is not that Side One failed. It’s that sometimes the second side simply carries the bigger reward. Side One Spin: What album has a Side Two you prefer to Side One?

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show notes

Side One has one advantage:

It gets to introduce the album.

Side Two has another:

It gets to use everything Side One already established.

In this episode of Dave’s Side One, Dave uses Queen’s A Night at the Opera to explore the four jobs of a great second side:

Reopen.

Escalate.

Deliver.

Finish.

From “The Prophet’s Song” through “God Save the Queen,” the second side keeps changing shape before arriving at one of rock’s most famous late-album payoffs.

The argument is not that Side One failed.

It’s that sometimes the second side simply carries the bigger reward.

Side One Spin: What album has a Side Two you prefer to Side One?

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