Many of the Millennial Generation would probably wonder what the heck Side B means, and why we have the saying that there’s always a Side B. But for those who are familiar with magnetic tape memory – and vinyl records! – having a side B held a near sacred meaning.
Looking forward
The idea of a Side B, specifically, probably began with the use of vinyl records for audio recordings – in some cases, if people were not satisfied with the music or audio recording (yes, they did have non-musical albums) tracks in the first side of a record, one would look forward to the other side – the “B” Side of the record itself. This carried on in practice with the audio cassette tape, which had a Side A and Side B, depending on if you played it one way or the other. In fact, many cassette players took the mirroring of vinyl records to exacting lengths, by having the same amount of magnetic tape wound up to play the side of an album with the longer playing time. Presumably, this was meant to have the same experience as flipping the vinyl record over for Side B. Auto-Reverse tape players allowed cassettes to play continuously through out the whole length of the album, though.
Looking back
The idea of finding a better “something” in another part of a work probably started with books and other written texts, particularly when written texts started to be partitioned in chapters, or as a sequence of stories. It would be no surprise if people would find certain chapters or story sections better – hence, the Side B.
Music to soothe the savage breast
However, the idea that the Side B could be better seems to really be with the music formats for vinyl and tape. And that’s probably where the idea goes – though it has also been applied to underwear (and if you know the joke… ewwww!).
So, how do we really apply to the Side B idea to our lives?
Perseverance
Sometimes, the best things in life are right around the corner. While the more pessimistic among us probably think that there’s something out to get them lurking just beyond the line of sight, the important thing is that we prepare and look forward to getting to the other side – the Side B, in other words.
The reason for this is simple: if you give up easily, then you’ll always be stuck on Side A. You’ll never get out of your current track in life. But if you just muster enough endurance, you might find out that all that Side A was preparing you for was the wealth of opportunities in Side B.
That’s the real gift of looking forward to Side B, be it in your life, your work, or even your music (for the given value of “having a Side B”). You have a goal, rather than a hope. Even if Side B won’t be necessarily a great thing, the fact is, by preparing for a second wind, you will be more prepared. Remember: it’s not about optimism, but preparation – just like how many artists have songs in the first side that prepares people for the later songs, particularly for theme albums.
Preparation
We’ve actually started talking about preparation anyway, but here’s the full idea: if you want a great Side B, then you have to be prepared to have a great Side B. That means that even if you feel you are in the worst “Side A” of your life ever, the fact is, you can and should learn from all of it, so you will be prepared for opportunities or future hard knocks (which can be the same thing) as life goes on. Does this mean that life will always be difficult? Well, it will be if you keep on thinking of it that way. Once you change your outlook, what Side B is changes for you, as well. It could be horrible, like an extra project on top of your daily workload, but if you’re looking to show what you can really do, then that extra project might be the feather in your cap that you need.
Turning over a new leaf
Alternatively, having a Side B may also mean that you can walk away from whatever Side A was, and start anew. This applies to your job, your relationship, and even something like the hobby you’re in, or the choice of music you listen to. The idea here is that no matter what you are currently, no matter what you were in the past, you are still allowed to have a fresh start (at least, once your debts are paid for, be it literally or figuratively).
Going to the Side B of your life should be a real option for you, and this means that you shouldn’t keep your mind to one track. Even if your life is already very comfortable, if you feel that somehow, you can do more with it, then it’s time to pack up your bags, or get your resume ready. Side B might be the time of your life when everything does click together.
Many people ignore this side of having a Side B, thinking that all they need is to have an outlet or an occasional vacation. But if the longing or dissatisfaction is always there, then it’s time to eject the cassette, as it were, and switch to the next side of the album.
Staying in the groove
The hidden lesson of Side B, however, is practically an irony: you should stick to your guns. But it’s not about being stubborn. Rather, it’s about keeping a set of goals in mind. It means that Side B, whatever it is, isn’t something that is separate from you, or is given to you. Rather, Side B is something you create for yourself, be it a set of medium- to long-term life goals, or it could just be a life track where you have to be at a certain level of comfort and job stability at a certain age. Whatever the case, the real Side B is about you getting to your Side B, not a Side B that’s given by someone else, or imposed on you by society. It’s not about being a millionaire, it’s about being financially stable on your terms. It’s not about reaching job goals, but about personal development goals that make sense for your lifestyle.
In the end, when you say there’s always a Side B, what you should really be saying is that you should always have a Side B that you’re aiming for, or have the options prepared for.