Beth (1976) 10/4/20

One of the biggest music surprises of 1976 was that Kiss released a slow song. An even bigger surprise? “Beth” became a Top 10 hit and the group's best-selling single...as well as a “Great Song of the '70s.”

Before it was ever recorded, the song had quite a story behind it. Drummer Peter Criss helped write the song before he joined Kiss, while he was a member of a group called Chelsea.

Actually, Peter, his friend Stan Penridge and producer Bob Ezrin wrote the song—which was originally called “Beck” and was written as a slam on the wife of band member Mike Brand. Apparently, Becky Brand would repeatedly call the recording studio and ask when her husband would be home. To save Mike (and himself) from Becky's wrath, Peter claimed the song was about his first wife, Lydia. There's no record of whether or not anyone actually believed him. :-)

In 1976, while Kiss was recording their album, “Destroyer,” Peter pitched the song to Gene Simmons, and at that point, the facts get a little fuzzy. In the end, it made the album, but Peter is the only member of Kiss on the track. Gene refused to play on it, and Paul Stanley refused to sing it. After all, it wasn't about “sex, drugs, and rock and roll,” and Kiss didn't “do” ballads.

And now the story takes another turn.

As a single, the song was released as the “B” side of “Detroit Rock City.” Naturally, the radio stations in Detroit played the "A" side...but at CKLW, right across the border in Windsor, Ontario...music director Rosalie Trombley (who I've mentioned several times in the past as a legendary hit maker in the days when choosing a song for airplay was an “art”), had a dilemma. She chose “Detroit Rock City” for the station's play-list...but her DAUGHTER told her she should be playing “Beth” instead. Rosalie made the switch, and pretty soon it was a hit in CKLW's coverage area (including Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland)...and then it took off nationally in both countries! (Although it became a Kiss classic, “Detroit Rock City” failed to chart!)

“Beth” ended up at #7 on Billboard's Hot 100 and #5 on Canada's Top 40, sold a million copies, and much to Rosalie's surprise and delight, her daughter was awarded a gold record for her part in making it a hit!

In 1977, “Beth” won the People's Choice Award for “Best Song,” and VH-1 ranks it at #3 on their list of the “Top 25 Power Ballads of All Time.”

“Beth:” most certainly a “Great Song of the '70s!”

And just for the heck of it, here's “Detroit Rock City:”