"Beth" | ||||
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Single by Kiss | ||||
from the album Destroyer | ||||
B-side | "Detroit Rock City" | |||
Released | August 1976 | |||
Recorded | 1976 | |||
Studio | Record Plant, New York City | |||
Genre | Soft rock[1] | |||
Length | 2:49 | |||
Label | Casablanca Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | Peter Criss, Stan Penridge and Bob Ezrin | |||
Producer(s) | Bob Ezrin | |||
Kiss singles chronology | ||||
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"Beth" is a song by American rock band Kiss, originally released on their fourth studio album Destroyer (1976). Composed by drummer Peter Criss, his friend Stan Penridge and producer Bob Ezrin, the song was published as a single by Casablanca Records in August 1976, after releasing it as the B-side of "Detroit Rock City". "Beth" is Kiss's biggest commercial hit in the United States, reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, receiving a Gold Record certification from the RIAA, and winning the 1977 People's Choice Award for "Favorite Song".
The song, originally titled "Beck", was written by Criss and Penridge during their time with the band Chelsea. During the recording of Destroyer, Criss showed it to Ezrin, who made several changes to it and recommended changing its title to "Beth". Due to its positive commercial reception, the song appeared in many of Kiss' concerts, where Criss usually sang it over an instrumental track. "Beth" has appeared on most Kiss compilations and live albums, including Kiss Unplugged (1996), where the band performed it acoustically.