"Beth" was composed for Kiss drummer Peter Criss’s former band, Chelsea in 1981. Drummer Criss and guitarist Stan Penridge originally called the song “Beck” for guitarist Mike Brand’s wife, Becky, who interrupted rehearsals with phone calls to her husband asking when he was coming home. The original sounds a lot like the Kiss version, with only a few lyrical changes and a bunch of bongos.

Five years later, Criss brought the song into the recording sessions for the album "Destroyer". It was not received well by many at the studio. Released originally as the B side, radio flipped it and the 45 was re-released as a double A side with "Detroit City Rock", "Beth" (Criss - Penridge - Ezrin) peaked at number seven and became the biggest Kiss hit ever. Gene Simmons initially objected to the song’s inclusion on the album, but he was quick to take credit for changing the name from “Beck” to “Beth” once it was a hit. Peter Criss was the only band member in studio when it was being recorded with producer Bob Ezrin on piano.