# Best Bass Line in a Song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 25, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099 "2016-04-25T16:32:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dante\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@Dante\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante_G)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/21 "2016-04-25T18:00:45Z")
Also, I’d pick _Soul to Squeeze_ by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea kills it on that one. It’s not as prominent as some of the other songs listed in the thread, but you can hear it clearly without any tweaking to the audio. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/22 "2016-04-25T18:01:54Z")
I can’t possibly say it’s the best–there’s just so many to choose from–but I love John Paul Jones in Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On” and that’s the first one to come to mind for me. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/23 "2016-04-25T18:08:39Z")
James Jamerson was widely regarded as the king of Motown bass players. As a member of The Funk Brothers, he played on most of the soul records that were cut during the day. There are some videos that isolate his playing, such as [this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQKUXUmG6ss). ---
**Author:** ![MegaNazz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@MegaNazz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaNazz)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/24 "2016-04-25T18:10:11Z")
Scott Walker’s “The Old Man is Back Again” is awesome but the best bass line would probably be something from Mick Karn (Japan). ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/25 "2016-04-25T18:28:36Z")
“Taxman” didn’t get mentioned until post #25??!!? ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/26 "2016-04-25T18:50:20Z")
[Infectious Grooves Punk It Up](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob3buKk6ALc&list=PLESMJo8jRKNvQCQRyTYJcjDWz_c5nPXx6) [Metallica My Friend of Misery](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUmKitBtqgk) ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/27 "2016-04-25T18:51:15Z")
> [@MegaNazz](#): > > Scott Walker’s “The Old Man is Back Again” is awesome but the best bass line would probably be something from Mick Karn (Japan). I can’t believe there’s someone else on here who loves Scott 4! How about Don’t let me down by the beatles? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/28 "2016-04-25T19:03:01Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I can’t believe there’s someone else on here who loves Scott 4! You can count me in, too, but I’m not surprised, as Scott 4 is held in pretty high regard in music circles. ETA: At least the music circles I run in. It’s one of the standards, I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/29 "2016-04-25T19:05:19Z")
Colin Moulding’s bass part on XTC’s “One of the Millions” is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/30 "2016-04-25T19:19:27Z")
[Shriekback - My Spine is the Bassline](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp21F4fimkc)… ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/31 "2016-04-25T19:34:05Z")
A Taste of Honey’s [“Boogie Oogie Oogie”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJxkdgYUoJU) The Sugar Hill Gang’s [“Rapper’s Delight”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAnojTvyc0g) ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/32 "2016-04-25T19:44:23Z")
Lot’s of good ones. [“Jump into the Fire”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QghwNqlCRE) and [“My City Was Gone”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wplUBFVsbtw) were the two I was thinking of. I also really always dug Flea’s line in [“Give it Away,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr_uHJPUlO8) RHCP. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/33 "2016-04-25T19:51:24Z")
You…can…not…touch…[**THIS**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a50mydzcz8w)! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/34 "2016-04-25T19:57:19Z")
Another good Flea bass line: [“Bust A Move”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy4FXhkm6Nw), Young MC. And how about [“Groove is in the Heart,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzoEK545j64) Dee-Lite. Uh oh. I think I might be at the event horizon of a YouTube rabbit hole. Save yourselves! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/35 "2016-04-25T20:02:05Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > “My City was Gone” by the Pretenders That’s the first one I thought of too. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/36 "2016-04-25T20:02:20Z")
Oh shit. Another one. [“Sausalito Summer Nights,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMAGI7zRqj8) Diesel … wait for the solo. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/37 "2016-04-25T20:07:33Z")
And hell, if it’s a simple line that grabs you, you can’t beat, [“Psycho Killer,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX6FsTIq6ls) The Talking Heads. Oh god, it’s too late for me. It’s sucking me in. Go on without me! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/38 "2016-04-25T21:17:59Z")
[These Boots Are Made For Walkin’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbyAZQ45uww) Next question? ---
**Author:** ![NVME702-redux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a183cd/32.png) [@NVME702-redux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NVME702-redux)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/39 "2016-04-25T21:22:01Z")
White Lines- Grandmaster Flash… the base line after he would say “Base” was my notification ringtone for years… granted, it was the Shawn of the Dead version, right after the night at the pub! ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/40 "2016-04-25T21:52:11Z")
I love a good bass line, but the one that always got me out of my chair was Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress by the Hollies. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099.md?page=3)