# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/61 "2016-04-26T05:31:37Z")
[Good Vibrations](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8rd53WuojE) [Dazed and Confused](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehwSEVbBZl4) ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/62 "2016-04-26T05:49:32Z")
The first real bass line I learned was for “Midnight Hour”. It worked. Oh, and “Sunshine Of Your Love”. When Abby Road was first released, the bass line for “Come Together” was pretty attention getting. Sometime after the White Album was released, Lennon griped to one of the engineers that they were never getting enough of Paul’s bass on their records and the engineer came up with a way to do it. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/63 "2016-04-26T06:01:42Z")
I love these kinds of threads. Lots of good nominations above. > [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > the one and only Steve Harvey-allowed post script: > 1:40 - 1:53 you can sorta see his fingering > > grew up in a nearby neighbourhood, drove their “mama” crazy But **Eddie’s** right, “any bass line played by Rob Wright” is the correct answer for me this week. I’m glad I didn’t grow up in his neighborhood. I would have given up playing out of despair for my paltry ability after hearing him. My picks (spoilered for dirty words): [Two Lips, Two Lungs and One Tongue/Rags and Bones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gtK_4gyf0M) - beautiful playing, crushing tone, all over the neck. HE’S NOT A MAN! HE’S A MACHINE! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/64 "2016-04-26T07:48:48Z")
> [@Dante\_G](#): > > 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. I came to post that. It’s my favorite RHCP song. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/65 "2016-04-26T12:21:49Z")
David Essex - “Rock On.” ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/66 "2016-04-26T13:47:05Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > I don’t know if I’d say “best of all time”, and I know it’s a cliche non-answer around these parts, but seriously… I’ve always loved the bass line on Duran Duran’s “Rio”. All the way through, but especially during the sax solo, [after it kicks into double-time](https://youtu.be/e3W6yf6c-FA?t=3m09s). Me too, but mine from Duran Duran is the [bass line from _Girls on Film_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ90ysNVMR4). John Taylor’s just amazing in pretty much everything they do. I would’ve picked another song as at least the bass line that’s heard by the most people today, but I learned that the riff from _[Seven Nation Army](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Nation_Army)_ isn’t a bass at all, but > [@](#): > > the sound is actually created by running Jack White’s semi-acoustic, 1950s-style Kay Hollowbody guitar through a DigiTech Whammy pedal set down an octave. So not a bass. But damned if you can go to a sporting event without hearing that riff everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/67 "2016-04-26T15:45:04Z")
“Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again” Sly and the Family Stone “Bernadette” The Four Tops “Badge” Cream and because it’s just so darn fun to play… “Boris the Spider” The Who ---
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/68 "2016-04-26T17:29:50Z")
When I’m Sixty-Four – The Beatles Ramble On – Led Zeppelin ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/69 "2016-04-26T18:35:30Z")
Well of course we don’t just include the bass guitar in this, do we? This bass line is a combination of keyboard and bass guitar Booker T - Green Onions [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_bpS-cOBK6Q/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGD8gZSghMA8=&rs=AOn4CLA5g3hJ62UCfO2MWjhBgU9FYgwY3A "Booker T & the M G 's - Green Onions (Original / HQ audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bpS-cOBK6Q) Left Field - Phat planet. You might know this bassline from another place wait until 44 seconds in. Maybe you should check out Iron maiden Fools Gold - Stone roses Papa was a rolling stone - Temptations Me and baby brother - War [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oa-87PfFT4A/hqdefault.jpg "WAR~ ME AND BABY BROTHER") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa-87PfFT4A) Walk on the Wild side - Lou Reed - but we all know it was Herbie Flowers who came up with it Another one bites the dust - Queen - I can't see it here, I'd have thought it was one of the best known bass leads ever. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rY0WxgSXdEE/hqdefault.jpg "Queen - Another One Bites the Dust (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE) ---
**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 26, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/70 "2016-04-26T19:19:00Z")
Pretty much any Soul Coughing song, but I’d suppose, [“Super Bon Bon,”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Xlkla4Jrbk) is the most recognizable. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/71 "2016-04-26T21:42:39Z")
We’re this far in and no one’s mentioned this one yet? [“For the Love of Money”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE_n2q08Yw)- the O’Jays (bass by Anthony Jackson) ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/72 "2016-04-27T03:02:53Z")
[Silly Love Songs](https://youtu.be/k8iNQvFhrNY) by Sir Paul. I don’t like the song that much, but go listen to it if you don’t believe me. It’s not a solo. It’s the whole song. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/73 "2016-04-27T05:34:24Z")
https://www.youtube.com/embed/t0pp1yAivrA?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PL2778B49D8D5540E4 Another “splunge” bassist was Kenyon, from the hyper-glorious Man is the Bastard. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/74 "2016-04-27T12:31:44Z")
Niacin - [Elbow Grease](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2UxdLDZEfc&list=PLnRCbN2P7NFwU3KR-BoSOm8YXg4QH8BJ2) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/75 "2016-04-27T12:44:02Z")
> [@oliversarmy](#): > > [Silly Love Songs](https://youtu.be/k8iNQvFhrNY) by Sir Paul. I don’t like the song that much, but go listen to it if you don’t believe me. It’s not a solo. It’s the whole song. Agreed. You might even say that’s one where the bass line conveys the message or meaning of the song: “So what if I write silly love songs—I played bass for The Beatles.” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/76 "2016-04-27T14:23:29Z")
No love for [Crimson and Clover?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpGEeneO-t0) ---
**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 27, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/77 "2016-04-27T16:12:31Z")
[quote=“casdave, post:69, topic:753099”] Another one bites the dust - Queen - I can’t see it here, I’d have thought it was one of the best known bass leads ever. [/QUOTE] Post # 6 ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/78 "2016-04-27T16:25:42Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The answer is of course Big Bottom by Spinal Tap. “You can’t really dust for vomit…”. While I agree this is pretty good, my favorite is The Chili Pepper’s cover of “Higher Ground”. Flea is a maniac on the bass! MtM ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/79 "2016-04-27T16:47:57Z")
I’ll have to second “Tempus Fugit” by Yes mainly because I’ve pretty much heard of all of these songs despite not being particularly cognizant of the full range of output of the bands or artists. But I was a fan of Yes and didn’t know anything about this song until I was listening to the bass lines extracted from songs on Chris Squire’s (RIP) website, so I highly doubt most people have absolutely any idea about this song. I don’t know if it’s the _best_, but the bass stands out much more than most songs, having a lot of passages as the lead instrument. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vzxZzIiO84Y/maxresdefault.jpg "Yes - Tempus Fugit (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzxZzIiO84Y) ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099/80 "2016-04-27T17:16:16Z")
Well, my first thought was “Anything by RUSH” simply because Geddy Lee was originally a lead guitarist who got pushed into the Bass role by a former band so his bass work seems very lead-inspired. \*Limelight \*comes to mind. But, then again, there’s a lot of songs where Geddy doesn’t dominate with his bass while leading with his voice. They really do balance a lot of material quite nicely. But while I was thinking “bass playing like a lead” I thought, [ul] [li]Yes: \*Long Distance Runaround \*(that’s a fretless bass, by the way)[/li][li]Boston: _Rock N Roll Band_[/li][li]Boston: _Cool The Engines_[/li][/ul] and before I close my contribution, the one that really grabbed my attention on first airplay was [ul] [li]Smithereens: _Blood and Roses_[/li][/ul] …which seemed prescient to the Grunge turn –G! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-line-in-a-song/753099.md?page=5)