# Best bass lines in rock music history? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327 "2007-12-26T22:52:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/1 "2007-12-26T22:52:20Z")
What are (in your opinion) the best bass lines in rock songs ever? (Funk is also included, I guess.) I’m primarily talking about mainstream songs, but feel free to include any songs that are extremely obscure as well. I’m going to list my top five here: 1. _Peg_ by Steely Dan. Bass played by Chuck Rainey. 2. _Introduction_ by Chicago (called Chicago Transit Authority on their first album.) Bass played by Peter Cetera. 3. The whole Abbey Road medley by the Beatles (which I’m counting as one song - feel free to debate this if you want.) Bass played, obviously, by Sir Paul McCartney. 4. _Take A Walk On The Wild Side_ by Lou Reed. Bass line played by Herbie Flowers. Features two overlapped bass lines, one by double bass and one by electric. The lines get more and more complicated as the song goes on, slowly adding little runs and flourishes. This is my choice for second best bass line of all time. 5. _Talk To Me_ by Joni Mitchell. Bass played by Jaco Pastorius. It’s just the two of them, no drummer or guitarists, but Jaco manages to sound like 3 instruments all at once. He completely carries the song melodically, and also plays deep percussive bass lines and runs at the same time. This is my choice for best bass line of all time. What are your top bass lines of all time? ---
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/2 "2007-12-26T22:58:18Z")
I like to feel the bass line in “Soul to Squeeze” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It goes through you, the rest of the music is so mellow, the bass has always stood out to me. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/3 "2007-12-26T23:03:27Z")
Always been a suck for Zep’s “Ramble On,” Bowie’s “Under Pressure,” and any of a number of Smiths bass lines. ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/4 "2007-12-26T23:09:59Z")
My instinctive reaction was Jaco’s **Teen Town** , but then I tought that (a) it’s not really a rock song, and (b) it’s not really a “line” as much as a melody. I love Jaco on Joni Mitchell’s **Coyote** as well… maybe that one qualifies? ---
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/5 "2007-12-26T23:14:16Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Always been a suck for Zep’s “Ramble On,” \*\*Bowie’s “Under Pressure,” \*\*and any of a number of Smiths bass lines. [/QUOTE] No, Silly…you mean Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice Baby.” "See, his goes, ‘Ding ding ding, ding-ding ding, ding…Ding ding ding, ding-ding ding, ding.’ Mine goes, ‘Ding ding ding, ding-ding ding… **DING** …Ding ding ding, ding-ding ding, ding.’" Ah, that was classic. ---
**Author:** ![redman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@redman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redman)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/6 "2007-12-26T23:17:13Z")
The Lemon Song - Zep Anesthesia - Metallica ---
**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:** [December 26, 2007, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/7 "2007-12-26T23:20:08Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Always been a suck [/QUOTE] Damn brain going faster than my fingers…suck **er**. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/8 "2007-12-26T23:28:05Z")
I’ve always been impressed by Rush’s Geddy Lee’s bass work on “Moving Pictures”. Yes’ Chris Squire also does some great bass playing that I’ve never heard anyone replicate. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/9 "2007-12-26T23:32:07Z")
Jack Casady’s playing on “Plastic Fantastic Lover” from _Bless Its Pointed Little Head_ by Jefferson Airplane. Likewise Casady’s playing throughout the first Hot Tuna album. It’s all so good, but “Hesitation Blues,” Know You Rider," and “New Song for the Morning” are particularly tasty. Since the OP specifies “rock,” I’m assuming soul - and therefore any mention of James Jamerson - is specifically excluded. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/10 "2007-12-26T23:33:12Z")
The bass line in the Who’s “The Real Me”, by the incomparable John Entwistle, has always been a favorite of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/11 "2007-12-26T23:36:06Z")
[QUOTE=Labdad] Since the OP specifies “rock,” I’m assuming soul - and therefore any mention of James Jamerson - is specifically excluded. [/QUOTE] Oh no, definitely not. I was going to mention Jamerson but couldn’t think of a specific song that stands out - all of his playing is amazing, but very consistent. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/12 "2007-12-26T23:43:40Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Oh no, definitely not. I was going to mention Jamerson but couldn’t think of a specific song that stands out - all of his playing is amazing, but very consistent. [/QUOTE] Saw that on preview - time expired before I could add the following: On preview, I see the OP allows “funk.” Therefore, James Jamerson of the Funk Brothers (Motown) deserves special recognition. “Higher and Higher” by Jackie Wilson, “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye, and “My World is Empty Without You” by the Supremes are just a few examples of the man’s genius. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/13 "2007-12-26T23:44:28Z")
A while ago, I listened to the Basscast podcast’s 20 Greatest Rock Basslines [http://basscast.libsyn.com/index.php?post\_id=87093](http://basscast.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=87093) and Next 20 Greatest Basslines [http://basscast.libsyn.com/index.php?post\_id=155206](http://basscast.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=155206) and found them right on for most of them–not necessarily in the order I would assign, but they’re all there. ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/14 "2007-12-27T00:18:10Z")
**Holiday in Cambodia** by the Dead Kennedys ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/15 "2007-12-27T00:28:21Z")
_Not fragile_ by **BTO**. It starts as a bass theme which morphes into guitar, but the riginal bass line is… mesmerizing (sp?). ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/16 "2007-12-27T00:38:25Z")
[_Not fragile_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceaWetKPsbM) by **BTO**. It starts as a bass theme which morphes into guitar, but the original bass line is… mesmerizing (sp?). ---
**Author:** ![tomh987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@tomh987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomh987)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/17 "2007-12-27T01:04:15Z")
Walk this Way - Aerosmith ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/18 "2007-12-27T01:09:37Z")
_Sweet Emotion_ by Aerosmith was an understated gem of basswork. Also, the bass line from Duran Duran’s _Rio_ was fucking smoking hot, even though I have been called a mousse-headed euro-fag for saying so. Actually the more I think of it, Duran Duran had quite a bit of creative basswork in their heyday. (For the record, I am from Georgia and I have not used any hair care products since the 80’s). ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/19 "2007-12-27T01:12:17Z")
“Rain” and “Taxman” by The Beatles. “A Good Idea” by Sugar. Damn near everything Bootsy Collins played on. “Bonin’ In The Boneyard” by Fishbone. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327/20 "2007-12-27T02:06:20Z")
Best? Who knows. Who can even hear the bass line to a lot of songs? But I’ve always loved John Entwhistle. And I remember some tribute to Pete Townshend and his music (with a NYC orchestra, I believe) that had Ox come in for a song that featured the most jaw-droppingingly delicious rock bass I can remember. Perhaps some Who fan knows what the name of the concert was. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bass-lines-in-rock-music-history/431327.md?page=2)