One that I always enjoy is the bass work of Carl Radle in Derek and the Dominos’ Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad (as well as other tracks on the album).
Last time we did this I nominated “Heart of the Sunrise,” which I hereby repeat.
A guilty pleasure of mine is Percy Jones. Dance of the Illegal Aliens is pretty fun.
Just about anything by Rocco Prestia, the most popular and recognizable being What is Hip? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPyTbtvQscQ although I’ve always liked Drop It In The Slot.
Jaco is also good on All American Alien Boy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odnn5gEyrIk (a guy playing along with him here) and another good performance on Al Di Meola’s Land of the Midnight Sun album on a piece called *Suite - Golden Dawn
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Oteil Burbridge with Aquarium Rescue Unit: *How Tight’s Your Drawers? *, *Swallows *, *Turn it On *, Highly Overrated, or Satisfaction Guaranteed
Psycho Killer by Talking Heads. It’s probably the most identifiable bass line out there for the average person.
I thought for sure **Dazed and Confused ** would have been mentioned by now…
Here are the two most recent threads on favorite bass lines:
Songs that make you play air bass
and two more of my picks from there:
Tony Levin on Peter Gabriel, I Go Swimming: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ0Q6QVxB2g
Thomas Dolby*, Hyperactive*: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5XVd5mwBZM
I was just listening to “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits earlier tonight. It’s not a song you usually associate with great basslines, but I think the bass is what really makes that song.
I dunno about “greatest” – I don’t play bass, so I probably don’t parse the bass melody that often, and overlook candidates.
Another vote for The Real Me.
Also YYZ.
I’d be surprised if this is the most identifiable bassline. I actually had to youtube it to remind myself what it was…I think there’s a lot of more popular bass lines out there, from Groove Is In The Heart to Love Shack to Under Pressure/Ice Ice Baby to Motown, etc.
Well the bass line in London Calling sure gets the listener’s attention. It’s not technically marvelous or anything, but damn if it doesn’t grab you.
Years ago, I heard Geddy Lee on a phone-in radio show. A devoted fanboy called in to ask, “Geddy, besides you, who’s the best bass player in the world?”
Geddy modestly said he didn’t consider himself an elite bass player, and said his favorite players were probably Percy Jones and Jeff Berlin.
Dead, uncomfortable, awkward silence from the caller and the show’s host, who were obviously metalheads, and had no clue who either of those guys were!
Jeff Berlin used to write the Bass column in International Musician magazine, when I was an aspiring bassist. He had all sorts of good tips, and turned me on to Rocco Prestia. I’ve never been impressed with him as a player, though. I mean, he can play fast, but nothing I’ve ever heard from him made me want to hear him play it again. Percy on the other hand, had some very innovative ideas, a cool sound (for the era anyway), and style. When he made his comeback, he was playing stuff that was way too computer-y for my taste, but even then, I could tell it was him within a few notes.
My favorite’s always been “Parallels”.
Also, “Big Bottom” by Spinal Tap.
Is Black Sabbath’s N.I.B. a must in this thread or only in “best bass intro”?
**We Gotta Get Out Of This Place **…The Animals
I give a big thumbs up to the bass line in “Walk On The Wild Side” as well as John Taylor’s playing on Duran’s albums. For a band that had such a foofy, chick-friendly image, that boy could PLAY (and can still, from what I’ve seen).
Also give props to Geddy Lee’s work on “Spirit of Radio.” Just about anything he does is gold.
Mostly because it works so well with John Squire’s stoned noodling, Gary “Mani” Mountfield’s bassline to the fabulous Fools Gold (by the Stone Roses) would be my choice.
“Good Times”, by Chic.
Also heard on “Rappers Delight” and “Another One Bites the Dust”.
It was the first song I thought of. Not just the into either, the whole thing.
I love most of the choices so far. My nomination isn’t really the answer to the question, but a related observation: I often check out a bassist’s skills by asking them to play **Take Me to the River, the Talking Heads’ ** version. 3 freakin’ simple notes - a non-bassist can finger the notes immediately - but fitting in the space of the song and keeping the groove moving is a feel thing. Way too many bassists simply can’t do it - kinda hilarious to watch, since they know how boneheadedly easy it is…
I am surprised to not see **Pump it Up or another Elvis Costello ** song - Bruce Thomas is great. Same with Mike Mills of **REM ** - maybe Radio Free Europe?
From a funk standpoint - way too many to mention, but Bootsy, Larry Graham and countless others have so many defining songs…