# Favorite Basslines **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661 "2007-10-05T18:00:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/81 "2007-10-09T18:34:52Z")
[QUOTE=mstupid3000] Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum [/QUOTE] The bass lines in the cover version by **Nina Hagen** are even more prominent in the mix and thus easier to learn (if that’s your goal). Two songs by **The Clash** have great and well-known bass lines that really drive the songs forward: \*\*The Guns of Brixton The Magnificent Seven\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/82 "2007-10-09T19:06:10Z")
**G’z and Hustlas** by Snoop Dogg. Bassline probably put together by Dre. (and, it might be sampled, but I don’t know the original) There’s a couple CCR basslines that are pretty sweet. Something like **Who’ll Stop the Rain** is pretty simple, but it really exemplifies how to play perfect rock bass without being showy. ---
**Author:** ![Skoobz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Skoobz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skoobz)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/83 "2007-10-14T17:39:08Z")
“Bonin’ In the Boneyard” by Fishbone, especially the solos in the bridge. Anything Bruce Thomas of the Attractions does is usually mind-boggling _and_ tasteful. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/84 "2007-10-14T20:22:10Z")
[QUOTE=Spiff] Two songs by **The Clash** have great and well-known bass lines that really drive the songs forward: \*\*The Guns of Brixton The Magnificent Seven\*\* [/QUOTE] The Clash might own this thread. “The Call Up” “Pressure Drop” (a cover) “Bankrobber” (another cover methinks) “This Is Radio Clash” “Rock The Casbah” ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/85 "2007-10-14T20:30:35Z")
Hell, tons of my favorites are in here, but for re-emphasis: Andy Rourke’s bassline in The Smiths’ “This Charming Man,” “Barbarism Begins at Home” Peter Hook’s basslines in New Order’s “Dreams Never End,” “Age of Consent” Hooky again with Joy Division - “Digital,” “Atmosphere,” “Transmission” Mark King’s basslines for Level 42’s “Something About You,” and Nik Kershaw’s “Easy” Kim Deal on The Breeders’ “Cannonball” Mike Mills on R.E.M.‘s “Wolves, Lower” Bernie Edwards on every damn thing he played - especially Chic’s “Good Times,” “Everybody Dance,” and Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover.” Dean Dinning on Toad the Wet Sprocket’s “Walk on the Ocean.” ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/86 "2007-10-14T22:28:46Z")
Lot’s of Tower of Power. Here’s Rocco Prestia working on What is Hip? with Gov’t Mule: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBncfHNOXoA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBncfHNOXoA) (choses because the bass track is exposed on this version–not because the overall version of the song is good). Here’s the same song played live with T.O.P. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj8ZTdZiUtY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj8ZTdZiUtY) Jerry Jemmott: Memphis Soul Stew: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WHcWu-1iUg](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WHcWu-1iUg) Jaco’s swunk bass lines (e.g., with Joni Mitchell on Dry Cleaner from Des Moines): [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9uIJ343js0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9uIJ343js0) and the line from Come On Come Over (he plays the same line in several other songs). And Scott LaFaro’s work on the album, “The Arrival of Victor Feldman” ---
**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:** [October 14, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/87 "2007-10-14T22:38:26Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] Best Looking Boys by The Promise Ring. Scott Schoenbeck might not be that great a bassist, and his downbeat and loud style of playing might not be appropriate for the cleaner punk sound common these days (and even within that song,) but the deliberateness and clearness of his notes were appropriate to the mood of BLB and absolutely nailed the song for me. I almost bought The Promise Rings entire discography based just on Best Looking Boys. [/QUOTE] Schoenbeck also played in Pele, an instrumental post-rock band whose songs have really great bass lines underneath the sparse, minimalist guitar riffs. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/88 "2007-10-14T22:47:33Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] Absolutely, as is the _Night Court_ theme, though I know some people who dismiss it as “Spyro Gyra jazz.” [/QUOTE] Chuck Rainey on the Sanford and Son theme: [http://www.sitcomsonline.com/sanfordandson/](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/sanfordandson/) (you can download or listen to the theme song in various formats–links at far right). ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/89 "2007-10-14T23:36:45Z")
Some you can have a lot of fun with, with having to be super brilliant: Beatles, Ballad Of John & Yoko Police, Rehumanize Yourself (from The Ghost In The Machine) Yes, Going For The One (the original contains some amazing bass work by Chris Squire) ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2007, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/90 "2007-10-14T23:42:33Z")
A few more: Peter Gabriel, I Go Swimming: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ0Q6QVxB2g](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ0Q6QVxB2g) Lou Reed, Walk on the Wild Side: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ88oTITMoM&mode=related&search=](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ88oTITMoM&mode=related&search=) Thomas Dolby, Hyperactive: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5XVd5mwBZM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5XVd5mwBZM) ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/91 "2007-10-15T00:39:14Z")
I can’t believe no one has mentioned - [Boris the Spider](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_zYTdlDgNw). [5:15](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_zYTdlDgNw). John “the Ox” Entwistle. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/92 "2007-10-15T01:14:44Z")
[QUOTE=rayh] I can’t believe no one has mentioned - [Boris the Spider](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_zYTdlDgNw). [5:15](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_zYTdlDgNw). John “the Ox” Entwistle. [/QUOTE] And don’t forget [Won’t Get Fooled Again.](http://youtube.com/watch?v=IfDE-ZvfOwU) Isolated bass sound feed. I could watch this over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/93 "2007-10-15T01:21:18Z")
[QUOTE=Daithi Lacha] The Pretenders’ _My City Was Gone_ [/QUOTE] Heh. I was reminded of that by the mention of the theme to Conan O’Brien. One day in the mid-90s I heard just the bassline on the radio and I wondered when the rock station had changed to talk! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/94 "2007-10-15T02:53:18Z")
[QUOTE=Dante] And don’t forget [Won’t Get Fooled Again.](http://youtube.com/watch?v=IfDE-ZvfOwU) Isolated bass sound feed. I could watch this over and over. [/QUOTE] As a High Numbers geek, I hate to jump in on threads like this to post a Who song. I don’t mind piggybacking on other mentions, though. In concert, **“_5:15_”** was always a spotlight moment for John…check out the song from the Royal Albert Hall DVD. Pete has acknowledged Entwistle as the supreme instrumentalist of The Who. Every time I saw them live, Townshend stood back and shook his head when John stepped up and showed his stuff. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/95 "2007-10-15T04:40:17Z")
Huh. Surprised not to see the first song that popped into my mind mentioned: the Police’s “We Are Spirits in the Material World.” But my favorite bassline experience will always be John Paul Jones’s amazing work on Diamanda Galas’s _The Sporting Life._ Her unhinged shrieking, laid against the darkly bubbling background of his insane bass–with occasional Hammond orgasms and some highly tight drumming–make this album a permanent entry on my DID10 list. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/96 "2007-10-15T07:49:20Z")
[QUOTE=InvisibleWombat] Cream - Sunshine of Your Love [/QUOTE] Others from [Cream](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_%28band%29) with great basslines: **Badge** **Born Under a Bad Sign** **Strange Brew** **Spoonful** **White Room** If “Clapton was God”, then Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker were at least minor deities. However, for a true wall-shaking[sup]\*[/sup] bassline, I’d go with [Apocalypse in 9/8](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supper%27s_Ready#.22Apocalypse_in_9.2F8_.28Co-Starring_the_Delicious_Talents_of_Gabble_Ratchet.29.22) from [Supper’s Ready](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supper%27s_Ready) by [Genesis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_%28band%29) . _[[sup]_[/sup] My immediate neighbors used to occasionally play [Norteño](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norte%C3%B1o_%28music%29) a little too loud and a little too late, despite reasonable protestations. So, one afternoon, I turned my speakers to the common wall, and (in concert with **other** neighbors with whom I share a WiFi network) started “Apocalypse in 9/8” at the first strains from next door. The slight delays due to network streaming only added to the effect, and the day was won within a few minutes. Since then, neighborhood peace has reigned.]\* ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/97 "2007-10-15T08:24:29Z")
The Police have several – not surprisingly, considering Sting’s a bass player. Glad to see a few mentioned already! My own favorites are: _Driven to Tears_ _Message in a Bottle_, of course _Every Little Thing She Does is Magic_ _Can’t Stand Losing You_ - minimalist awesomeness. _O My God_ _Demolition Man_ _Bed’s Too Big Without You_ _Spirits in the Material World_ Also _Fortress Around Your Heart_ - from Sting’s first solo album. In the non-Stingy world, I think the Beatles had some kickass bass lines. First one that leaps to mind is _Day Tripper_. ---
**Author:** ![Daniel\_Sug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Daniel\_Sug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel_Sug)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/98 "2007-10-15T16:27:56Z")
I’m throwing this one out there, coz I don’t think anyone else will–whoever played bass on the ABBA albums was tremendous. The parts were very under-stated, but perfect for their songs. As cheezy as they could sound, Abba was great for learning how to play the perfect pop song. Anything from John Deacon of Queen–never stepped on anyone’s toes, musically, but his parts were very complex and tasteful. Muse is a great band to listen for bass. “Hysteria,” from _Absolution_ , and “New Born” from _Origin of Symmetry_, are fun to play but will toughen up your fingering. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/99 "2007-10-15T16:56:28Z")
Is there any bassline better than Spinal Tap’s _Big Bottom_? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661/100 "2007-10-15T16:56:40Z")
[QUOTE=Antonius Block] If “Clapton was God”, then Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker were at least minor deities. [/QUOTE] I agree! Although Born Under a Bad Sign, which is one of my favorites to play, and Spoonful are covers of classic blues songs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-basslines/421661.md?page=6)