Like the title said, I’m looking for songs with really good basslines. So far, I have:
Money- Pink Floyd
Have A Cigar- Pink Floyd
My Sharona- The Knack
Only three. I’m looking to expand my music collection, and I thoroughly enjoy songs with good, heavy basslines. Especially where the bass starts out, and drums and other instruments join in after a few bars.
Whipping Post - Allman Brothers Band
The Red and The Black (originally by Blue Oyster Cult) - The Minutemen
What style of music are you interested in?
In the pop style, there’s a lot of cool basslines.
Like “Judy in Disguise (with glasses)” by John Fred and His Playboy Band.
I think just about anything by Morphine ought to make you pretty happy.
Hot Hot Hot - the Cure (and there are plenty of songs that share a similar bassline, but I can’t think of any right now.)
Planet Clare - the B-52s (think Spy Hunter.)
Chemical - New Order
and as much as it pains me to say it - Girl I Miss You, Rolling Stones. It pains me to say it because you’d sort of assume that a band with that many studio albums would have more than 3 good songs.
Cliff Burton is the greatest bassist of all time. If you don’t believe me, find a copy of Metallica’s “(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth”. I’m also partial to Trail of Tears’ “A Fate Sealed In Red”, but that may not be your cup of tea.
Kyuss, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and early Metallica are all good bets.
Duran Duran has some good ones. Rio, for example.
I’d recommend some stuff by Les Claypool, but it’s so frigging hard.
My Generation by The Who
I’m not sure if it’s bass or just a deep guitar chord, but Led Zepplin’s Whole Lotta Love is pretty bassy.
“Lucretia (My Reflection)” by The Sisters of Mercy has an ass-kicking bassline. Check it out.
**Walking on the Moon ** by the Police
“Ice, Ice, Baby” by Vanilla Ice.
It’s a nice “duh duh duh duh duh DUH duh.”
If you’re into Pink Floyd, you can’t go wrong with One Of These Days.
Judging by your screen name this may not be your cup of tea but Billy Idol’s version of “Mony Mony” has a strong bass line. Also in the car tonight I was listening to “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder for the first time in years…damn good song that one, and starts with a great bass part.
ultrafilter has already recommended the Red Hot Chili Peppers, one song by them off the top of my head would be their cover of Wonder’s “Higher Ground”.
As does “This Corrosion” off the same album (Floodland, by Sisters of Mercy,) altho the song starts off with faux-gregorian chants.
One I forgot: How Many More Times, off Led Zeppelin 1, has a bassline almost the same as that of Money.
One of my favorite rock bassists is Chris Squire from Yes. Yes songs are chock full of great bass lines. The entire “Fragile” album, especially “Roundabout”, “Long Distance Runaround/The Fish” and “Heart of the Sunrise” is bass paradise. “The Fish” is multiple bass lines dubbed over each other.
When I read that, the first thing that came to mind was Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion.” Nice little bass riff in there.
Check out Tempus Fugit and Does it ever Happen from the Drama album.
And try** Rush**'s Freewill.
I’m definitely going to have to second Les Claypool, the singer/bassist from Primus. Check out the songs My Name is Mud, Tommy the Cat, and pretty much any other Primus songs.