I'm looking for songs with really good basslines

Yeah, that would be Under Pressure, by Queen and David Bowie. Unfortunately not everyone realizes that.

Monster Magnet has some awesome bass lines, most notabley Space Lord. And I’d recommend Queens of the Stone Age as well.

Following Made In Macau’s lead …

I think Devo did 'em with keyboards, but their “Satisfaction” and “Whip It” have amazing bass parts.

Forgot one – Boz Scagg’s “Lido Shuffle”.

The best funky bass line ever:

War’s Low Rider

R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe

The Pretenders - the Wait (off the first album)

Elvis Costello - Pump it Up

These are all basslines my bassist loves to play…

“White Boys and Heroes” by Gary Numan has a funky fretless bass line. Complex, but it gets you moving.

Vlad/Igor

Stanley Clarke is my personal favorite bass player of all time. Check out the album School Days.

Rage Against the Machine has some amazing bass. Try “Killing in the Name” “Bombtrack” and “Know Your Enemy”

Rush has long been known for Geddy Lee’s singing, but also for his incredible bass playing. “Freewill” and “Tom Sawyer” are always winners.

I’d like to chime in with “Whores” by Jane’s Addiction Especially the version on the “Kettle Whistle” album.

I’ve been to several JA concerts and they always bring a good show but the show that they got that recording from sounded frickin AWESOME.

Also…

*Valley Girl * by Frank Zappa.

I was in grade school when it came out and I just thought it was an amusing novelty song. Not until recently did I realize what a kick-ass bass line it has.

And then of course there’s *Big Bottom * by Spinal Tap :slight_smile:

Would that be lead bass, rhythm bass, or bass bass?

IIRC, that’s the one which requires a double-neck bass. Tricky thing that.

That’s a cool looking bass, btw.

I think it’s a BC Rich.

The reggae stuff the Clash did has some pretty nice basslines. Maybe not the most complex but you should check out
Police & Thieves
White Man (in hammersmith palais)
Armagideion Times
Bankrobber
Guns of Brixton
Rudie Can’t Fail

Word Man beat me to it, but Radio Free Europe by R.E.M. has a great bassline - the melody is entirely played on the bass, more or less. In fact any early R.E.M. has strong basslines, mostly because Peter Buck hadn’t actually learned to play guitar by that point, so Mike Mills had to carry the melody a lot.

Teen Town by Weather Report (on Heavy Weather) helped make Jaco Pastorius’ reputation as a bass god.
Sleepless by King Crimson (on Three of a Perfect Pair) features Tony Levin’s strongest use of “Funk Fingers” on bass.
Song for America by Kansas has several songs with kick-ass bass.

‘Cannonball’ by The Breeders comes to mind

And I believe that the odd sounds that kick off the song are the bass being run through some effects machines.

F*cking A.

I’m surprised no one’s mentioned this one yet, but how about Ronnie Baker’s bassline in “For the Love of Money” by the O’ Jays?

I just remembered this
Victor Wooten

Its all him playing bass. dig it.