Greatest bass lines in popular music

[Icy Gull]

Greatest? Not sure. Most instantly recognisable? Probably, for those of a certain age.

 

[Brighton TID]

Turn the volume up and listen to the bass line in "Go Deep" by Janet Jackson

It's synth generated, does that count?

Not knocking it, but the rules clearly specify that the bass line must come from a bass guitar (they don't really but one feels they should - keep it real).

 

[Buzzer]

Greatest? Not sure. Most instantly recognisable? Probably, for those of a certain age.

Great shout. The trouble with these threads is there's so many greats....how about 'For What It's Worth' by Buffalo Springfield?

 

[The Buttery Biscuit Base]

or...

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

White Lines

Edit: though this was lifted from a Liquid Liquid track.

 

[Brighton TID]

Hooky sounds great at the end of Bizarre Love Triangle -album version

 

[Ali_rrr]

Glad this thread has been set up. As a bassist myself it's annoying when people don't recognise bass lines as most bands sound shyte without them.

The Stranglers always have had good bass lines, as did McCartney with The Beatles. But my favourite is Joy Division's Interzone.

 

[The Large One]

John Entwistle's isolated bass playing 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. (Kicks in at about 1'15")

[yt]80dsyo2Ox-0[/yt]

 

[Muzzman]

2 Minutes to Midnight - Iron Maiden

Oh... and of course.

Music for Chameleons - Gary Numan

[yt]VokAbAfTfCc[/yt]

 

[BBassic]

Any discussion on great bass lines should always start with the late, great James Jamerson. Bass player for the Funk Brothers, the in-house band of Motown Records in their heyday. Name any Motown track and chances are it's Jamerson laying down the groove:

I Heard It Through The Grapevine
My Girl
Bernadette

He also played the bass on Jackie Wilson's 'Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher'

(more comprehensive list here: http://www.bassland.net/jamersonhits.htm)

A real shame that neither he nor the rest of the Funk Brothers started to get any recognition until the 90's, which was unfortunately too late for Jamerson having passed away in 1983.

 

[Icy Gull]

 

[studio150]

Another one bites the dust - Queen

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

Rancid - Maxwell Murders. The bass solo in that is superb

 

[Icy Gull]

Great shout. The trouble with these threads is there's so many greats....how about 'For What It's Worth' by Buffalo Springfield?

Always good to hear what other people rate too. NSC has such an eclectic taste in music. Often I hate what I hear, but it's worth it for the gems I wouldn't otherwise have stumbled across.

 

[Ali_rrr]

I always think it's interesting discussing bassists. How many can people name in comparison to drummers, lead/rhythm guitarists and lead singers?

 

[scoobiewhite]

Know how by young mc....'so that's where the stone roses nicked fools gold from' you will say to yourself. As well as, 'most of that is sampled from Isaac Hayes.

Given that royal blood is just a drummer and bassist, I'd have to argue that's one of the finest albums of bass lines I've ever heard.

But best by far....


Walk on the wild side, ditchlings own mr herbie flowers. One deep bass line on an upright db and one high bass line on an electric....why....because he got double pay from the union if he included overdubs. Cost to Lou Reed £24.

Legend of legends.

 

[Mellotron]

I always think it's interesting discussing bassists. How many can people name in comparison to drummers, lead/rhythm guitarists and lead singers?

I'm a bassist so will always remember the name if they contribute something special to an album/band etc.

 

[scoobiewhite]

John Entwistle's isolated bass playing 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. (Kicks in at about 1'15")

[yt]80dsyo2Ox-0[/yt]

John Entwistle was such a crazy 'user of the bass guitar'. I say it like that as he really didn't play it like a bassist at all. Totally unique.

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

 

[OurPrice]

Some great shouts already, e.g. Walk on the Wild Side, Sunshine of Your Love, For What Its Worth, and The Jam
Others for perusal are The Breeders 'Cannonball', King Biscuit Time 'I Walk the Earth', or for something far more obvious, 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac
Oooh I love the bass...