Songs that you never realized had good basslines...

Fassa Albrecht · #1 03-08-2011, 12:25 PM

I was listening to Fairport Convention's Tam Lyn (the 2007 version) and I suddenly realized how good some of the basslines were, and I've been listening to Fairport for a good long while now.

So, what are some other songs you never realized had kickass basslines before?

Crunka · #2 03-09-2011, 12:45 PM

Ever since I began playing the bass I recognize good lines almost instantly.

93 'Till Infinity has a great bassline
Twinz Deep Cover by Big Pun ft. Fat Joe
(they're hip hop tracks so it just loops but very complementary and not boring)

intheory · #3 03-09-2011, 12:50 PM

Rio by Duran Duran...never really thought about them as a "great bass band" until I listened to this song one day...BEAUTIFUL line and tone.

jaywa · #4 03-09-2011, 01:02 PM

"Sweetest Taboo" by Paul Denman with Sade.

Minimalism at its finest: wonderful tone, great note choices, placement and flawless duration. Sheer art.

99% of us on this board can play the notes in that bassline... maybe 10% can cop the feel.

ffutterman · #5 03-09-2011, 01:05 PM

Alanis' "You Oughta Know". Always dug the whole album, but never picked up on the bass part in that until a friend pointed out that Flea did it. It's amazing how much Flea can put into playing 1 note in the intro.

I've also gotta do a plug for Harry Chapin's "Danceband on the Titanic". I really can't get enough of the line on that one.

jpTron · #6 03-09-2011, 01:08 PM

Any song from STP. I never paid much attention to them or liked them when they were big. Even after I started playing bass I still didn't pay attention to them. Then one day my ex gf had their cd on on her good stereo and I was floored.

jaywa · #7 03-09-2011, 01:10 PM

Yeah I wish they'd put out a remix that had Alanis' annoying voice turned down and Flea's awesome bass line jacked up. I knew Flea played that track and I can tell it's a great one but the original mix pretty much buried it.

BigOldHarry · #8 03-09-2011, 01:20 PM

Any old Bad Company or Foghat - unlikely given the genre, but really good bass parts.

And any Joni Mitchell, Jaco or otherwise. She clearly has a thing for good bassists...

ffutterman · #9 03-09-2011, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

Yeah I wish they'd put out a remix that had Alanis' annoying voice turned down and Flea's awesome bass line jacked up. I knew Flea played that track and I can tell it's a great one but the original mix pretty much buried it.

That'd be awesome. I think there's an audio of just the bass somewhere on YouTube. It's on one of the Rockband games, so it's easier to isolate the tracks from that.

treekiller · #10 03-09-2011, 01:29 PM

I'll probably get flamed for this, but many of Leon Wilkeson's bass parts on the Skynyrd stuff have a lot more going on than initially meets the eye/ear.

BigOldHarry · #11 03-09-2011, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treekiller

I'll probably get flamed for this, but many of Leon Wilkeson's bass parts on the Skynyrd stuff have a lot more going on than initially meets the eye/ear.

No flames here - I loath Skynard and find playing their music to be torture, but you are right - he does a good job finding ways to put tasty parts into that miasma that is Skynard. Thank goodness - How many times I have I suffered through playing Sweet Home and thought "well, at least the bass part isn't bad..."

SaucyJackBass · #12 03-09-2011, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpTron

Any song from STP. I never paid much attention to them or liked them when they were big. Even after I started playing bass I still didn't pay attention to them. Then one day my ex gf had their cd on on her good stereo and I was floored.

I love to play STP songs. If you like them, listen to old Candlebox songs, they have that same feel.

Two that came instantly to mind when reading this thread title are early David Bowie songs (Listen to the lines from the Ziggy Stardust CD). But probably the best "in the pocket" bass player, the one you don't notice but just kicks but, is Dave Hope from Kansas. Listen to anything from Masque or Songs from America (even Leftoverture and Point of Know Return) and the placement of the notes and choice is just perfect. Hope matched what was going on with a very busy band almost perfectly.

smgleitch · #13 03-09-2011, 01:47 PM

Anything by Paul McCartney. Use to think "Oh its just early Beatles stuff how hard could it be to play" then one day I sat down and tried to figure some out. Not like it is impossible but you will realize very quickly how good he is.

**xed** · #14 03-09-2011, 01:56 PM

yep, Duran Duran. I was in middle school when they were the kings of MTv in the 80's and I hated them. Years later as an adult and a LOT of years behind me I had a friend who was another bass player and he would whip out the verse riff to Rio for fun. I had never noticed how cool that line was when I was young but I went out and picked up Decade and was blown away by John Taylor's playing.

I've now been a John Taylor fan for a while. 20+ years late to the party but at least I finally showed up

chuck norriss · #15 03-09-2011, 02:00 PM

Im not crazy about Usher but thre are a few nice moments on bass, namely on the song "Caught Up." "You Make Me Wanna" the bass is hardly there at first but later there is a definite presence. I kinda like it.

Also "Remember The Time" by MJ--nice minimal line. & "Keep it int he closet"--might be synth though.

jaywa · #16 03-09-2011, 02:03 PM

Well, of course, John Taylor was heavily influenced by Bernard Edwards, so if you're digging vintage Duran Duran then you also need to go back to the source, i.e., Bernard & Co. with Chic.

drewsky2004 · #17 03-09-2011, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smgleitch

Anything by Paul McCartney. Use to think "Oh its just early Beatles stuff how hard could it be to play" then one day I sat down and tried to figure some out. Not like it is impossible but you will realize very quickly how good he is.

Definitely must agree. Paul has some sick basslines.

Another one that I recently heard that I haven't heard is Superman by Our Lady Peace. Those basslines in there are insane. check it out YouTube - Our Lady Peace - Superman's Dead

Hoover · #18 03-09-2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intheory

Rio by Duran Duran...never really thought about them as a "great bass band" until I listened to this song one day...BEAUTIFUL line and tone.

The intro especially is killer.

dhsierra1 · #19 03-09-2011, 03:22 PM

And any Joni Mitchell, Jaco or otherwise. She clearly has a thing for good bassists...

amen.

Oopsdabassist · #20 03-09-2011, 03:34 PM

+1 for early Bowie, I never appreciated how good those lines were until I compare them to some of the blandness I am playing now