Bass-centric songs

garythenuke · #1 07-15-2011, 08:02 AM

I've enjoyed reading this old thread: Bass heavy groups/artists
and have consequently discovered a lot of new music, and been reminded of music that I used to listen to.

I had an idea for a new discussion thread. The bass frequently gets "over-volumed" by the other screechy instruments:

Name specific songs (with the group if there is one) where the bass carries the melody. Songs where, if you are humming or be-bopping to the melody, it's the bass line that you are humming. The one where, when you play an air instrument to the radio, it's the bass and not the drums or guitar that have you flailing at the ether. Songs where the guitar/drums/keyboard lay a supporting roll to the bass.
Songs where, if a non-musician is humming or air-playing, it's the bass they have in their head whether they know it or not.

If you want, you can call out fretted or fretless, 4/5/6 string etc... The gear is way besides the point so don't get into amps and effects and etc... It seems easier to find such numbers in Jazz than in other genres. Prove me wrong

I don't know any country songs or recognize many Christian praise songs but feel free to add them if you want to. Ska and reggae are of course welcomed and encouraged. I know there is Christian punk and heavy metal out there so mention those too if they exist.

I'll take two easy ones:
"Portrait of Tracy"; Jaco
"Schism"; TOOL (okay, lots of stuff by TOOL)

ripman3 · #2 07-15-2011, 08:10 AM

Seven nation army - white stripes

SoVeryTired · #3 07-15-2011, 08:17 AM

A few by Muse - Hysteria and Newborn spring to mind (the guitar doubles the bass line in the latter, but the bass starts it).

garythenuke · #4 07-15-2011, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ripman3

Seven nation army - white stripes

That's one of my favorites, but isn't that a downtuned guitar through heavy distortion? I learned it on the bass only to hear later that it was Jack White's guitar...

SMILEYSIXX · #5 07-15-2011, 08:32 AM

Anything by Primus.

garythenuke · #6 07-15-2011, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMILEYSIXX

Anything by Primus.

Tommy the Cat is recognizable, but the guitar still kicks in and overshadows Les (I know that's heresy

, because NO ONE overshadows Les. But that's just to us bass fans..). Same thing happens in a lot of Primus' stuff.

garythenuke · #7 07-15-2011, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

A few by Muse - Hysteria and Newborn spring to mind (the guitar doubles the bass line in the latter, but the bass starts it).

Boy. Hysteria is great! Bass starts huge and doesn't fade. Even during the guitar solo the bass is equally pumped. Nice one

AdamJames306 · #8 07-15-2011, 08:48 AM

Come Together by the Beatles, and Give It Away by the Red Hot Chili Peppers are the two that immediately come to mind, and strangely enough, those two bass lines are VERY similar.

Muse is generally a very Bass-Heavy band. Iron Maiden and Stone Temple Pilots are a couple others that come to mind, although I don't know if their bass parts are necessarily the hooks, or the main focus, as you are asking.

Generally speaking, a good deal of the old Motown stuff was all about the bass. If I'm not mistaken, Jamerson was one of the few instrumentalists in that Studio A band to get his own track in the mix, and that's back when those tracks were VERY valuable real estate.

Speaking of Motown, I Want You Back by the Jackson 5 is probably one of the most instantly recognizable, most beloved, and in my opinion one of the coolest bass lines ever written.

And of course, there's my main man John Paul Jones. Listen to Ramble On and What is and What Should Never Be off of Zep II and you'll hear two songs that would fall flat on their face with out the bass. Not to mention the badass bass solo on Lemon Song, the very piece of music that made me pick up the instrument in the first place.

Reaper Man · #9 07-15-2011, 08:50 AM

‪Dumpstaphunk - "Gas Man" From The Independent in San Francisco‬&rlm; - YouTube

dumpstaphunk in general

garythenuke · #10 07-15-2011, 08:50 AM

Excellent post AdamJames. That's a great list and a good translation of what I'm asking. I'm headed to youtube now...

garythenuke · #11 07-15-2011, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaper Man

‪Dumpstaphunk - "Gas Man" From The Independent in San Francisco‬&rlm; - YouTube

dumpstaphunk in general

Whoaaa... that kicks BUT!!! Two bassists??? Nice...

I gotta go drink some milk and eat some burritos...

AlvarHanso · #12 07-15-2011, 09:50 AM

Green Onions, The Real Me, Sparks (& Underture), Born to be Wild are some off the top of my head.

SoVeryTired · #13 07-15-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garythenuke

Whoaaa... that kicks BUT!!! Two bassists??? Nice...

I gotta go drink some milk and eat some burritos...

Ah, multiple bassists... how could I forget the mighty three-bass epic that is 'Big Bottom' by Spinal Tap.

bassic.science · #14 07-15-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garythenuke

That's one of my favorites, but isn't that a downtuned guitar through heavy distortion? I learned it on the bass only to hear later that it was Jack White's guitar...

I don't think downtuned, he's got an octave pedal that allows him to get down into the low range.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

Ah, multiple bassists... how could I forget the mighty three-bass epic that is 'Big Bottom' by Spinal Tap.

3 bass? They've graduated up.

‪Spinal Tap Big Bottom Live Earth Video‬&rlm; - YouTube

garythenuke · #15 07-15-2011, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassic.science

I don't think downtuned, he's got an octave pedal that allows him to get down into the low range.

That's probably it. Still burst my bubble though...

Chef FourString · #16 07-15-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garythenuke

That's probably it. Still burst my bubble though...

I believe he plays through a Digitech Whammy to get most of his sounds.

Bozendoka · #17 07-15-2011, 10:56 AM

There's a praise song I've played a few times called "All Bow Down" that has a very prominent bassline over simple guitar chords. Lots of fun to play and I'd always hear at least a few people humming the bassline after the service. No idea who recorded it and I'm too lazy to Google it.

AlvarHanso · #18 07-15-2011, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoVeryTired

Ah, multiple bassists... how could I forget the mighty three-bass epic that is 'Big Bottom' by Spinal Tap.

How could this epic slip my mind? My favorite song and scene from the movie probably! At the end of their Big Summer Classic tour in 2005, String Cheese Incident, invited all the bassists from all the other bands up to play on Big Bottom. Couldn't find a clip of it, but I did find this! ‪David Gilmour with Spinal Tap "Big Bottom"‬&rlm; - YouTube

DanRJBrasil · #19 07-15-2011, 02:53 PM

Jamiroquai, ratm is also bass heavy but jamiroquai is all bass take the bass out and nothing is left

Katfish Krow · #20 07-16-2011, 10:37 PM

Got a few I can think of..can't post the vid links due to being on mobile at the moment..but..

"Searching" by Roy Ayers..beautiful song and a current point of frustration for me as I cant find sheet music or tabs for it ANYWHERE..definitely a song I'd love to be able to play one day..

"M.L. in the Sunshine" by Count Basic...very smooth song..most of their music is bass heavy/driven like most Smooth Jazz, similar to Jamiroquai...add their version of "Joy and Pain" to that mix as well, but M.L particulary stands out for me...

"Stir it up" by Bob Marley

"Bad Boys" by Inner Circle

"Forget me Nots" by Patrice Rusham(sp?)

"Billie Jean" and "Smooth Criminal" by MJ

Ill come back with more..