John Paul Jones-The Lemon Song

[JPMacJones]

Hadn't heard this in a while and now I'm playing it once a day on my iPod. This and Dear Prudence made me want to play bass.

Led Zeppelin - The Lemon Song - YouTube

[Sleeping Giant]

This is such an outstanding piece of bass. It doesn't get enough attention.

It almost sounds like Jaco but of course this was recorded years before Jaco released his first album.

Maybe we should say Jaco sounds like JPJ :-)

[worxforme]

Here's the best version that I've seen someone play this song on the web: Click Here

[edmidlifecrisis]

This is probably my favorite bass line of all time.

I love this drum and bass clip, it just grooves.

The Lemon Song Drum & Bass - YouTube

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

According to an "urban legend", Mr. Jones recorded that line in one take. If that's true...

[4001]

Originally Posted by edmidlifecrisis

This is probably my favorite bass line of all time.

I love this drum and bass clip, it just grooves.

The Lemon Song Drum & Bass - YouTube

That was just awesome!!

[Nightlyraider]

The Lemon Song is probably his finest clearly "electric bass" recording in Zep. Alot of the later album work was organ oriented.

ALL of LZII is killer bass work.

[edmidlifecrisis]

Revive thread.

Found this online. Kind of interesting, JPJ on some tracks and in 3d video.

Seasick Steve live in 360 degrees | Music | guardian.co.uk

[Phalex]

My favorite cover of the Howlin Wolf classic:

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Killing Floor (Live at Monterey) *HD* - YouTube


Funny how Page and Plant seem to have gotten all the song writing credits..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvwVuOM7aFQ

[Mike M.]

Originally Posted by worxforme

Here's the best version that I've seen someone play this song on the web: Click Here

Thanks for posting this! While watching and listening to that it's now very clear why JPJ said "back in my sessions days if producers needed the bass to sound like Motown they called me." Like Jaco said...."it ain't braggin' if you can back it up."

JPJ could more than back that claim up.

[So Low Bass]

Sorry, but I never hear Motown or Jaco in this tune.

My vague memory of this is that it was a spur of the moment event laid down in a small California studio. It represents this branch of electric bass playing at its apex.

[Joe Nerve]

I'm right smack in the middle of learning this solo, note for note, with every intention of getting the whole thing down. While learning it, and while checking out some videos of tribute bands doing it, it occurred to me once more that regardless of how long and hard people want to argue, bass is easier than guitar. Not many bass players seem to want to learn this note for note, and it's understandable, cuz it's a hell of lot of stuff to remember and takes more than a considerable amount of time, commitment and effort. Yet, guitar players often learn countless solos, note for note, without a single complaint coming out of them. What makes learning 60 bars of solo stuff in this any different than a guitarist learning 4 or 5 solos in a few different songs? And guitarists in cover/tribute bands have to know at least 30 plus solos. Note for note they're memorizing a whole lot more notes. We bass players deserve all the disrespect we get! I wouldn't be doing this if I weren't being forced into it.

Consider this post a twisted rant, and much needed break. And my way of convincing myself, "It ain't nothin". I can do it!

[SlingBass4]

Always great to go back and have some fun with early JPJ! I seem to always pick up something when listening to a few tracks - never could just eat one

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

According to an "urban legend", Mr. Jones recorded that line in one take. If that's true...

I don't see why that wouldn't be true. He was (and still is, of course,) an accomplished player at that time; and it's an example of the exact style he plays. It is him playing his stuff, exactly how he plays it, and it probably wasn't even the least bit difficult for him. He was just playing what he plays!

If you took the time to learn it note for note, and practiced it for a while, you would get so you could duplicate every nuance. It's not very technical or fast. It's just really good, expressive bass playing, and it follows all the rules that made JPJ such a good choice for an act like Zeppelin.

He stays with standard jazz/rock/blues forms. Lots of good walks. Lots of good transitions between keys. That is signature JPJ. Listen to the "Song Remains the Same" long versions of "Whole Lotta Love," and "Dazed and Confused." He is basically teaching a clinic on how to transition from one key to another, while smoothly walking lines.

We do a shortened version of that "Whole Lotta Love," with my wife on bass. She was always an eighties style player; rhythmically solid; stuck around the root a lot; tight with the kick drum, of course; not much action in her left hand.

She just couldn't hear all of his transitions on that, and was playing some stuff she made up, and (for me) was ruining the feel of the song.

So I took the time to learn it, and she said, "well why don't YOU play it then?" and I said, "one, I'm singing the Robert Plant parts, and I need to be 'loose' enough to do them, and two, YOU'RE A BETTER BASS PLAYER THAN ME, and will sound much better."

Well, she allowed me to teach her those parts, and what I found is it freed up that left hand, and she started playing more fluidly, and with a lot more "swing."

THAT is what I think JPJ brings to bass. That kind of "jazzy" feel that still has that rock and roll punch. He's really a super talented musician, and I don't think he recorded with one thing with Led Zeppelin that we can't all play, and mimic perfectly.

And doing so ALWAYS makes us play better!

[nutdog]

Originally Posted by Phalex

My favorite cover of the Howlin Wolf classic:

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Killing Floor (Live at Monterey) *HD* - YouTube

Excellent, of course, but lately I'm partial this one:

Killing Floor by Rick Derringer - YouTube

[Joe Nerve]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

I don't see why that wouldn't be true. He was (and still is, of course,) an accomplished player at that time; and it's an example of the exact style he plays. It is him playing his stuff, exactly how he plays it, and it probably wasn't even the least bit difficult for him. He was just playing what he plays!

If you took the time to learn it note for note, and practiced it for a while, you would get so you could duplicate every nuance. It's not very technical or fast. It's just really good, expressive bass playing, and it follows all the rules that made JPJ such a good choice for an act like Zeppelin.

He stays with standard jazz/rock/blues forms. Lots of good walks. Lots of good transitions between keys. That is signature JPJ. Listen to the "Song Remains the Same" long versions of "Whole Lotta Love," and "Dazed and Confused." He is basically teaching...

THAT is what I think JPJ brings to bass. That kind of "jazzy" feel that still has that rock and roll punch. He's really a super talented musician, and I don't think he recorded with one thing with Led Zeppelin that we can't all play, and mimic perfectly.

And doing so ALWAYS makes us play better!

I agree with all of that.

The thing that astounds me with this particular solo is that he never (at least as far as ive gotten) plays the same line or pattern twice. Not once yet.

[Darth Handsome]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

I agree with all of that.

The thing that astounds me with this particular solo is that he never (at least as far as ive gotten) plays the same line or pattern twice. Not once yet.

He's just playing from the heart. There's no pattern b/c it wasn't planned out ahead of time. He's just playing.

[Joe Nerve]

Originally Posted by Darth Handsome

He's just playing from the heart. There's no pattern b/c it wasn't planned out ahead of time. He's just playing.

Yes, but most bassists would have repeated themselves a handful of times in something that long. Quite a feat imo to never play the same run or fill twice. Especially all being improvised.

[Darth Handsome]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

Yes, but most bassists would have repeated themselves a handful of times in something that long. Quite a feat imo to never play the same run or fill twice. Especially all being improvised.

He's a musical fellow with plenty to say. One of the greats.

[Gitaaroverlast]

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

I'm right smack in the middle of learning this solo, note for note, with every intention of getting the whole thing down. While learning it, and while checking out some videos of tribute bands doing it, it occurred to me once more that regardless of how long and hard people want to argue, bass is easier than guitar. Not many bass players seem to want to learn this note for note, and it's understandable, cuz it's a hell of lot of stuff to remember and takes more than a considerable amount of time, commitment and effort. Yet, guitar players often learn countless solos, note for note, without a single complaint coming out of them. What makes learning 60 bars of solo stuff in this any different than a guitarist learning 4 or 5 solos in a few different songs? And guitarists in cover/tribute bands have to know at least 30 plus solos. Note for note they're memorizing a whole lot more notes. We bass players deserve all the disrespect we get! I wouldn't be doing this if I weren't being forced into it.

Consider this post a twisted rant, and much needed break. And my way of convincing myself, "It ain't nothin". I can do it!

But, how many guitar solo's would truly groove as much as this as a stand-alone piece? ; )