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25 Songs every auditioning bass player should know

#61
I'd say the OP's list is pretty much the guts of what a classic rock bassist should know. You can add a few style things like Little Feat for that New Orleans feel that Kenny Gradney plays with and the correct way to play the bassline to Moondance which I've played far more than Brown Eyed Girl over the years. Very jazzy/soul feel to it.

Funny thing about that song is that Van Morrison dislikes it and until recently it's never been a part of his live shows.

I'd suggest that rather than just songs bassists learn how to play different feels. Motown, Memphis Stax, Disco or Philly Soul, Texas and Southern Boogie, Shuffle, Staight Blues, Basic Country Feel, etc. Knowing the right "way" to play something is as important and as knowing that right "lines". JMO.
 
#63
TC2112 said:
maybe I should have prefaced this with "songs people who want to work should know"

I love Rush (see the 2112 in the screen name), but it's not going to fill a dance floor. Yes - there are metal clubs, and jazz clubs, and underground specialty clubs; but if you want to play the night clubs, receptions, paid private party type gigs, these are the types of cuts you need in your bag. I want to hear from the working bands. What songs are filling your dance floors
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What do you mean? 2112 will definitely fill the dance floor... In the club on the other end of the block.:hiding:
 
#65
iamoldschool said:
That's what forums are for.:D

Why, in fact, I am. And rather proud of the fact.:)

Sorry, pal. You aren't going to change our setlist. The people we play for love the music we play. We don't play the same setlist, but there are standards that make the cut for each show. As long as we keep getting booked, we will play this type of music. Two bookings this week and two more this month keep this "Grandpa" about as busy as I want to be.:cool:
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As one grandfather to another....

First, if you are happy doing what you're doing, that's what matters.

Second, what you have to consider is that your audience is getting older. I have just finished up with a drummer in his 70's who could not comprehend that the audience for the music of his youth, played faithfully to the original style, was now the music of people who were moving into nursing homes or not going out at night because it's too much bother.

He left it too long to broaden his style, and as a result he has probably done his last gig. No point trying to "modernise" and play music from the 1970's if the only style you can cut is 40's and 50's.
 
#66
FWIW, here is the OP's list, verbatim, with songs that I have never played crossed out.

1. Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
2. Mustang Sally - Wilson Picket
3. Take it Easy - The Eagles
[DEL]4. Jenny 8675309 - Tommy Tutone
[/DEL]5. Suzy Q - CCR
6. Crossroads - Cream
[DEL]7. Margaritaville - Buffet
[/DEL]8. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
[DEL]9. 20 Flight Rock - Eddie Cochran
[/DEL]10. Cocaine - Clapton
11. I feel good - James Brown
[DEL]12. Come to Papa - Bob Seger
[/DEL][DEL]13. Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd
[/DEL]14. Red House - Hendrix
15. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
[DEL]16. Brick House - Commodores
[/DEL]17. Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
18. Twist and Shout - The Beatles
19. Long Train Runnin - Doobie Bros.
20. Sweet Home Alabama - Skynyrd
21. Gimme Three Steps - Skynyrd
22. Feel Like Makin Love - Bad Co.
23. All Right Now - Free
[DEL]24. You shook me - Ac/Dc
[/DEL]25. Pride and Joy - SRV
 
#67
I thought this one was long gone

It seems many of you have completely misinterpreted what I was saying here. I'm not saying that working bands HAVE to play these songs - I'm saying that if a musician knows these particular 25 songs, that the chances of having common ground with someone at an audition for a working band or a jam is very, VERY high.

And I'm talking about working every week, 2 or 3 nights a week type bands when I say working bands. Not freebie gigs, house party, once a month type bands. These songs get you paid, and having a knowledge of this list will at least give you one or two songs in common with most busy working bands.
 
#68
TC2112 said:
I thought this one was long gone

It seems many of you have completely misinterpreted what I was saying here. I'm not saying that working bands HAVE to play these songs - I'm saying that if a musician knows these particular 25 songs, that the chances of having common ground with someone at an audition for a working band or a jam is very, VERY high.

And I'm talking about working every week, 2 or 3 nights a week type bands when I say working bands. Not freebie gigs, house party, once a month type bands. These songs get you paid, and having a knowledge of this list will at least give you one or two songs in common with most busy working bands.
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Yeah, but only if the audience is in the 40+ age group. I'd wager most people in their 20's & 30's never heard half of those songs, and if they had, they really don't care much for them anyway.

DISCLAIMER: I'm pushing 50 myself.
 
#69
uglybassplayer said:
Yeah, but only if the audience is in the 40+ age group. I'd wager most people in their 20's & 30's never heard half of those songs, and if they had, they really don't care much for them anyway.

DISCLAIMER: I'm pushing 50 myself.
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And most 20-30 somethings aren't going to be in a club where a 40-50 something band is playing no matter what the music is.
 
#70
TC2112 said:
I'm working on a list of "gotta know" songs for every auditioning or jam session attending bass player. It seems that every "weekend warrior" type band has at least 3 of these on their set list, so if you know these songs cold, you should have a head start.

What would you add and what would you take off -

1. Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
2. Mustang Sally - Wilson Picket
3. Take it Easy - The Eagles
4. Jenny 8675309 - Tommy Tutone
5. Suzy Q - CCR
6. Crossroads - Cream
7. Margaritaville - Buffet
8. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
9. 20 Flight Rock - Eddie Cochran
10. Cocaine - Clapton
11. I feel good - James Brown
12. Come to Papa - Bob Seger
13. Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd
14. Red House - Hendrix
15. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
16. Brick House - Commodores
17. Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
18. Twist and Shout - The Beatles
19. Long Train Runnin - Doobie Bros.
20. Sweet Home Alabama - Skynyrd
21. Gimme Three Steps - Skynyrd
22. Feel Like Makin Love - Bad Co.
23. All Right Now - Free
24. You shook me - Ac/Dc
25. Pride and Joy - SRV
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Only songs here I haven't done are 20 Flight Rock and Come to Papa. It's a pretty universal list, even if you don't primarily play classic rock you're likely to get requests for most of these from time to time. I just got done with a 3 month sub gig for a modern/hard rock band, and half the songs on this list we played all the time. Same with my country band, we play a lot of these because people just keep asking for them. Some I'd prefer not to, but that kind of attitude doesn't fill up the tip jar.
 
#71
It really depends. Around here (SC) beach music is big:

My Girl
Under the Boardwalk
Summertime's Calling Me
Brenda
Build Me Up Butter Cup
Stand By Me
Black Drawers (blues, but the beach crowd likes it)
Myrtle Beach Days
Down At the Beach Club

They usually do some things I like, too, but I don't get into beach music per se. But if ya want some gigs, that's where the money is (like the difference between $200 a night and $100, or less, playing classic rock). I've done it a bunch, but now I'm back to blues, soul, and rock, and making less, only because I like playing the material more. Beach bands also usually include some disco, Kool and the Gang, KC and the Sunshine Band kind of stuff, too, along with maybe a few classic rock tunes, a country tune or two, and some jazz standards for dinner music. Pretty versatile, but I get tired of the stuff I don't get into with these bands. HOWEVER...

I don't turn down a call if I can do it. Just got one last night while on the way to play another gig. Probably will make $180-200 on it, don't know yet down in Charleston. (about 150 miles).
 
#72
It really depends. Around here (SC) beach music is big:
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HA! Thanks for the memories! I was in Billy Bazemore's (The Band Of Oz) new band for about an hour and a half...long enough for him to get drunk, say something stupid and have the whole band walk out on him while his regular bass player walked in the house wanting to know just what the heck was I doing there??

I LOVED playing beach music. Here they have no idea what it is or who the artists are.
 
#74
adding to the "common ground" in upbeat, classic to standard to modern(ish) rock idea of the op:

money (floyd)
welcome to the jungle (g 'n' r)
higher ground (chili's ver)
rebel yell (idol)
the joker (miller)
whiskey in a jar (met ver)
i will survive (cake ver)
livin after midnight (priest)
smokin' (boston)
panama (vh)
mamma kin (aero)
seasons in the abyss (slayer)

what was once "too heavy" is now classic rock, boys. i gotta say, those (once considered) metal tunes don't send folks running for the door. yeah, bring in the ladies, the guys will follow, BUT who's buying those ladies the drinks and often paying their cover charge as well?
 
#75
TC2112 said:
I'm working on a list of "gotta know" songs for every auditioning or jam session attending bass player. It seems that every "weekend warrior" type band has at least 3 of these on their set list, so if you know these songs cold, you should have a head start.

What would you add and what would you take off -

1. Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
2. Mustang Sally - Wilson Picket
3. Take it Easy - The Eagles
4. Jenny 8675309 - Tommy Tutone
5. Suzy Q - CCR
6. Crossroads - Cream
7. Margaritaville - Buffet
8. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
9. 20 Flight Rock - Eddie Cochran
10. Cocaine - Clapton
11. I feel good - James Brown
12. Come to Papa - Bob Seger
13. Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd
14. Red House - Hendrix
15. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
16. Brick House - Commodores
17. Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
18. Twist and Shout - The Beatles
19. Long Train Runnin - Doobie Bros.
20. Sweet Home Alabama - Skynyrd
21. Gimme Three Steps - Skynyrd
22. Feel Like Makin Love - Bad Co.
23. All Right Now - Free
24. You shook me - Ac/Dc
25. Pride and Joy - SRV
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Had heard Brown Eyed Girl once or twice, but I don't know it, and I don't think anyone I know does either.

Mustang Sally I'd never even heard of before posting on Talkbass.

Take it Easy I could see being on there.

I've only heard the 8675309 one in part of a comedy song by Steven Lynch.

Suzy Q is cool, but I'd play another CCR song instead.

Never heard Margaritaville.

Johnny B. Goode is awesome. Any Cream song is also awesome, though I'd play another one before Crossroads.

Don't know about the 20 Flight Rock really.

Don't know Cocaine. I may have heard it.

I Feel Good is a classic.

Haven't heard of either of the next two.

Hendrix is cool, but there are like five other songs I'd play before Red House.

Definitely agree with 15-21, even though I can't stand Sweet Home Alabama, lots of people love it. I also suggest bands learn Free Bird, just so you can then play it when the moron who thinks it's funny "requests" it.

Bad Co. is cool. I like their eponymous song better, though.

I think I'd draw the line at playing All Right Now. Might be useful to know, but there are some things I just cannot do, on principle.

I would learn some other AC/DC song before Shook.

SRV is good to know. Especially since, depending on how good your guitarist is, you can stretch it out a bit, which is useful if you need to fill up more time than you thought you'd have to.

I'd add some Zeppelin. Who knows? The person doing the singing might be good.

And as stupid as it is that every teenage guitarist thinks they know this song... Smoke On the Water.
 
#76
All these songs .....AGHHHHH!!!!! Meaning tunes like Brown Eyed girl, simpleton Lynyrd Skynyrd, etc.

Don't get me wrong, Leon Wilkeson was a great player, and a lot of LS kicks, just tunes like Freebird, you know where I'm going.

I guess I wouldn't even care to audition if I had to play these. Even if I were to make huge $ at it I'd still prolly want to eat a 12 Gauge slug for dinner.

Imagine getting the bass slot playing with Jimmy Buffet. Playing the same mundane tunes show after show, night after night....

You'd hafta learn how to play Upside down, left handed, over handed and standing on your head to break up the monotony.
 
#77
WalWarrior said:
All these songs .....AGHHHHH!!!!! Meaning tunes like Brown Eyed girl, simpleton Lynyrd Skynyrd, etc.

Don't get me wrong, Leon Wilkeson was a great player, and a lot of LS kicks, just tunes like Freebird, you know where I'm going.

I guess I wouldn't even care to audition if I had to play these. Even if I were to make huge $ at it I'd still prolly want to eat a 12 Gauge slug for dinner.

Imagine getting the bass slot playing with Jimmy Buffet. Playing the same mundane tunes show after show, night after night....

You'd hafta learn how to play Upside down, left handed, over handed and standing on your head to break up the monotony.
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For heaven's sake please never play any of them! Wouldn't want you to kill yourself.

In fact, just send the folks who live near you and enjoy this type of music to one of my band's shows; that is, if I haven't landed that Jimmy Buffett gig yet. Dang right I'd love to land a Coral Reefer gig. Love the music and would get to play nightly for some of the most fun, dedicated and appreciative fans out there.
 
#78
I think its important to have some sort of `happy birthday to you` stored in your cupboard, or `auld lang syne, merry xmas everybody` etc :D for those party occasions, I have never thought about doing this so have disappointed on one or two occasions :crying::D
 
#79
iamoldschool said:
And most 20-30 somethings aren't going to be in a club where a 40-50 something band is playing no matter what the music is.
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Disagree. Around here the 20's and 30's hang out in the same clubs that the 40-50's are in. That said, there are also clubs where you will see mostly 20 somethings. Those venues have DJ's and hip hop instead of bands.

Most of the younger crowd we run into likes the 90's alt rock and popular 80's tunes as well.
 
#80
PopaWoody said:
Disagree. Around here the 20's and 30's hang out in the same clubs that the 40-50's are in. That said, there are also clubs where you will see mostly 20 somethings. Those venues have DJ's and hip hop instead of bands.

Most of the younger crowd we run into likes the 90's alt rock and popular 80's tunes as well.
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Odd. IME, there is a clear separation between the two crowds with the younger crowd preferring rap or hip hop and the older crowd preferring classic rock. The 30ish crowd is generally at home with the kids. Maybe I just need to get out more......:-)
 

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