First song you remember learning to play on bass?

[Spectrum]

Browsing youtube I ran across the song Distant Early Warning from Rush's Grace Under Pressure album. It always strikes a nerve for me because that was the first song I remember learning to play from end to end on the bass. I remember being so happy with myself; not only did I learn a new song, but it was a Geddy bassline!



Memory is a wierd thing; certainly I must have learned some simpler stuff before that, Whole Lotta Love almost certainly, but that one Rush tune I learned on my own and it marked a milestone in my Jedi..er...bass training. Busting out that song in front of my high school friends got my phone ringing from bands looking for a bass player.

Just a few minutes ago I played to it again and, well, let's just say I had to relearn a few parts. Been a while since I was in a band that covers that tune!

 

[Bassball Fever]

I'll let you know just as soon as I learn one.

 

[vin*tone]

Money. Pink Floyd.

Worked out it was in 7/8 about 4 years later.

 

[joebar]

lick it up-kiss

 

[Fxpmusic]

She by Green Day

 

[squidtastic]

Good Times by Chic. Technically, I learned it on guitar (my friend's) because I didn't know anyone with a bass when I was 13.

 

[Carl Hillman]

I had learned pieces of tunes to "jam" on, but when I was recruited to play bass for a band that actually...played songs!...I had to sit down and learn a whole one.

The great Chuck Rainey's part on Kid Charlemagne was the first, and believe me, it took many, many needle drops to get the whole thing down.

I eventually got all of the notes. The feel was, I'm sure, nowhere near what it needed to be, but in my defense, I was around 16 years old and had only been playing bass for a couple of years.

 

[trunkshope6]

I'm sure it was something by Rancid

 

[Toptube]

Back in 2008. Two Women in Japanese rock are my inspiration to play bass. So, this simple to play song is the first song that I learned.

 

[kodiakblair]

Anarchy in The UK was 1st song . Riff to Smoke on the Water and Ironman 1st recognizable thing.

 

[raventepes]

Sweet Dreams - Marilyn Manson

 

[AaronVonRock]

Intro to Runnin' With The Devil.

Probably Louie, Louie or Wild Thing after that.

 

[TheOxRocks]

Magic Bus.

 

[NightW0lf]

Every Breath You Take - The Police.. It was easy enough for a first song

 

[AngryPig1]

I thnik it was Otherside by the Chili Peppers... great little bass solo section in that song

 

[radioface]

"Mary Had A Little Lamb".

 

[devinp17]

I think it was Sweet Child - GN'R... When I heard the bass in the intro, I was like "I gotta learn this on bass!" So I picked up my friends bass and listened to the song a million times til I could play it without messing up. Duff was pretty much the one who turned me on to bass in the first place!

 

[tangentmusic]

Dazed and Confused

 

[brianrost]

Badge by Cream. I bought a Cream songbook along with my first bass.

 

[B Major]

"Stand by me" followed immediately by "Jammin"