Looking for more fretless bass songs

[Max Lawrence]

I got a fretless bass a few months ago and I really love it, but I'm struggling to find songs to play. Any recommendations? The songs don't nessicarily need to be originally played on a fretless, just sound good on one or could be fun to play.

Here's a sample of what I've been playing so you can get a sense of what I like

Graceland (most of the album) - Paul Simon
Every time you go away - paul young
Sledgehammer- Peter Gabriel
Dont stop believing- journey
Rio - duran duran
Every breath you take - the police

Thanks in advance for the suggestion

 

[two fingers]

Just search up Pino Paladino's catalog from the 80s and get a master class worth of material. His work with Don Henley was great, for instance. Tony Franklin with The Firm is great too.

 

[Michedelic]

Percy Jones…


Mick Karn…


Alphonso Johnson…


Fernando Saunders…

 

[IMMusicRulz]

Jaco Pastorius plays the fretless bass on Golden Dawn, and his tone throughout the song is how a fretless bass should be played.

 

[5StringBlues]

Trevor Horn




Run Through the Light - YouTube

 

[WillyW]

Why can't you play fretless on songs you already know?

 

[Bob_Ross]

 

[Jeff Scott]

There's a lot more here, too.

 

[Chickenwheels]

Chris de Burgh Into The Light album
Go West Call Me

 

[Real Soon]

I've been learning a bunch of Lake Street Dive songs recently, and while it's better to dial down the mwah when covering upright bass sounds, the wood is what sounds good.

Also Dean Town on fretless = exercise in stretches down at the low side

 

[Chickenwheels]

Japan favourites: Cantonese Boy, Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Still Life in Mobile Homes.

 

[Altitude]

There's some great fretless on Howard Jones' "Cross That Line" album, mostly played by his brother Martin. It's a great album in general, though the production approach is definitely 80s.

 

[WG Plum]

Check out anything by Mick Karn.

 

[mahsidivad]

Check out anything by Mick Karn.

If OP likes anything off-center, I'd recommend Karn on Dali's Car

There's a lot of fretless work in the XTC catalog (Colin Moulding)

 

[jymyben]

 

[Les Fret]

I don’t think Rio is fretless.

For more inspiration check this (same) topic: Favourite fretless Bass Albums

 

[LowWay]

I don’t think Rio is fretless.

For more inspiration check this topic: Favourite fretless Bass Albums

Its not, but it’s so fun to play!

 

[LowWay]

 

[Les Fret]

Its not, but it’s so fun to play!

Sure! OP said it was fretless but it isn’t.

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

Arcadia - El Diablo
Great fretless bass part by Mark Egan

Here's the tutorial: