Most Iconic (not best/most technical) basslines

[Durham52]

Help, Hello Goodbye, Something, plus a heap of others - The Beatles
Close To Me - The Cure
Pump It Up, Sneaky Feelings - Elvis Costello
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury and the Blockheads
Teacher - Jethro Tull
Sunday Papers, Fools In Love - Joe Jackson
Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil
Walking On The Moon - The Police
Brass In Pocket, Don't Get Me Wrong - The Pretenders

 

[Hevy T]

My Generation
Baba O'Riley
5:15
Another Brick in the Wall
Stranglehold
Under Pressure
Smoke on the Water
Sweet Child of Mine (intro)
Gangsters Paradise
Roundabout

 

[yodedude2]

post 183 - did anyone list "jive talkin'" yet? is that a key bass or a rick through a filter? or both?

 

[DanDBassist]

Not a lot of country music listed here but how about the bass line when the Devil is playing it's solo in The Devil Went Down to Georgia?

Would anyone consider Ray Charles What'd I Say?

 

[Koshchei]

If you ask a bunch of bass players for the greatest bassline of all time you're bound to end up with some The Chicken on the list or things like YYZ, and rightfully so both are great.

But, I'm looking for most iconic basslines of all time, the basslines that start to play and even people who don't listen to music know it and start tapping their foot. So on this list 'The Chicken,' wouldn't crack the top few hundred, but 'Feel Good Inc,' might end up in single digits. On this list Paul McCartney > Victor Wooten.

If there is a good thread on this, please lead me to it. I have found a bunch of 'best bass line,' threads, but they all seem to include a lot of things that only deep dive music fans or bass players would be super into.

I've got a few faves:

Want You Back
Another One Bites the Dust
Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
Stand by Me
Come Together
Feel Good Inc
Bill Jean
I'll also say there are like 15 Motown hits that could make the list so I'm just

I know I'm missing tons.

Dazed and Confused
Schism
Something
The Drapery Falls

 

[krfoss]

I've got you

This was the first bass line I picked out by ear when I was learning to play. At the time it felt like a major accomplishment. because of this, I still have a fond connection to this song.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

That song actually came out after REM were a thing (and after they released their first record).

Yeah man but they were playing around Athens before REM.

 

[Polkatronixx]

Yeah man but they were playing around Athens before REM.

Yeah, of course they were. AFAIK, they formed about a year before REM.

 

[FishDub]

If you ask a bunch of bass players for the greatest bassline of all time you're bound to end up with some The Chicken on the list or things like YYZ, and rightfully so both are great.

But, I'm looking for most iconic basslines of all time, the basslines that start to play and even people who don't listen to music know it and start tapping their foot. So on this list 'The Chicken,' wouldn't crack the top few hundred, but 'Feel Good Inc,' might end up in single digits. On this list Paul McCartney > Victor Wooten.

If there is a good thread on this, please lead me to it. I have found a bunch of 'best bass line,' threads, but they all seem to include a lot of things that only deep dive music fans or bass players would be super into.

I've got a few faves:

Want You Back
Another One Bites the Dust
Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
Stand by Me
Come Together
Feel Good Inc
Bill Jean
I'll also say there are like 15 Motown hits that could make the list so I'm just

I know I'm missing tons.

As long as "higher ground" isnt mentioned...

 

[guitarflinger]

Nantucket Sleighride

Mountain

 

[Richland123]

Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)

 

[twinjet]

If you ask a bunch of bass players for the greatest bassline of all time you're bound to end up with some The Chicken on the list or things like YYZ, and rightfully so both are great.

But, I'm looking for most iconic basslines of all time, the basslines that start to play and even people who don't listen to music know it and start tapping their foot. So on this list 'The Chicken,' wouldn't crack the top few hundred, but 'Feel Good Inc,' might end up in single digits. On this list Paul McCartney > Victor Wooten.

If there is a good thread on this, please lead me to it. I have found a bunch of 'best bass line,' threads, but they all seem to include a lot of things that only deep dive music fans or bass players would be super into.

I've got a few faves:

Want You Back
Another One Bites the Dust
Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)
Stand by Me
Come Together
Feel Good Inc
Bill Jean
I'll also say there are like 15 Motown hits that could make the list so I'm just

I know I'm missing tons.

People I know who are not musicians or active listeners always know what I'm talking about when I explain who played the "Money" line for the O'Jays.

 

[Polkatronixx]

People I know who are not musicians or active listeners always know what I'm talking about when I explain who played the "Money" line for the O'Jays.

What do you mean?

 

[Londo Molari]

 

[dougjwray]

Whipping Post!
When I was playing a lot of Allman Brothers songs in a cover band, one measure (one 11/8 measure) of that bass intro never failed to prompt "YEAH!!!!" from the crowd. Instantly recognizable to average citizens = iconic.

 

[Grinderman]

Iconic, but not most technical, bassline?

The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone



Bob Babbitt got this gig because it was so simply Jamerson refused to do the session.

I think I could name bass lines in this category all day long.

 

[Grinderman]

Wire - The 15th



I always thought this song as a cover for The Breeders/Kim Deal to do would be a natural.

 

[Grinderman]

X - Nausea

 

[Grinderman]

The Vandals - Urban Struggle

 

[Grinderman]

Van Halen - Jamie's Cryin'