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Most Iconic (not best/most technical) basslines

The Pretenders - My City Was Gone

The following is NOT about politics. It is just an observation of the facts on the ground.

I used to work in radio. I sold ads for a new rock and a classic rock station. Our company also owned several other stations, including a talk radio station. Rush Limbaugh used to use that hook as the opening music for each of his three hours daily. 23 million people a day heard that song. I couldn't TOUCH talk radio ratings so my sales were an uphill battle in Eastern NC military towns. I grew to hate that song back then, even though the bass line is awesome, and easily identified by millions.

The funniest part is that many of those millions would have no idea that is was The Pretenders. They just thought it was his theme song.

(Don't go off on a political tangent!!!!! This was just literally an answer to the question.)

RUSH!!!
 
I might say Alright Now by Free.... Which does not start with bass .... But I think in particular the bass line under the solo section. I think it's quite innovative what with the more than an octave jump back and forth for the duration of the solo. Deceptively difficult to play cleanly.
 
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Peaches (The Stranglers)
Sunshine of your love (Cream)
Dancing in the moonlight (Thin Lizzy)
Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel )
Give it away (Red Hot chili peppers)
Superstition (stevie wonder)
Come together (Beatles)
Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith)
Hysteria (Muse)
Cash Machine (Hard-Fi)

Peace, SoundSupport
 
Hadn't seen Tower of Power "What is Hip?" mentioned yet.



Few others:
Rick James - Give it to me baby (amazingly ridiculous video)


Grateful Dead - Dark Star (from the opening bass line, everyone freaks out for what would come after)


Bootsy - Ahhh the name is Bootsy baby
 
Went to bed and the thread took off. Some killer additions here.

I feel like you could take someone who started playing the bass a few weeks ago, show them to this list and say 'learn every bassline here,' and by the time they reached this comment I'd be proud to play with them. They might not be tearing the frets off the bass, but no way you could check everything here out and not know how to groove.