"Proof that you're a bass player" songs

[Slough Feg Bass]

seems like when I was coming up in the early 80's, I had to know Black Dog, Fairies Wear Boots & YYZ.
Once I got those down, I started getting calls..."Hey I heard you play bass..."

 

[bassinflorida]

Folsom Prison Blues

 

[JoshS]

Hot Cross Buns.

 

[Aldousv]

I’m a bit younger than most of the above posts. For some reason the “isn’t she lovely” newer arrangement or “who did you think I was” John Mayer/Pino Palladino were things my circle would always bring up.

 

[BOOG]

Just watched an interview with Geddy Lee where he mentions a Stones song, "2120 S. Michigan Avenue", as a song he needed to be able to play to "prove he was a bass player" in order to audition for a certain band as a young teen.

It has been said that if you wanted a gig as a bassist in Detroit in the 70s, you had better be good enough to play "Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey note-for-note or you wouldn't even be considered.

At parties, if someone trots out a bass, there will be those (generally enthusiastic non-musicians) who will issue challenges: "Can you play Smoke On The Water? Barney Miller? Another One Bites The Dust? Got The Time? Longview? Teen Town? DEAN Town?"

Here, it was "Tom Sawyer". If you could handle that, you could handle just about anything. And if your band could pull off YYZ, you were nothing short of musical royalty at the high school.

So what songs were the "proof" songs when you were growing up?

I watched that same interview yesterday on YT!
I am a moderate to dedicated fan of The Stones so, not recognizing that tune I looked it up right away and how to play it.
I think he was saying that with a tinge of humility as if recalling how far he’s evolved.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Just watched an interview with Geddy Lee where he mentions a Stones song, "2120 S. Michigan Avenue", as a song he needed to be able to play to "prove he was a bass player" in order to audition for a certain band as a young teen.

It has been said that if you wanted a gig as a bassist in Detroit in the 70s, you had better be good enough to play "Scorpio" by Dennis Coffey note-for-note or you wouldn't even be considered.

At parties, if someone trots out a bass, there will be those (generally enthusiastic non-musicians) who will issue challenges: "Can you play Smoke On The Water? Barney Miller? Another One Bites The Dust? Got The Time? Longview? Teen Town? DEAN Town?"

Here, it was "Tom Sawyer". If you could handle that, you could handle just about anything. And if your band could pull off YYZ, you were nothing short of musical royalty at the high school.

So what songs were the "proof" songs when you were growing up?

4 horsemen

Jerry Was A Race Car Driver

Santeria

 

[drumvsbass]

This was the high bar when I still had high hair.

 

[ZedLepp]

In my circles growing up, it was being able to play the beginning of "Peace Sells" CORRECTLY.
If you threw in something from the first two Primus albums you were golden.

 

[LBS-bass]

At parties, if someone trots out a bass, there will be those (generally enthusiastic non-musicians) who will issue challenges: "Can you play Smoke On The Water?

 

[Guild B301]

Don’t be that way! “Smoke On The Water” is a good song, which most people play wrong. Hearing it half heartedly butchered, is the usual problem.
BTW,
“Don’t Be That Way” by Benny Goodman, used to be ‘the Song’ overplayed, & butchered by lesser bands in the old days - before “Smoke” was.

 

[Bajo Clarkko]

@LBS-bass, if Stu Hamm subs for Roger Glover, we all know what to expect.

 

[LBS-bass]

Don’t be that way! That’s a good song, which most people play wrong. Hearing it half heartedly butchered, is the problem.
BTW,
“Don’t Be That Way” by Benny Goodman, used to be ‘the Song’ overplayed, & butchered by lesser bands in the old days - before “Smoke” was.

I guess you didn't actually watch the video.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

"Money"
"Sweet emotion"
" I saw her standing there "
These were the equivalent of "Wipe out" for drummers...

 

[brianrost]

Louie Louie
Green Onions
Lark's Tongue in Aspic Pt. 2

 

[donahue]

None. I was recruited into a band not knowing how to play bass at all. They needed a bass player and asked if I wanted to do it. At the time I agreed I didn’t even own a bass lol.

First song I learned for rehearsal was Breaking the Law.

“I” felt like a bass player when I could play Seek and Destroy well.

 

[emoterply]

John Cage’s 4’33”. Of course.

 

[Grapevine921]

Higher ground RHCP
Hysteria Muse
Treasure by Bruno Mars
and more recently: Dean Town by Vulfpeck

 

[Dluxe]

When I got called to audition for a band when I was in high school back in 1978 I'd only been playing bass for 8 months. They wanted me to learn 3 songs from the Saturday Night Fever album. Night Fever, Staying Alive and How Deep Is Your Love. I proceeded to learn them note for note just like the record except being inexperienced I didn't realize that The Bee Gees did them 1/2 step down.

They were so impressed that I'd learned the songs in the wrong key that I still got the gig!

The song to learn back then was Beyond The Universe by Derringer.

 

[FatStringer52]

Hendrix's "Fire" was the gold standard for bass players in my neck of the woods in the early 70s . . .

 

[LBS-bass]

Louie Louie
Green Onions
Lark's Tongue in Aspic Pt. 2

LOL!