Riff-based basslines

[Toronto Bassist]

So out of boredom, I came up with a challenge for the sake of amusement: name whatever riff-based basslines that you can think of. The rules:

1) by "riff-based", I mean where the bass plays a repeating melodic figure through some parts of the song (or ostinato, if you like the high falutin' term), as opposed to say just a walking line or weaving through the chord changes, etc.

2) it has to stand out as a bass riff. So it can't be something that's doubled by another instrument all the time, like Daytripper, Sunshine of Your Love, Black Dog, Aqualung, etc. It's ok if another instrument doubles it on occasion, but it has to stand out as being something you primarily identify with bass.

Here's mine to start off:

Badge (Cream)
Walking On The Moon (The Police)
Papa Was A Rolling Stone (The Temptations)

 

[Stickk]

Jenny Was a Friend of Mine - The Killers: I don't even notice the guitar in this song!

Disposition - Tool

Wild Dog (Live) - Stanley Clarke

 

[StanFan]

King Crimson- Elephant Talk (though played on a Chapman Stick)
Alice In Chains- Would?

 

[jmorbita]

under preassure - queen
give it away - RHCP

would these two be considered riffs?

 

[Honk'n_down-low]

Rock n Roll Band - Boston

Joker - Steve Miller

Carry on my Wayward Son - Kansas

There are so many - almost like saying list Bass riffs that use the E String - IMO

 

[Renaissance]

Come Together - Beatles

 

[funkifiedsoul]

"Low Rider" War.

"River People" Jaco

 

[Toronto Bassist]

under preassure - queen
give it away - RHCP

would these two be considered riffs?

Absolutely!

I thought of another obscure one - "Get The Funk Out", by Extreme

 

[lavmonga]

Lithium - Nirvana
Peace Sells - Megadeth
Maxwell's Silver Hammer - The Beatles
Oh Darling - The Beatles
Tire Me - Rage Against the Machine
Goin' Blind - Kiss
She - Greenday
Sic Transit Gloria - Brand New

 

[BluesWalker]

Crossfire - SRV and Double Trouble (Tommy Shannon composed the riff for the song).

 

[BluesWalker]

Southern California Purples - Chicago

 

[skulletwhip]

Schism by Tool
The Package by A Perfect Circle
Another Space Song by Failure
Like every Rage Againt the Machine song ever....

 

[Thangfish]

Ramble On - Led Zeppelin
Thorazine Shuffle - Gov't Mule
Something To Make You Happy - Derek Trucks Band

... and really just about all my favorite songs.

 

[Jimbob Jones]

Frank Zappa: The Gumbo Variations. Truly awesome.

I can't find a recording of it anywhere for free, but see if you can dig out a copy of the "Hot Rats" album, it's track 5 on there. seriously worth a listen.

 

[Toronto Bassist]

Stanley Clarke's "School Days" is so obvious that I can't believe I didn't think about it until now D:

 

[JimK]

2) it has to stand out as a bass riff. So it can't be something that's doubled by another instrument all the time, like Daytripper, Sunshine of Your Love, Black Dog, Aqualung, etc. It's ok if another instrument doubles it on occasion, but it has to stand out as being something you primarily identify with bass.

"Black Dog" was the 1st thing I thought of...true, the guitar doubles the riff...but it was JPJ that "wrote" the riff (actually, it was mostly lifted from an old Blues record...& I'm drawing a blank on the title. Was it a Willie Dixon riff?).

Also, how is "Ramble On" a riff-based tune?

 

[ReIgnition]

How about my favorite bass line "Footprints" played by Ron Carter

 

[Toronto Bassist]

"Black Dog" was the 1st thing I thought of...true, the guitar doubles the riff...but it was JPJ that "wrote" the riff (actually, it was mostly lifted from an old Blues record...& I'm drawing a blank on the title. Was it a Willie Dixon riff?).

It doesn't matter in the least - for the purposes of this little challenge - who wrote what. It's totally based on a listener perspective: if you hear the song on the radio, does it have a "bass" riff or not? Adding stuff like who wrote what would, I think, dilute the challenge

Also, how is "Ramble On" a riff-based tune?

Pretty sure it's not

 

[funkifiedsoul]

The O'jays "For the love of money"

 

[Hoover]

Pink Floyd - "Money"