"Warning" by Green Day. G|-----------------------------------| D|-----------------4-5-5-4----------| A|--------4-5-5-7----------7-5-4----| E|-5-7-7--------------------------7-| ...or something to that effect... BUT... I was watching the video and the bassist barres at the 4th fret. I play in the 5th position on the E string and shift back to the 4th after that and just fret the E on the A string with my pinky. Should I just barre or keep switching positions?
You don't have to barre at all. You should be able to play the whole thing in IV position, unless you have tiny hands.
"CAUTION POLICE LINE YOU BETTER NOT CROSS!!" I love that song, I don't barre it though I never barre anything on bass.
It doesn't look like you need to barre it - it seems to be just part of the A major scale. Which finger are you fretting the first note with? If you use your middle finger, then there should be no need to change position at all.
or if you're really having trouble, you can play the A, D, and G on the open strings. i do this because i have small hands, and it's hard to keep up that one run for (almost) the whole song.