Songs for bassist to sing and play?

A few that I used to sing lead vocals and play:

Eve 6 -Inside Out

The Knack - My Sharona

Green Day - When I come Around

... I miss every minute of it

 

A couple that I do are

expressway to your heart- soul survivors pretty easy to play and sing
mercy mercy mercy - the buckinghams again, not to hard
now that I've found you-the foundations not bad but vocal is up there a ways

 

I've been known to do a couple.

Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Come Up And See Me (Make Me Smile)
The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary
Green Day - American Idiot

But really, do whatever you want! I must say I'm impressed by you being able to sing and play Soul Man at the same time.

 

'Boogaloo Down Broadway' by Fantanstic Johnny C; the vocal melody range is fairly narrow; under the vocal, the tune vamps over just I and IV(for the most part--AND the turnaround under the solo, while featuring quite a few chords, is still pretty simple); it's a sure-fire get 'em on the dance floor tune, but it's a kinda forgotten song. How about 'Nobody But Me'? Even though it was originally an Isley Bros tune, the Human Beinz's rocked out version was a big hit, and it's a lot of root notes or simple riffing. Plus you can get all the drunk girls in the audience to do the 'no-no' singalong.

 

Not sure if its in your musical style but The Other Side - Red Hot Chilli peppers. Easy to sing and play, kind of an easy range to sing. Reognizable bass line, the bassist should sing this!
another - Cheap trick Surrender.

 

How about ZZ Top>Rough Boy, Sharp dressed man, Stages.

 

My band lets me sing Knocking On Heavens Door, House of the Rising Sun and Creep! All very easy bass lines to sing over...

 

Of all the songs I am 'allowed' to sing, Superstition is one that I can comfortably nail. It's a cracking good tune for a bass player to sing.

 

My brain likes to "sing" rhythm patterns so it's hard to ignore that for a competing vocal for me, but I found Karma Police fairly easy as well as some originals. Also C'mon C'mon (Von Bondies).

 

It all depends how far out of the Soul/R&B realm you want to go too. Here are a few other ideas.

I Thank You - ZZ Top's cover
Gimme All Your Lovin' - ZZ Top
Waitin' For The Bus - ZZ Top
The Break Up Song - The Greg Kihn Band
Mustang Sally - Any version
Take The Money And Run - The Steve Miller Band
The Authority Song - John Mellencamp
Werewolves Of London - Warren Zevon

 

I'd suggest ANYTHING by U2, but their stuff lacks soul and is not R&B.

 

Like you, I have a limited range. Two that I get away with:

Albert King's "Born Under A Bad Sign"
Taj Mahal's "She Caught The Katy"

 

Lets Get it On is in that genre with easy bass line and pretty easy to sing. A real lady pleaser too.

 

Stand By Me ?

 

Wonderfull Tonight
Cheap Sunglasses
Wild Horses
I Smell Smoke/Johnny Winter

 

Lean On Me