Favourite bass guitar songs to play

"I've played Bass for years and only know a handful of bass lines that I haven't written."




You have truly missed out on 60 years of R&R greatness.
 
Since I haven't really played bass since around 1969, I will have to look back to that time.

1. The Standells - Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White
2. Status Quo - Pictures of Matchstick Men
3. The 5th Dimension - Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In
4. Them - Gloria

Those were the days.
 
I was in a band in Detroit a LONG time ago playing bass and the two tunes I loved to do with that band were "Heart Of The Sunrise" by Yes and "Hoedown" by ELP.
 
I ceased to enjoy playing any particular basslines around 1983 because I was too busy doing my own. I learned a few {or rather, fragments of a few} to get me started but the first night I plugged a bass in, I wrote a song on bass {"The virgin and the whore"} so my interest in learning other peoples' lines soon waned. It got to the point where my drummer bandmate {we played in 3 bands} would introduce me to people adding "and he won't play other peoples' songs, only his own".
But there are tons of basslines that I love. I'm just not interested in playing them.
 
Slowrider said:
You have truly missed out on 60 years of R&R greatness.
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Really? Missing out? You think I couldn't just sit and play "X" Bassline if I wanted to? The bass to me is much more personal than just playing a bassline or copying "X". I usually write songs around my basslines.

I'll copy people with a guitar, the bass is mine!
 
Slowrider said:
Playing Bass 3 piece, makes/forces you to get better real quick.
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I agree. Been playing 10 years now. Started in a 3 piece then went to a 6 piece. 2 guitar drums bass keys/synth/noise maker and vocals.

The 3 piece makes a bass player have to keep the song moving! Would love to be playing in a single guitar band again
 
Slowrider said:
Playing Bass 3 piece, makes/forces you to get better real quick.
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It should do. But that can really depend on the guitarist. Some single guitarists don't want to be overshadowed by a busy, skilful, melodic, rhythmic, aggressive, moving bassist because they want all the attention on them. Sometimes they just want the bassist to follow them during the vocals and then riff along while they solo into oblivion !
 
grimtraveller said:
It should do. But that can really depend on the guitarist. Some single guitarists don't want to be overshadowed by a busy, skilful, melodic, rhythmic, aggressive, moving bassist because they want all the attention on them. Sometimes they just want the bassist to follow them during the vocals and then riff along while they solo into oblivion !
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Yeah guitarist can have such egos sometimes. I have been lucky enough to play with guitarist that want the bass to keep the song moving so been allowed to do as I wish.
 
Come Together - The Beatles
It's Different For Girls - Joe Jackson
Stir It Up - Bob Marley and the Wailers
Israelites - Desmond Dekker
In the Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett
Since You've Been Gone - Rainbow
Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf
 
Br3n said:
Yeah guitarist can have such egos sometimes. I have been lucky enough to play with guitarist that want the bass to keep the song moving so been allowed to do as I wish.
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Definitely, Bass Players; carry all the Balls in the band.
 
Damn - forgot my all-time favourite:

Sympathy For the Devil - The Rolling Stones

And it was originally played by Keef, not Bill...
 
Learned a lot of bass lines in 20 years of playing covers and originals. Favorites...
Everyone learns Yes (Roundabout), Rush (Spirit of the Radio), Maiden (Trooper). Those are fun. But some of my favorite bass lines came from Dixie Dregs (Bloodsucking Leaches), Rising Force (The Viking), Metalica (One, For Whom the Bell Tolls), Zep (Ramble On). And although it was not a hard line to learn, I love the groove of Day of the Eagle (Trower)
 
I tend to enjoy playing quite simple bass lines over the drums, getting into a bit of a groove then I really enjoy putting my guitar parts.

The obvious one I enjoy playing to get my bass fingers warmed up is Radio Friendly Unit Shifter by Nirvana.

Another one I enjoy but seem to noodle on for ages if I have a drum loop going is Atom Heart Mother by Pink Floyd. I think I've recycled that a few times in song interludes.
 
While relatively new to the forum, I have been playing bass for many moons in small and large venues. For me, playing the bass on the following bring back excellent memories of early gigs:
Space Truckin' - Deep Purple
Jumpin' Jack Flash - Rolling Stones
Sweet Jane - Lou Reed
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
5:15 - The Who
Radar Love - Golden Earring
Statesboro Blues - Allman Brothers Band
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochoran

What I find humbling is listening to the players who changed the way the bass is viewed, including
- James Jamerson
- John Entwistle
- Stanley Clarke
Of course, there are many other great bass players, but many own up to the fact that these are the folks
who brought the bass out of the shadows.
 
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