Greatest bass lines in popular music

[Grombleton]

This, a million times over. I remember when I was younger watching them play this at the Brit Awards...they tore the place a new ******** that night.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

and, intriguingly, no one seems to know who the bass player was, take your pick from

James Jamerson
Clarence Isabell
Tony Newton
Bob Babbitt
Eddie Watkins

The consensus is that it was Jamerson. Babbit played on a few of Norman Whitfield's sessions (Ball of Confusion, for example), but Jamerson was always the first-call player - until the drink got the better of him.

 

[METALMICKY]

Where do start with JJB from The Stranglers as surely one if the great bass tones? Similarly his about Mark King from Level 42? With him you do need to look further beyond his renowned slap stuff and check out his finger style and use of harmonics on their largely instrumental early jazz funk stuff.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Any discussion on great bass lines should always start with the late, great James Jamerson. Bass player for the Funk Brothers, the in-house band of Motown Records in their heyday. Name any Motown track and chances are it's Jamerson laying down the groove:

I Heard It Through The Grapevine
My Girl
Bernadette

He also played the bass on Jackie Wilson's 'Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher'

(more comprehensive list here: http://www.bassland.net/jamersonhits.htm)

A real shame that neither he nor the rest of the Funk Brothers started to get any recognition until the 90's, which was unfortunately too late for Jamerson having passed away in 1983.

Many say that Stevie Wonder's "I Was Made To Love Her" was Jamerson's finest moment. The verse structure is identical throughout, but Jamerson does subtly different things every time.

 

[Lower West Stander]

Derek Forbes - Waterfront.

Repetitive but the song would be nothing without it

 

[OzMike]

Enno, our bass player, loves his base play on our version of 'Stray Cat Strut' and I must admit I do listen out for it when we play it.
Shame I can't show you.

 

[OzMike]

How about, 'Come Together', The Beatles, which we also do and 'Tommy the Cat', by Primus.

 

[Peteinblack]

Delighted to see the brilliance of Jean-Jacques Burnel and Peter Hook being acknowledged by several posters on this thread:

Blistering live version of my favourite Stranglers' track, 'Down in the Sewer' when the were at their peak - awesome bass playing

 

[Peteinblack]

Another example of Peter Hook, this time on my favourite Joy Division track (harrowingly bleak lyrics, too!)

 

[brighton terra]

New Order - Age of Consent

Good call!

 

[brighton terra]

Smashing Pumpkins - 1979

 

[happypig]

I don't think this has been pointed out but Herbie Flowers (Walk on the wild side) is/was a resident of the fair county of Sussex. Another fact is that he wrote "Grandad" as performed by Clive Dunn.

Surprised that Lemmy hasn't had a mention yet.

Lemmy demonstrates his rather different style :
[yt]kY_iJw_M3lA[/yt]

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

It's certainly not the greatest, but as pop music goes, the bassline to Living on a Prayer is iconic.

 

[happypig]

Very understated bass line on this one :
[yt]OKRJfIPiJGY[/yt]

 

[pastafarian]

New Order - Love Vigilantes

It really is this.With bells on.

Simply mind blowing......a crime against humanity this was never released as a single.

 

[pastafarian]

always loved the bass heavy on this track

 

[KZNSeagull]

Klaus Flouride from Dead Kennedys was not too shabby either.
Flea has done some crackers.
Andy Rourke was great too.
Simon Gallup's done some good ones, especially on Pornography
Always preferred Youth in Killing Joke to Raven - Raven was good, but Youth is/was more innovative.

At the other end of the musical spectrum, I remember watching A Midsummer Nights Tube, must have been '83 or '84 - BB King was on and the bass player was absolutely awesome. No idea who he was though.

Bass players never seem to get the credit for what they do - I think many people think that Bass is easy to play. But I often find they are much more interesting and clever than lead guitarists.

Good thread this - keep 'em coming!

 

[pastafarian]

Good thread this - keep 'em coming!

i know its been mentioned already to you but kudos to the avatar

 

[KZNSeagull]

i know its been mentioned already to you but kudos to the avatar

. The original I got this from had to have an explanation on it - I think it was too subtle for many Saffers!

 

[OzMike]

Mark King of Level 42 used to do some choice ones.