Best ever basslines?

stonevibe

Lewy

Pretty much anything on Graceland but “Diamonds On The Souls Of Her Shoes” stands out for me.

thegummy

There will be a lot of "can't believe no one's mentioned" examples considering we're talking about God bass lines in the history of music - there are plenty.

Jalapeno

Rodney & The Faces' Maggie May has some excellent Ronnie Lane bass playing, including a solo

stonevibe

idiotwind

Jalapeno said:

Rodney & The Faces' Maggie May has some excellent Ronnie Lane bass playing, including a solo

That was Ronnie Wood on bass

fob

olafgarten

Lewy said:

Pretty much anything on Graceland but “Diamonds On The Souls Of Her Shoes” stands out for me.

Was just about to comment with this, the basslines on Graceland are all extremely melodic but still serve so well as a rhythm part. Bakhiti Kumalo is an excellent bassist. 

Zoolooter

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J0u8uTRdirE

thegummy

I can understand this being in the guitar sub forum rather than bass as it gives a chance to see guitarists' favourite bass lines which might differ from a bassist's favourite.

I wonder if "favourite bass sounds" would also work like this or would that be something only bassists even pay mind to?

Freebird

thegummy said:

I can understand this being in the guitar sub forum rather than bass as it gives a chance to see guitarists' favourite bass lines which might differ from a bassist's favourite.

I wonder if "favourite bass sounds" would also work like this or would that be something only bassists even pay mind to?

I don't really like many of the bass lines posted in here, including some of my own, but I would say they are all interesting from an analytical point of view.

Reggaebass

skaguitar said:

I listen to a lot of ska and reggae ....great bass lines always but this one always stood out for me...

https://youtu.be/c5G3W82Wtvs

One of my favourite Basslines , great choice , there’s so so many, this is a nice one to play https://youtu.be/49FaPd8Qx3M 

Reggaebass

This is another great Bassline and a great track https://youtu.be/k1Qnt5bx1OI

HAL9000

Money - Pink Floyd.

Reggaebass

HAL9000 said:

Money - Pink Floyd.

Brick in the wall , is another great one

sweepy

Ian Dury, Reasons to be Cheerful, end of

PhilW1

Don’t think anyone has mentioned Phil Lynott and ‘Dancing in the moonlight’

Surely an all time classic bass line in anyone’s book.

tone1

Rio....

Skipped

SRich said:

I know James Jamerson has been mentioned here, but.......

Papa was a Rollin’ Stone

.....simplicity......but a stone cold classic

Definitely this.

Rocker

In most of the posts on this thread, songs are named.  The reality is that the bass player played what the song needed.  He may have come up with the bass part there and then or it may have been worked on for some length of time.   Either way it was crafted to suit the song.  In isolation, it is just a guy noodling on a bass, in the song the bass parts become part of the song.  Everyone hopes that the total [vocals, drums, guitar, bass etc.] will be greater than the sum of the various parts.  When that happens, magic.  But it might have worked too if a different bass line was used.  Or a different guitar line.......

My main point is to suggest that you stop listening to the parts in isolation and listen to the sum total - the performance, what is released on record.