Does anyone want to help me compile a list of musical renditions noted for outstanding bass work?
We need to tune up the ears of our redoubtable penguin. Right off the top I nominate “The Lemon Song” from Led Zep II
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23 Answers
Beastie Boys – Paul Revere
The Police – Every Breath You Take
Yello – Oh Yeah
The work of Tal Winkenfeld. She is fantastic.
Also, The Doors ” L.A. Woman”.
Check out the Bobcats rendition of “Big Noise from Winetka” on youtube.
Duane Eddy/The Art of Noise – Peter Gunn
The Who – My Generation
Sade – Smooth Operator (and most of her other music)
Esperanza Spalding is a wonderful jazz bassist and singer.
On double bass
On electric bass
The Penguin is taking notes. Thanks guys!
Anything by Bootsy Collins.
I’m working at the computer today and listening to music, a few things caught my ear.
David Bowie – Fashion is totally bass-driven. No surprise, he was heavily funk-influenced. The guitarist in that video, Carlos Alomar, worked with James Brown, too.
A lot Talking Heads songs had the kind of bass lines which often sit in the background but with the spare arrangement the bass sticks out. Take Me to the River kicks off with the bass groove.
And speaking of Al Green songs…
Let’s Stay Together (The bass isn’t so evident on computer speakers but I’m listening on a better system at home.)
Listening to some of these and experimenting with the Equalizer on iTunes I’m getting more of an ear for it. I think I’ll upload my friend’s band’s CD and see if I can isolate the bass more.
Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime”
Al Green “Tired of being Alone”
Rolling Stones “Under My Thumb” “It’s All Over Now”
Pushin’ Too Hard. I don’t recall the artist.
@filmfann
The Seeds.
That was released almost 50 years ago.
The Chain by Fleetwood Mac
I second @Cruiser about Stuart Hamm. His solo Quahogs Anyone? is just a hint of what he does. That’s just him and four strings doing snippets of many of the songs off his Kings of Sleep album, along with Linus and Lucy and a bit of plain old messing around.
I won’t show Stu playing with Vic because that is just too much awesome bass, but I think it shows why Stu spends so much time with Satriani.
lol @jerv I cannot agree with you more about it being too much to show Vic and Stu together! And I love how Satchmo leaves the stage and let Stu have as much time as he needs to blow peoples mind. I have only seen each live once and would jump at the chance to see them again and again and maybe even together live as a bucket list check off.
@Cruiser Part of Satriani’s greatness is that he not only knows how to play guitar, but also when not to. Come time for the bass solo, just take a break, sit back, and watch.
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