Mccartneys bass palayign on Something - Wow!!

[Coilte]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1443513319' post='2875318']
You might want to check out "I [color=#ff0000][i][b]think [/b][/i][/color]George [color=#ff0000][i][b]thought [/b][/i][/color]..." as a piece of logical positivism.
[/quote]

I agree. I am no Beatles expert, but Harrison always struck me as one who would not be bullied into releasing a self penned song in which he was not happy with some aspect of the playing on it.

[KevB]

Used to play it (well, a version of it) backing a bloke doing it on uke at jam sessions when I was in a house band. Enjoyed playing it and I've always liked the original line, busy or not. I never did any extra bits on final verse, just played it as earlier ones whereas i think Mcca does put a few more frills on it.

[cybertect]

I think we can resolve this.

There's a story that Geoff Emerick tells about [i]Something [/i]in an interview with Music Radar about the making of Abbey Road.

[url="http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/beatles-engineer-geoff-emerick-on-abbey-road-219542"]http://www.musicrada...bey-road-219542[/url]

[quote]"Paul started playing a bass line that was a little elaborate, and George told him, 'No, I want it simple.' Paul complied. There wasn't any disagreement about it, but I did think that such a thing would never happened in years past. George telling Paul how to play the bass? Unthinkable! But this was George's baby, and everybody knew it was an instant classic."[/quote]

So, I'm reading that as George got his way and the recorded version [i]is[/i] the simpler bass line, which would account for[list]
[*]why the story is floating about that George thought Paul's playing was too busy
[*]why he was happy for Klaus Voorman to play almost exactly the same line at the Bangladesh concert
[/list]

Edited September 29, 2015 by cybertect

[Slipperydick]

[quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1443517955' post='2875371']
I think we can resolve this.

There's a story that Geoff Emerick tells about [i]Something [/i]in an interview with Music Radar about the making of Abbey Road.

[url="http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/beatles-engineer-geoff-emerick-on-abbey-road-219542"]http://www.musicrada...bey-road-219542[/url]



So, I'm reading that as George got his way and the recorded version [i]is[/i] the simpler bass line, which would account for[list]
[*]why the story is floating about that George thought Paul's playing was too busy
[*]why he was happy for Klaus Voorman to play almost exactly the same line at the Bangladesh concert
[/list]
[/quote]

Klaus probably just played what he wanted to play, I doubt if George would have been bothered as long as it fitted..

[Happy Jack]

Yup, that's how the really big superstars operate. Don't talk to other musicians or describe what you want from sidemen, don't bother with rehearsals, just turn up and play - it'll be alright on the night.

[Slipperydick]

I wouldnt know, but you dont buy a dog and bark yourself do you ?

"Work out the Bassline to Something Klaus", seems more than likely to me, then at a rehearsal, " Thats fine mate"

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1443389444' post='2874377']
Have you ever heard the version from the Concert For Bangladesh? - Klaus Voormann does a great job with it although he simplified the A minor twiddley bit.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei6VyjlgxZU[/media]
[/quote]don't know about the bass line being to busy, but that keyboard certainly is

[LewisK1975]

I've always thought that it was more a case of 'something' being a brilliant song (don't think anyone could really dispute that) and macca deciding that as it wasn't his composition he'd make sure that the bass stood out the most anyway!

[Cosmo Valdemar]

I'm always amazed that the bass part to 'Something' can be considered 'busy'. It's far from simple root notes, but to my ear it slides around the melody perfectly.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1443389444' post='2874377']
Have you ever heard the version from the Concert For Bangladesh? - Klaus Voormann does a great job with it although he simplified the A minor twiddley bit.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei6VyjlgxZU[/media]
[/quote]

The line works well here, 'cos Ringo and Jim are playing a more conventional drum part.

It makes me wonder if the hi-hats were taken out of the studio version during the mix.

[LewisK1975]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1443527032' post='2875499']
I'm always amazed that the bass part to 'Something' can be considered 'busy'. It's far from simple root notes, but to my ear it slides around the melody perfectly.
[/quote]

Think it's more a case of being regarded as too busy for the song rather than generically busy or over complicated, which I agree, it isn't.

[interpol52]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1443527032' post='2875499']
I'm always amazed that the bass part to 'Something' can be considered 'busy'. It's far from simple root notes, but to my ear it slides around the melody perfectly.
[/quote]

Agreed. I am the first person to point out overplaying, it has never crossed my mind with this one.

[rogerstodge]

[quote name='interpol52' timestamp='1443545432' post='2875715']


Agreed. I am the first person to point out overplaying, it has never crossed my mind with this one.
[/quote]me neither

Edited September 29, 2015 by rogerstodge

[cybertect]

As I'd already been working my way through learning a selection of Beatles bass lines, Something has risen to the top of the list in the last couple of days thanks to this thread - I'm very much enjoying getting to grips with it in close-to.

There's a rather nicely detailed appraisal of what Macca did with Something in Bass Musician Magazine

http://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2012/06/mccartneys-masterpiece-bass-on-the-beatles-something-by-rob-collier/

[ubit]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1443385119' post='2874334']


I'm sure he'll be devastated to learn about this !!!
[/quote]

So it's ok to slag off Adam Clayton or Nickelback, but never Paul McCartney or the bloody Beatles!

[Dad3353]

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1444146753' post='2880659']
So it's ok to slag off Adam Clayton or Nickelback, but never Paul McCartney or the bloody Beatles!
[/quote]

Quite, exactly.

[Dmanlamius]

I just love way he plays so melodicaly, but at the same time not sacrificing the low end. Then there is his tone, and the fact he sings as well. Wow.

It's always an adventure when I break apart Mcartneys lines to teach. He does a lot of 'odd' stuff alongside Lennons and Harrisons guitar playing that sound weird when played alone, but absolutely benefit the song when it's altogether.

[discreet]

The bass line to 'Something' is a tour-de-force of creative bass playing. To me it sounds like McCartney played whatever came into his head and much if not all of it made it onto the final recording. It is intuitive, irregular and has a fresh, spontaneous feel. Yes, it's quite active but McCartney was master of avoiding the obvious. The other instruments are incredibly sparse anyway, so the line is basically a counterpoint to the vocal melody and works brilliantly. It supports the entire harmonic structure of the song.

It's generally regarded as the best line McCartney ever came up with, but even so, in my opinion it is still criminally underrated.

Edited October 6, 2015 by discreet

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1444146753' post='2880659']
So it's ok to slag off Adam Clayton or Nickelback, but never Paul McCartney or the bloody Beatles!
[/quote]
You can slag off whoever you like (or don't like), in fact you did so.

Evrery Beatles or McCartney thread includes plenty of slagging off.

[discreet]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1444150327' post='2880695']
Every Beatles or McCartney thread includes plenty of slagging off.
[/quote]

That's due to the large number of slags on the forum.

[Coilte]

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1444146753' post='2880659']
So it's ok to slag off Adam Clayton or Nickelback, but never Paul McCartney or the bloody Beatles!
[/quote]

Slag off whoever you like. I never said that you were not entitled to do so.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Coilte

[Slipperydick]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1444149049' post='2880683']
The bass line to 'Something' is a tour-de-force of creative bass playing. To me it sounds like McCartney played whatever came into his head and much if not all of it made it onto the final recording. It is intuitive, irregular and has a fresh, spontaneous feel. Yes, it's quite active but McCartney was master of avoiding the obvious. It supports the entire harmonic structure of the song.


[/quote]

This.

Well put squire.

[ubit]

Can't stand Elvis either, or Dire Straights, apart from the earlier stuff. Oh, and don't get me started on the Doors!

[discreet]

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1444153560' post='2880722']
...don't get me started on the Doors!
[/quote]

I'll start the doors, you do the windows. *DECORATING JOKE* OK, OK, I'm going...

[ubit]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1444154056' post='2880728']


I'll start the doors, you do the windows. *DECORATING JOKE* OK, OK, I'm going...
[/quote]