Twincam Posted January 3, 2016 Posted January 3, 2016 Still think I'm easily right in saying billie Jean. MJ Is still huge around the world people in third world countries easily know his work. Play that bass line anywhere! around the world and people will know it. Quote
4-string-thing Posted January 3, 2016 Posted January 3, 2016 Before I read the thread, I thought of The Chain.... Quote
arthurhenry Posted January 3, 2016 Posted January 3, 2016 [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1451574064' post='2941629'] 1,3,5,6,b7,6,5,3 [/quote] The standard Rock 'n' roll bass line as recorded in hundreds of songs. Easily recognised by just about anyone at all. Quote
Hobbayne Posted January 3, 2016 Author Posted January 3, 2016 [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1451832131' post='2943769'] The standard Rock 'n' roll bass line as recorded in hundreds of songs. Easily recognised by just about anyone at all. [/quote] +1 Quote
TimR Posted January 3, 2016 Posted January 3, 2016 [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1451832131' post='2943769'] The standard Rock 'n' roll bass line as recorded in hundreds of songs. Easily recognised by just about anyone at all. [/quote] Well. It's certainly recognised as a bass line. Getting someone to agree which song it's from would be a different matter. I'd say for sheer record sales and plays you'd be looking at Billie Jean, Come Together or Money. Probably in that order. It depends whether we're talking 'widely' in terms of geographic or just 'widely' in terms of numbers of people who know it. Quote
silverfoxnik Posted January 3, 2016 Posted January 3, 2016 [quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1451762634' post='2943246'] Ha... Thanks Nik thought I was going mad here for a min.... [/quote] Brilliant post; injected some much needed humour into the thread I thought.. Happy New Year by the way! Quote
EssentialTension Posted January 3, 2016 Posted January 3, 2016 Most people wouldn't know a bass line even if it made them dance. Conversation .. 'I love this song it makes me want to dance.' 'Do you like the bass line?' 'What is that?' 'The bit that goes der-di-di, der-di-didi-di, der-der-didi-di.' 'You mean the drums?' Quote
jonnythenotes Posted January 3, 2016 Posted January 3, 2016 If it has to be played on a bass, this will not be at the top, but if its the low notes on a piano, Happy Birthday has to be a contender... Quote
CHW Posted January 4, 2016 Posted January 4, 2016 For me it's the ones that instantly identify the song- the initial signature of the song if you like. If I had to make a "pointless" style prediction, based on playing a snippet, I'd think that summer nights would get the highest score on instant recognition Quote
BassTractor Posted January 4, 2016 Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) Van der Graaf: "Pioneers over C" Tune in at slightly before 2:19 or 5:47 or 14:33 (or just listen to the whole thing of course - it's only 17 minutes long). For the uninitiated: yes, they are indeed Van der Graaf Generator. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juPZ-oJBd10[/media] Edited January 4, 2016 by BassTractor Quote
leschirons Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) The most recognisable to me, means that the listener doesn't even need to know the correct title, band, whether it's actually a bass or anything other than that they're aware that they've heard the song a million times before. My girl or Stand by me probably have the longevity to achieve this seeing as they're still played a lot. Edited January 6, 2016 by leschirons Quote
CamdenRob Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) It has to be that bit at the start of another one bites the dust surely? actually it's pretty much the same all the way through isn't it... not just the start. Edited January 6, 2016 by CamdenRob Quote
ras52 Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 [quote name='crez5150' timestamp='1451475027' post='2940729'] When doves cry by Prince. [/quote] And, somewhat brazenly plagiarising himself, he used exactly the same bass line in Kiss! Quote
ras52 Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 [quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1451936910' post='2944824'] Van der Graaf: "Pioneers over C" Tune in at slightly before 2:19 or 5:47 or 14:33 (or just listen to the whole thing of course - it's only 17 minutes long). For the uninitiated: yes, they are indeed Van der Graaf Generator. [/quote] I thought of that one too, but "Van der Graaf Generator" and "recognisable" don't sit together well They remain one of my favourite bands ever... which may appear a little ironic as they don't have a bass player (except for short stints around 1970 and, of course, in the late-70s version in this clip). Quote
ras52 Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) [quote name='ras52' timestamp='1452078411' post='2946094'] I thought of that one too, but "Van der Graaf Generator" and "recognisable" don't sit together well They remain one of my favourite bands ever... which may appear a little ironic as they don't have a bass player (except for short stints around 1970 and, of course, in the late-70s version in this clip). [/quote] Edit: of course they recorded one recognisable tune: Theme One. Which they didn't write. And on which their "Hendrix of the voice" vocalist and focal point of the band doesn't sing (And there's no bass player on it either.) Edit edit: that was supposed to be an edit and not an act of self-quotation! As you were... Edited January 6, 2016 by ras52 Quote
Hobbayne Posted January 6, 2016 Author Posted January 6, 2016 I suppose Town Called Malice by The Jam or Chic's Good Times must be up there. Quote
TimR Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1452079343' post='2946112'] I suppose Town Called Malice by The Jam... [/quote] I very much doubt it. Outside of the U.K. Is virtually unknown. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_Called_Malice There's quite a lot of songs being mentioned here that hardly anyone other than bass players in the UK would have heard of. Quote
EssentialTension Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 There's quite a lot of songs being mentioned that are virtually unknown in the UK. Certainly stuff I have no familiarity with. Quote
Norm Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 As part of our Christmas celebrations, we have a quiz/games day. We were hosting the extended family this year & I did a Bassline quiz, point each for artist & song title. Plugged in my bass & played 20 or so memorable bass lines. Some were intros, others riffs or passages of what I thought were very memorable lines, was amazed at how difficult the guests found it! Only a couple of them got them right. List below as best remembered. The Chain - F. Mac Shakin all over - JK & the pirates Another one bites the dust - Queen Money - Pink Floyd Walking on the moon - Police Black Knight - Deep Purple Down in the tube station - the Jam Rat Trap - Boomtown Rats Le Freak - Chic London calling - the Clash Love cats - the cure Good times - Chic Eton rifles - the Jam Walk on the wild side - Lou Reed Uptown funk - Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars Bohemian Rapsody - Queen (waynes world bit!) Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix (ascending riff bit) 7 nation army - White Stripes Papa was a rollin' stone - the Temptations PiL - PiL Peaches - Stranglers etc etc I thought they were too easy but it was only my missus & the musos who got 'em, the masses didnt have a clue! Quote
tinyd Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 [quote name='timmo' timestamp='1451500425' post='2941045'] I would imagine in the modern era, Seven Nation Army would be the most recognisable, and that ain`t even a bass. [/quote] This gets my vote as well. Even though it's not actually played on a bass, it might as well have been and it's definitely a bass line. Quote
BassTractor Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 [quote name='ras52' timestamp='1452078411' post='2946094'] "Van der Graaf Generator" and "recognisable" don't sit together well [/quote] You know, I probably didn't understand the word "recognisable" really well. From the last pages of this thread, I get the impression it's about "many people recognising", whereas I took it to mean something like "so specific that you'd recognise it under any circumstance (given of course that you'd heard the song before)". You Brits are a strange lot, using your own language in a way that you yourselves understand perfectly! Quote
TimR Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) [quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1452091871' post='2946288'] You know, I probably didn't understand the word "recognisable" really well. From the last pages of this thread, I get the impression it's about "many people recognising", whereas I took it to mean something like "so specific that you'd recognise it under any circumstance (given of course that you'd heard the song before)". You Brits are a strange lot, using your own language in a way that you yourselves understand perfectly! [/quote] Yes. Kind of the bass line that the most people in the world would recognise. And not... The bass line in the world that you'd recognise the most. I assume? Edited January 6, 2016 by TimR Quote
ras52 Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 [quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1452091871' post='2946288'] You Brits are a strange lot, using your own language in a way that you yourselves understand perfectly! [/quote] Yep. Quote
Stance Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) "Take my breath away" from "Top Gun" OST Don´t know if it is bass or not, but everytime I play it on bass (with a nice amount of chorus), to get the crown laughing, I get real close to the original, and people recognize it immediatelly! Edited January 6, 2016 by Stance Quote
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