OCD basslines - what's yours?

[scrumpymike]

When I was a skint teenager in the '60s, I could only afford to buy 'must-have' singles. I'd buy one, get it home, and compulsively play it to death for hours or even days. Nowadays, it's must-have basslines - often quite simple ones - that have an addictive hook and just feel 'so right' that it makes me happy playing along with the song. At the moment I've re-discovered Amy Macdonald's This Is The Life.

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRYvuS9OxdA"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRYvuS9OxdA[/url]

What's yours?

[Cato]

I've become slightly obsessed with the bass line on this over the past few days after hearing it played in a shop recently.

I can't believe I never noticed how brilliant it is before.

http://youtu.be/qR9x7_refwY

[uk_lefty]

Hey Joe. Easy bassline but always come back to noodling with it to put in rests and change the feel. Probably one of the first things I learned on bass, but a great one to tinker with on a jam.

[T-Bay]

Peaches by the Stranglers, just perfect to me.

[Woodinblack]

Currently (Dont give) hate a chance this week. But in general it is Masterblaster by Stevie Wonder.

[Raslee]

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1482602788' post='3201823']
I've become slightly obsessed with the bass line on this over the past few days after hearing it played in a shop recently.

I can't believe I never noticed how brilliant it is before.

http://youtu.be/qR9x7_refwY
[/quote] +1...I'm with you dude

[addictedtobass]

gonna be greedy and have 3 .waiting for an alibi by thin lizzy, start by the jam and money by pink floyd

[scalpy]

Blame it on the Boogie- singer requested we learn it and it's chock full great touches, really enjoying trying to nail the syncopation and swing.

[Highfox]

We just put the Commodores "easy" into the set, simple bassline but such a nice feel and touch.

[Oopsdabassist]

Myself and my nephew have been talked into playing, amongst others, 'rappers delight' for family xmas karaoke, lovely bassline and very hypnotic, and not my usual fare, so fun to play something different.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='scalpy' timestamp='1482608316' post='3201907']
Blame it on the Boogie- singer requested we learn it and it's chock full great touches, really enjoying trying to nail the syncopation and swing.
[/quote]

This, plus 'Heavyweight Champion of the World' by Reverend and the Makers.

[YeastieB]

[quote name='Raslee' timestamp='1482607961' post='3201898']
+1...I'm with you dude
[/quote]
+2......I'm with you both! Really satisfying to play.

[Cyrene]

Handshake Drugs by Wilco.
Great for warming up but varied enough to be a little challenge.

[SpondonBassed]

Rock the Kasbah. That's the current one. More of a comforting warm up than an OCD thing for me though. The one before was Superstition. Looking forward to the next.

I got a bit got OCD over Rhythm Stick once. It was a bit too fast for my ability and still is if I'm honest with myself. I come back to it from time to time and find that the bits that seemed difficult aren't really once I loose the feeling that I MUST get it one hundred percent right before I put the guitar down.

It's good marker for me at the moment. Each time I visit it, I can measure how much I've "come along" since playing it last.

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1482666345' post='3202144']
I got a bit got OCD over Rhythm Stick once. It was a bit too fast for my ability and still is if I'm honest with myself. I come back to it from time to time and find that the bits that seemed difficult aren't really once I loose the feeling that I MUST get it one hundred percent right before I put the guitar down.
[/quote]

I still do that one from time to time, as it reminds me that I have come on quite a bit in the last few years.

I have found that it is a good way of testing if a bass is any good for me though, on my main gigging basses I can play it reasonably smoothly. Some basses I will pick up and I can't play it at all on them (normally wide necks) or very poorly, whereas other things are fine. I guess it must be on the edge of what I can play.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1482613491' post='3201955']
Myself and my nephew have been talked into playing, amongst others, 'rappers delight' for family xmas karaoke, lovely bassline and very hypnotic, and not my usual fare, so fun to play something different.
[/quote]

Rappers delight = Good times by Chic. Chic has a lot of tasty basslines in their repertoire, it took me a while to realise just how good they were!

[Funky Dunky]

Sir Duke and I Was Made To Love Her do it for me.

[Hobbayne]

Beatles - Hey Bulldog. Not one of their most well known songs, but a cracking bassline.

[Funky Dunky]

Okay the two I mentioned aren't particularly simple, but I find them addictive to play.

Simple but addictive? Probably Jamiroquai's 'When You Gonna Learn?'or Fiona Apple's 'Criminal'.

[MisterT]

Prince - Stare (from the last album) is pushing my buttons at the moment. I can do it but keeping it going and playing clean is tough.

Indeep - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life - for the same reason, it's a ridiculously simple line but my method of getting back on the F# root isn't perfect. OCD comes in because I'm thinking 'should be easier than this'. Still haven't got the strength in my hands yet.

A good measure for me is the beginning riff from Boomtown Rats - Rat Trap. I was all over the place 2½ years ago when I started but it's a relative doddle now.

[bazzbass]

YYZ by Rush, dagnabit one day I'll get it right

Ian Dury - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, really busy line.

and Muse - Hysteria, love that synthy bassline sound.

[Geek99]

[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1482602788' post='3201823']
I've become slightly obsessed with the bass line on this over the past few days after hearing it played in a shop recently.

I can't believe I never noticed how brilliant it is before.

http://youtu.be/qR9x7_refwY
[/quote]
I like it too
Nice looking lady there too

[Funky Ghost]

She Sells Sanctuary by The Cult. It's not complicated but it's driving and just gets the blood pumping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I8mWG6HlmU

[TheGreek]

A couple of my personal faves are "I want you back" by The Jackson 5 and "Breezin'" by George Benson....the latter is particularly good when guitarists want to go down the cover version route.

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1482963361' post='3203836']
A couple of my personal faves are "I want you back" by The Jackson 5 and "Breezin'" by George Benson....the latter is particularly good when guitarists want to go down the cover version route.
[/quote]

The Jackson Five music videos are a guilty pleasure of mine. Their recorded stage performances are the nads. It goes without sating that Michael's later work was superbly performed and produced but his first solo efforts still blow me away. The basslines are always wholesome and solid.

Billy Jean is a tune I must put firmly in my rep (reaches for UBass).

Edited December 29, 2016 by SpondonBassed