The greatest bass lines with the fewest notes?

[TrevorR]

The main line from this tune isn't so complicated but man, is it funky!

http://youtu.be/FnH_zwVmiuE

Edited March 27, 2017 by TrevorR

[Shaggy]

Hanging around (Stranglers) - best 2 notes of bass ever......

Surprised no-ones mentioned "Walk on the wild side" (not my favourite)

[Grangur]

[quote name='NickD' timestamp='1490611377' post='3266340']
Papa was a Rolling Stone... sooooo much with so little!
[/quote]
Beat me to it by 9 hours!

[spectoremg]

Just for the sake of it - F# only. Effective though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np_Y740aReI

[obbm]

Albatross - Fleetwood Mac

Highway to Hell - AC/DC

[The-Ox]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1490613910' post='3266379']
Spoonful. (I love CREAM'S version).
[/quote]

good shout! The version for that French TV show is great

[bottomfeed]

Some great stuff already.....

I'd like to add: Genesis - Back in NYC

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fllf-WMB0hY"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fllf-WMB0hY[/url]

One note on the bass pedals ....for a fair bit of the whole song!

& Meshell Ndegeocello - Stay

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0H2xYgndls"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0H2xYgndls[/url]

Love the buckets of funk in the main 2 note vamp.....

[MoonBassAlpha]

Tomorrow Never Knows by some 60s band whose name eludes me for the moment.

[The-Ox]

Ogdens Nut Gone Flake stands out, never heard such a simple bassline make a song

[Ashweb]

My suggestions would be...

Nirvanna - Come as you are
Clash - Police & Thieves
Fun Lovin' Criminals - Fun Lovin' Criminal

[bazzbass]

ANY ACDC song, never more than three root notes to match Angus' three chords per album....easiest job in bassland

OK, not great basslines, but easy to learn, very bassic

Edited March 28, 2017 by bazztard

[acidbass]

Talking Heads 'Once in a Lifetime' - two notes the whole song despite a key change.

[Chezz55]

With the exception of the solo ....... 'One Of These Days' by Pink Floyd

[TheRev]

You oughta know by Alanis Morrisette

It's about 90% F#.

Shows what you can do with well chosen spaces.

[The-Ox]

Also forgot any live version of Magic Bus

[Bass Culture]

The Bowzer's 'Station to Station'. Not many notes and great, great tone.

[la bam]

My Girl - Otis reading.
Dock of the bay - Otis Redding.

[lonestar]

How Long Ace

[Japhet]

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1490640800' post='3266727']
Lots of notes in the riff...

Public Image gets my vote (even though this isn't a democracy)...
[/quote]


7 notes for an entire song isn't exactly complicated.

[dlloyd]

Fame by Bowie

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9kuNMdUq_0[/media]

[paul_5]

100 miles and running - NWA

[IainS]

Love is for me - The Meters. Knowing what George Porter Jr could do if he wanted to makes this approach to a bass line all the better, much like many of the other suggestions here.

[4 Strings]

It's not that it's not complicated, it's playing a great performance with few notes. Tina here is about as intense as it gets!
https://youtu.be/Kxu5dKqEmZM

[Deep Thought]

Baba O'Reilly

[tinyd]

Shine Eye Gal by Black Uhuru and The Humpty Dance by the Digital Underground both have great basslines that are just a slide between two notes.