I'm A Man

[Gottastopbuyinggear]

No, not a personal declaration, but the Spencer Davis Group song.  Someone in my band suggested we try it - I had a quick listen and we jammed it last night, and it was one of those rare moments where it came together immediately and sounded (to me) absolutely brilliant first time.  The thing is, I can't work out what the bass line actually is...

I had a better listen today, and a quick look on the tab sites and YouTube where what little material I could find seems to be in agreement that the main riff is B D E (E string 7th fret, A string 5th and then 7th fret) and then to open E, but I can't reconcile that with what I'm hearing.  In the intro I think I'm hearing C D open E for the first few bars at least, but when it gets going it possibly sounds more B D E.

I'm not sure it really matters - I've tried playing various combinations of B D B Open E, C D E Open E, even C D B Open E and they all sound fine - but I'm interested to know what other people hear and play, and whether anyone has a more definitive answer?

[3below]

We play this, sometime I should listen to the original..  The B D E riff fits with what the guitar players play. and just seemed instinctive to drive the song along.   Sometimes I follow the the descending chord changes, other times I keep the BDE riff going over them.  An interesting error jazz variation (related to my ability with the 5 string) occurred last week.  I followed the descending chords a 5th lower.  Not unreasonable , guitarists did not complain.

[lowdown]

12 minutes ago, 3below said:

We play this, sometime I should listen to the original..  The B D E riff fits with what the guitar players play. and just seemed instinctive to drive the song along.   Sometimes I follow the the descending chord changes, other times I keep the BDE riff going over them.  An interesting error jazz variation (related to my ability with the 5 string) occurred last week.  I followed the descending chords a 5th lower.  Not unreasonable , guitarists did not complain.

Wey hey...change your user name to 5below.

[steantval]

37 minutes ago, Gottastopbuyinggear said:

No, not a personal declaration, but the Spencer Davis Group song.  Someone in my band suggested we try it - I had a quick listen and we jammed it last night, and it was one of those rare moments where it came together immediately and sounded (to me) absolutely brilliant first time.  The thing is, I can't work out what the bass line actually is...

I had a better listen today, and a quick look on the tab sites and YouTube where what little material I could find seems to be in agreement that the main riff is B D E (E string 7th fret, A string 5th and then 7th fret) and then to open E, but I can't reconcile that with what I'm hearing.  In the intro I think I'm hearing C D open E for the first few bars at least, but when it gets going it possibly sounds more B D E.

I'm not sure it really matters - I've tried playing various combinations of B D B Open E, C D E Open E, even C D B Open E and they all sound fine - but I'm interested to know what other people hear and play, and whether anyone has a more definitive answer?

Have you listened to the Chicago version, I personally think it's better.

[Burns-bass]

Just now, steantval said:

Have you listened to the Chicago version, I personally think it's better.

It isn’t. The original is an absolute classic that I’ve seen fill dance floors for decades.

[Grangur]

I also like the Chicago version

Thanks for reminding us of this.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Grangur

[steantval]

16 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

It isn’t. The original is an absolute classic that I’ve seen fill dance floors for decades.

So does The Birdy Song  ?

Edited December 6, 2017 by steantval

[Grangur]

Just thinking, Long Train Running is very similar.

Just sayin'

[Burns-bass]

2 minutes ago, steantval said:

So does The Birdy Song - proves nothing ?

I don’t go to the sort of places that play he Birdie Song.

The Chicago version is an indulgent, tedious and overblown cover of an insistent and arresting mod classic. 

[steantval]

3 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I don’t go to the sort of places that play he Birdie Song.

The Chicago version is an indulgent, tedious and overblown cover of an insistent and arresting mod classic. 

Never been to a Wedding or your Aunties 50th Wedding Anniversary ? ?

[Burns-bass]

4 minutes ago, steantval said:

Never been to a Wedding or your Aunties 50th Wedding Anniversary ? ?

I’ve been to a huge amount of weddings in the last few years but I’ve not heard the birdie song. 

As a child of the 80s I can only lament the sad loss of the Birdie Song.

[chris_b]

You can hear the bass line in the first 4 bars of the SDG version.

[Coilte]

Love the "CHICAGO" version. 

[MartinB]

I do:

G ---------
D ---0-----
A -2-------
E -----0-0-

And then I also like to add in an extra E an octave up (D string, 2nd fret) to match the guitar stab.

[MoonBassAlpha]

Another +1 for the Chicago version. The single version packs a lot into a short space. The guitar tone is really mean too, I love it!

[Count Bassy]

1 hour ago, Burns-bass said:

The Chicago version is an indulgent, tedious and overblown cover of an insistent and arresting mod classic. 

For the live chicago version posted I tend to agree with you, but I thought the studio version released as a single was great ( I actually bought it at the time).

 

[Grangur]

6 hours ago, Count Bassy said:

For the live chicago version posted I tend to agree with you, but I thought the studio version released as a single was great ( I actually bought it at the time).

 

I know I posted the live version, as it's what I found, but I too prefer the version on their album.

Aren't most live versions of anything by anybody, largely overblown and often self indulgent?

[FinnDave]

57 minutes ago, Grangur said:

I know I posted the live version, as it's what I found, but I too prefer the version on their album.

Aren't most live versions of anything by anybody, largely overblown and often self indulgent?

I'll take a live version of anything over a studio recording every time. 

[dlloyd]

The bassline is fairly clear here:

 

 

 

[Mykesbass]

At the risk of being controversial, you say your first run through sounded brilliant, so why would you want to change it to make a more slavishly accurate copy? Part of what may have made it sound so great was you as a band feeling it and enjoying it. I'd stick with your own take on it.

[Paul S]

I like this version - the way it builds at the start with Mr Etcetera  kind of changing the bass line around.

 

[phil.c60]

1 hour ago, Grangur said:

I know I posted the live version, as it's what I found, but I too prefer the version on their album.

Aren't most live versions of anything by anybody, largely overblown and often self indulgent?

I didn't see you in the audience at our last gig......

[Burns-bass]

8 hours ago, Count Bassy said:

For the live chicago version posted I tend to agree with you, but I thought the studio version released as a single was great ( I actually bought it at the time).

 

Good point. I’ve just listened to that version and it’s really good. So I stand corrected. I still think the original is better, but it is a very good cover.

[steantval]

10 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I don’t go to the sort of places that play he Birdie Song.

The Chicago version is an indulgent, tedious and overblown cover of an insistent and arresting mod classic. 

I was one of those Mods.

Lambretta TV200, Parka, Ben Sherman, Desert Boots.

First full time job £9 a week, living at home , into Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack, Cream etc?

Happy days and not a care in the world.

[chris_b]

56 minutes ago, Mykesbass said:

. . . you say your first run through sounded brilliant, so why would you want to change it to make a more slavishly accurate copy? Part of what may have made it sound so great was you as a band feeling it and enjoying it. I'd stick with your own take on it.

+1

Muff Windwood had one of the worst bass sounds of all time and he wasn't half the bass player many are here. Make this line your own.