Favourite Abbey Road bass track

[petebassist]

For me it's a tough call between Come Together and I Want You, both awesome bass lines from Mr McCartney.

Anyone got any favourites?

[BrunoBass]

Paul and The Beatles can do no wrong in my book, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this amazing album over the last couple of days on the newly released Anniversary edition. 
 

She Came In Through The Bathroom Window is probably my favourite bass line on the album. I like the way it grooves along. Least favourite bass line is on Something, which I’ve always found overly busy and slightly distracting.

[ahpook]

I really like the bassline to 'Something'

 

 

[4000]

19 minutes ago, BrunoBass said:

Paul and The Beatles can do no wrong in my book, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this amazing album over the last couple of days on the newly released Anniversary edition. 
 

She Came In Through The Bathroom Window is probably my favourite bass line on the album. I like the way it grooves along. Least favourite bass line is on Something, which I’ve always found overly busy and slightly distracting.

Probably wouldn’t like my playing then. 😂

[wateroftyne]

4 minutes ago, ahpook said:

I really like the bassline to 'Something'

Ha ha.. I hate it. It's such a polarising bass part...!

[ahpook]

1 minute ago, wateroftyne said:

Ha ha.. I hate it. It's such a polarising bass part...!

Is it ? What's the rumpus ?

[wateroftyne]

11 minutes ago, ahpook said:

Is it ? What's the rumpus ?

I believe George disliked the part - he thought it was too busy. I agree with him, but many (most?) don't....

[ahpook]

8 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

I believe George disliked the part - he thought it was too busy. I agree with him, but many (most?) don't....

I can see that, yes.

Maybe within the context of Macca's general overplaying style* I've got used to it !

(I'll just don my fireproof suit now... )

Edited September 29, 2019 by ahpook

[stewblack]

*Goes off to listen to Abbey road again*

[stewblack]

*finds this*

 

[stewblack]

Well, I am happy to report it's a thing of beauty on its own and in the context of the song it is wonderful!

Very much how I hear a bassline to a mellow, sparse tune, but played in someone else's style of course.

[Lozz196]

I’m not that familiar with the album but have always liked the bass on Come Together.

[petebassist]

And this 😀 

 

[BassTractor]

1 hour ago, stewblack said:

*finds this*

OMG! 😱 George, Ringo and John is dead?

[4000]

2 hours ago, wateroftyne said:

I believe George disliked the part - he thought it was too busy. I agree with him, but many (most?) don't....

Countermelodies are where it’s at for me. I love it.

Edited September 29, 2019 by 4000

[wateroftyne]

13 minutes ago, 4000 said:

Countermelodies are where it’s at for me. I love it.

I like them too, but.. more sparingly.

[DavidNevittBass]

Sun King or Golden Slumbers from the B-side are where it's at for me!

[4000]

17 hours ago, stewblack said:

Well, I am happy to report it's a thing of beauty on its own and in the context of the song it is wonderful!

Very much how I hear a bassline to a mellow, sparse tune, but played in someone else's style of course.

I’ve just listened to that isolated Something. The past week or so I’ve been demo-ing my latest batch of songs and have been recording the bass parts. Having listened back to my lines today, my approach is so, so similar. I never consciously learned any Macca lines once I started playing bass, but the Beatles were the first band I was ever into, pre-teen, well before I ever considered taking up an instrument (didn’t start til 17), and I used to know most of their songs backwards. I can only assume Macca’s lines must have been subliminally absorbed to a far greater extent than I realised.

[Hobbayne]

I quite like the Oh Darling bass part. I think there is a flubbed note in it somewhere which was left in the final master.

George Harrison played some good bass parts on Maxwell and Golden Slumbers which I never knew was him till recently.

[Muzz]

I've just listened to the Something bass part, and I'll never complain about my bass tone again...gawd, it's awful...

[4000]

19 minutes ago, Muzz said:

I've just listened to the Something bass part, and I'll never complain about my bass tone again...gawd, it's awful...

It does sound like taut rubber bands isolated, but I think it sits in the track well, and bear in mind when it was recorded.

I listened back to a bunch of isolated tracks from some of my favourite players a while back and the only ones that really stood up solo-ed were Squire, Entwistle & Glover on Machinehead. They all sounded freaking awesome. 

[stewblack]

53 minutes ago, 4000 said:

I’ve just listened to that isolated Something. The past week or so I’ve been demo-ing my latest batch of songs and have been recording the bass parts. Having listened back to my lines today, my approach is so, so similar. I never consciously learned any Macca lines once I started playing bass, but the Beatles were the first band I was ever into, pre-teen, well before I ever considered taking up an instrument (didn’t start til 17), and I used to know most of their songs backwards. I can only assume Macca’s lines must have been subliminally absorbed to a far greater extent than I realised.

That exact same thing happened to me with Bruce Thomas from the Attractions. Never learned his stuff,but God I write like him

[Bolo]

This album can report to the "songs I never have to hear again" thread. Can't stand the meager offerings and energy sucking blandness myself. I agree this is probably my own shortcoming but there it is.

[petebassist]

If anyone has a BBC Sounds account, these podcast are friggin great.

[Hobbayne]

And its number 1 pop pickers!  😁

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49931789