Supposedly great basslines? Really??!!

[Barking Spiders]

During lockdown I've spent quite a bit of time checking out what are claimed to be 'greatest' basslines to see which are worth adding to my repertoire. Some are right-on the money and deserve their reps. Others leave me thinking, 'really?!!' Among those leaving me a tad underwhelmed is 'Orion' by Metallica, which I believe is meant to have cemented Cliff Burton's place in basstory. I'm not saying there's owt wrong with it but I don't see why it often appears is best basslines lists. Another One Bites The Dust is also often mentioned yet it's derivative of Good Times.  On the other hand I never see the lines to Party Fears 2 or Club Country  by The Associates mentioned yet these are worthy of any greatest bassline  list. Feel free to be outraged etc 😊

[mike257]

Because like any popularity contest, the "greatest" basslines are, in the eyes of the public, the ones they most easily recognise, or the ones that feature at the forefront of their respective songs. 

[Coilte]

I never pay much attention to the "greatest" X,Y, or Z polls/opinions. They are in the "ear of the beholder".  For me, a "great" bass line is one that supplies exactly (no more or less) what the song requires. If it sounds great to you then it is... 

 

[ambient]

It’s like the greatest anything really, it’s down to personal taste, and to a great extent your experience too. 

[Dad3353]

Does this make the list..?

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by Dad3353

[Roger2611]

3 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

  On the other hand I never see the lines to Party Fears 2 or Club Country  by The Associates mentioned yet these are worthy of any greatest bassline  list. Feel free to be outraged etc 😊

I guess the reason these don't get recognised for the great basslines they are is simply because they are largely impossible to cover (not just bass wise but Billy's vocals as well) So they don't get heard so often now, personally the two basslines fall squarely into the category of "I wouldn't even know where to begin" basslines so are not ones I have even thought about trying to decipher!

[Dad3353]

6 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

...On the other hand I never see the lines to Party Fears 2 or Club Country  by The Associates mentioned...

My curiosity got the better of me, so I gave these a listen (or, at least, tried to...). I must stop doing that. 

[SteveK]

21 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

Does this make the list..?

 

If it doesn't, my c***s a kipper! "Sublime" is a word that springs to mind🙂

[chris_b]

Great bass lines? Green Onions, Sex Machine. Mustang Sally, My Cherie Amour, the list is endless.

Edited May 12, 2020 by chris_b
spelling

[Dad3353]

16 minutes ago, chris_b said:

Great bass lines? Green Onions, Sex Machine. Mustang Sally, My Cherie Amour, the lest is endless.

Heavy, man; heavy. It's a question of balance. 

[ubit]

obviously it is down to taste but this list is interesting.

 

[Dankology]

The Associates are a sorely under-appreciated band IMHO.

Really like Billy Mackenzie's Beyond the Sun lp too.

[Bilbo]

I have, for a long time, believed that so called 'great' bass lines do not automatically result in great songs any more than a 'boring' bass line makes a song boring. 

https://youtu.be/QPFVv6-umLs