Iconic bass lines / parts from famous songs.

[Gray C]

Often these are simplicity themselves, but are recognised everywhere, even by non bass players. I’ll  kick the ball in the air with the following…..

 

Under Pressure - John Deacon - Queen

 

Wichita Line Man - Opening run into it by the iconic Carol Kaye

 

The Chain - John McVie for Fleetwood Mac

 

Walk on the Wild Side - Herbie Flowers for Lou Reed

 

My Generation - John Entwistle

 

These are the ones that first come into my head, should be loads more I’ve missed 😝

 

 

[Velarian]

Wherever I Lay My Hat - Pino Palladino

[Velarian]

Peaches - JJ Burnel

[mikel]

Living in the Past. Glen Cornick. 

[lowdown]

Billy Jean - Louis Johnson (and Greg Phillinganes).

[Nebadon2000]

Chic- Good Times

Beatles- Come Together

RHCP- Higher Ground

Pink Floyd- Money

Duran Duran-Rio

 

There are some great ones also that are non-Famous Song's IE; The Who-Real Me, Muse-Hysteria

[itu]

Stevie Wonder, Motown. 1980's brit pop. Jazz in general. Peter Gabriel's So.

 

I have to say that the line from Everybody wants to rule the world is a lesson for any bassist. Plain simple and functional.

[Lozz196]

The Jam, with:

 

Eton Rifles

Down in The Tube Station

Town Called Malice

 

Many others but I think these three are probably more well known 

 

 

[Velarian]

You can call me Al - Bakithi Kumalo for Paul Simon.

 

Sledgehammer - Tony Levin for Peter Gabriel. 

[Nicko]

Lovecats - The Cure

Hysteria - Muse

Another One Bites the Dust - Queen

[neepheid]

9 hours ago, Velarian said:

Peaches - JJ Burnel

 

That was the first song I learned (on the bottom four strings of a guitar) in order to have something to play when I went to try and buy my first bass.

[Dad3353]

Rain - The Beatles

[Chezz55]

Bouree - Jethro Tull

 

Papa Was A Rolling Stone - Temptations

 

Keep On Running - Spencer Davis Group

 

Had To Cry Today - Joe Bonamassa

[MrCrane]

Sunshine of your love - Cream

[Skin Lewis]

I'll Take You There - Staple Singers. (David Hood)

[three]

'For the Love of Money' - O'Jays (Anthony Jackson)

[Nail Soup]

From the punk or new wave era, a very recognisable one (and also good to learn when you are starting out) is PIL's 'Public Image' played by Jah Wobble.

[Barking Spiders]

On 11/09/2022 at 12:02, Lozz196 said:

The Jam, with:

 

Eton Rifles

Down in The Tube Station

Town Called Malice

 

Many others but I think these three are probably more well known 

 

 

Not sure there really are that many truly widely known, iconic bass lines. From the perspective of non-bass aficionados among the public, IMO they've pretty much been already covered here. No disrespect intended re some noms but I bet most casual music listeners wouldn't recognise any bass lines beyond

Another one bites the dust

Good times

Under pressure

The chain

Peaches (at a push)

Billy Jean

Blue Monday (at a push)

Come as you are

Walking on the moon (maybe among those raised in the 70s)

Walk on the wild side (among the over 50s anyway)

 

I.e. songs that still get a lot of airplay on mainstream daytime radio

 

 

[SteveXFR]

Ace of Spades played by Ian Lemmy Kilmister with Motorhead 

Holiday In Cambodia played by Klaus Flouride with Dead Kennedys 

Love Will Tear Us Apart played by Peter Hook with Joy Division 

Jeremy played by Jeff Ament with Pearl Jam 

Waiting Room played by Joe Lally with Fugazi