Best Bass Line Ever

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

So people, what do you think is the best bass line ever? You know I thought of this thread last night on the way to work. I was listening to the radio and I heard the BEST bass line ever. Now prepare yourself....the best bass line ever goes to.....

Oh yea, it's gotta be....

And it is....(total excitement & suspense)

Van Halen's runnin with the devil! Yes, you would have never guessed that, the intricate quarter notes, the feverish tempo...what's not to rave about the bass line in that tune! What do you think?

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

Well, maybe not the best bass line ever, but right on for that song.

There are lots of great simple bass lines out there though! Some examples:

Queensryche: I don't believe in love
Rush (one of the few simple ones): New World Man
Pearl Jam: Oceans (Jeff Ament has a great feel)
Pink Floyd: One Step
Peter Gabriel: Shock the Monkey
Black Sabbath: Into the Void, Children of the Grave, just about anything
Queens of the Stone Age: No One Knows
Queen: Crazy Little Thing Called Love (and many more...Deacon was a great bass man)
Alice in Chains: Rotten Apple and many more

Easy or hard, complex or simple, bass can be a wonderful thing!

Kent "I love being a bassist" Tonkin

IvaBiggin · Post by **IvaBiggin** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

as a bass player for a band, local band that is, you can run up and down the neck all night long but it has to fit given that mr anthonys bass lines are not complicated at all but remember who he is playing with eddie is basically van halen if you had two guys going off all night long there would not be any bottom end if you can do it with taste well thats a different story look at bass players like geddy lee victor wooten jack bruce stanley clark mark king and lets not forget chris squire of yes these guys really opened the door for bass players but back to michael anthony if you ever seen him play live his backing vocals are unbelieveable he also has a very good stage presence but to answer your question i think roundabout by yes or limelight by rush puts the bass up front but does it with taste

tonefight · Post by **tonefight** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

Rocket Queen ( G'n'R ) or the intro bass melody on sweet child

Killjingle · Post by **Killjingle** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

Led Zeppelin - How Many More Times, Dazed and Confused, You Shook Me
Iron Butterfly - In A Gadda Da Vida
Type O Negative - Black No 1
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
Greenday - Longview
Anthrax - Got The Time
Tool - Sober
Metallica - My Friend of Misery
Jimi Hendrix - Red House
RHCP - Give it Away

not too mention tons of others I could come up with!

313 · Post by **313** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

The classic bass line in Iron Maiden's "Wrathchild".

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

"Best" is subjective, so I'll go with "favorite"

Silly Love Songs - Wings (Paul McCartney)
Walkabout - Red Hot Chilli Peppers (Flea)
Time Stand Still - Rush (Geddy Lee)
New York Minute - Don Henley (Pino Pallidino/Timothy B. Schmitd)
Crush - Dave Matthews Band (Stefan Lessard)
Cleopatra's Cat - Spin Doctors (Mark White)
Water on the Brain - Alan Holdsworth (Jeff Berlin)
Badge - Cream (Jack Bruce)
Boys of Johnson Street - Stanley Clarke
Schism - Tool (Justin Chancellor)
Birdland - Weather Report (Jaco Pastorious)
Sugar - Lenny Kravitz (Lenny Kravitz)
All or Nothing at All - Diana Krall (Christian McBride)
The Divine Wind - Adam Nitti
Mimosa - George Benson (Marcus Miller)

And anything by Mike Porcaro of Toto - he's so underrated it should be considered a sin.

Woo hoo, 400 post. Look out JP and Songsmith, I'm catching up.

J Michaels · Post by **J Michaels** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

How about the Chili Pepper's version of Higher Ground?

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

Deviance1 wrote: Jimi Hendrix - Red House

Interesting piece of trivia - the bass line in Red House isn't even being played on a bass. It's Noel Redding playing a downtuned guitar.

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

In all seriousness, the bass is probably one of the most unique instruments. If I weren't a drummer, I would be a bassist. I once heard at a music festival that the bass is unique because it does both melody and rhythm. Among my favorites lines are:

The bass part in Orion by Metallica after the big cut off in the middle.
My Name is Mud riff by Primus, just a classic.
I love the chili pepper's Soul To Squeeze bass line.
And of course any slap!

I can't even think of all of them right now.

Killjingle · Post by **Killjingle** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

U know what I forgot bout that being a detuned guitar. I learned it years ago and the guitar lines to the best of my ability, and 4 tracked it. I remember at the time I saw a transcription, and the "bass" line was guitar. Its definitely a cool jam.

rickw · Post by **rickw** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

I always liked the line in Roundabout by Yes' Chris Squier, and for sheer bass mayhem Les Claypool in Tommy the Cat, and more.

daveb · Post by **daveb** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

I always liked

Space Hog - In the Meantime
Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter 23
Dave Matthews Band - Tripping Billies
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Soul to Squeeze

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

Here's my favorite bass line songs...

Green Day - Longveiw, J. A. R.
Blink 182 - Man Overboard
Slipknot - Iowa
Mudvayne - Severd, -1, Trapped In The Wake Of A Dream
Deviance - Boiling Point
The Grimm - Kent, you blow my mind
Dope - With or Without
U2 - With or Without (As simple as it is - very powerful)
MXPX - Chick Magnet
Disturbed - Breathe
Rush - The Big Money

God, there's so many I can't even think of them...but, here is a handful.

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Thursday Jul 01, 2004

Some of my faves...

"The Lemon Song"- Zeppelin (John Paul Jones)
"Suck My Kiss"- RHCP (Flea)
"Rime Of The Ancient Mariner"- Maiden (Steve Harris)
"The Trooper"- Maiden (Steve Harris)
"Soul With A Capitol 'S'"- Tower Of Power (Francis Rocco Prestia)
"Straight Cold Player"- Lenny Kravitz (Lenny Kravitz)
"Keep Away"- Godsmack (Robbie Merrill)
"By-Tor And The Snow Dog"- Rush (Geddy Lee)
"Love Me Like A Man"- Diana Krall (John Clayton)
"Monkeywrench"- Foo Fighters (Nate Mendel)
"Hey Man Nice Shot"- Filter (Richard Patrick)
"Welcome To The Fold"- Filter (Richard Patrick)
"Tear The Roof Off The Sucker"- Parliment (Bootsy Collins)
"Schism"- Tool (Justin Chancellor)
"Would?"- Alice In Chains (Mike Inez)
"No More Tears"- Ozzy (Mike Inez)
"Couldn't Stand The Weather"- Stevie Ray Vaughn (Tommy Shannon)
"Who Knows"- Hendrix/Band Of Gypsys (Billy Cox)
"Unsung"- Helmet (Henry Bogdan)

Not bad for a drummer, eh?

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

Aside from the ones mentioned, here are a few I can think of at the moment:

Alright Now - Free
Detriot Rock City - Kiss
Immigrant Song - Led Zep
Gimme Three Steps - Even though everyone's tired of playing it, the bass line RULES!!

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

The Who -- (Can You See) The Real Me
Black Sabbath -- After Forever
ELP -- Karn Evil 9, Impression #1 (welcome back, my friends)
UFO -- On With The Action
Ted Nugent -- Queen of the Forest
Rush -- Spirit of Radio
Yes -- Just about anything they ever did
Wishbone Ash -- Ballad of the Beacon

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

Monkeybusiness Man: Michael Manring
Analog Kid (and anything by): Rush
Losfer Words: Iron Maiden
Neurotica: King Crimson
Family Snapshot: Peter Gabriel
Remark You Made: Weather Report
Everything and Nothing: Mudvayne
Sin: Stone Temple Pilots
Suck My Kiss: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Nothingness/Type: Living Color
The Grudge/Swamp Song: Tool
Send Me Your Money: Infections Grooves (you should hear Fudjo play that one!)

I love being a bass player!

Kent

Victor Synn · Post by **Victor Synn** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

Gods of War - Def Leppard
Phantom of the Opera - Iron Maiden
Get It On - Kingdom Come
Widowmaker - WASP
Cult of Personality - Living Colour

rock_guy4u88 · Post by **rock_guy4u88** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

any song that has a bass line preformed by les claypool is worth recognizing

wake up drumming · Post by **wake up drumming** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

Let's not be too hard on Michael Anthony. When I saw VH a few years back he chugged a fifth of Jack and then pulled off a bass solo from hell!! It was just freakin' awesome! He really can play that thing!!

rug · Post by **rug** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

N.I.B.~~Black Sabbath
Anesthesia~~Metallica
Come Together~~ Beatles
the ESPN song on am 1430/sportscenter
We can't be Stopped~~Geto Boys
Lost~~Neurosis

Post by **Ron** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

Every song off of the first "Boston" album.

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

Ron wrote:Every song off of the first "Boston" album.

Amen to that one. Walking bass lines rule.

Speaking of which, Mario from Huey Lewis and The News has some pretty kickin bass lines.

SUperstar · Post by **SUperstar** » Friday Jul 02, 2004

Ramble On- Zeppelin
What is & What Should Never Be- Zeppelin
I Want You (She's So Heavy)- Beatles
I'm Your Captain (Closer To Home)- Grand Funk Railroad
Rotten Apple- AIC- whole CD is excellent
Non Fiction- Black Crowes
Can't You Hear Me Knockin'- Stones
Miss You- Stones
Hole In The Sky- Sabbath
Supernaut- Sabbath

There's a couple of my favs....