It's time to give the bass its due.
You may not know this, but your intrepid reviewer is also a bass player, and he's tired of reading about the greatest guitar riffs of all time. With very few exceptions, rock just wouldn't be possible without the electric bass. So let's investigate some of the greatest bass parts of all time. These are lines, or riffs, that made a hit a hit, or that inspired thousands of kids to pick up the instrument, or both.
Here, in chronological order, are my picks for the greatest rock bass riffs of all time.
The Animals, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" (1965)
Bass doesn't get more fundamental, and fundamentally important, than this. The bass line pretty much defines the song, and the song (along with the band's famous version of "House of the Rising Sun") pretty much sums up The Animals. And the Animals pretty much sum up the British Invasion, which in turn inspired the expansion and longevity of rock music worldwide. See where I'm going here? It's all about the bass.
Cream "Sunshine of Your Love" (1967)
Sure, Clapton doubles this famous part on guitar when he's not soloing, but really, who needs 'im? This is Jack Bruce all the way. I was too young to ever see Cream, but when I eventually did see Bruce play live - with Ringo's All-Stars - I realized that I'd copped more bass tricks from him than anyone else. And speaking of Ringo...
The Beatles, "Come Together" (1969)
Paul McCartney, the father of melodic rock bass playing. 'Nuff said. Except I'll note that this song received the 1969 Grammy for best-engineered recording. George Martin and the band were inspired to studio greatness by Paul's bass part. Obviously.
Jethro Tull/J. S. Bach, "Bourée" (1969)
"Lead bass" came into its own with Tull's arrangement of this well-known Bach tune. Of all the jazzy "walking" bass lines that have been put in the service of a classical piece played by a blues-based rock band that would go on to win a heavy metal Grammy, this was the finest. And the chordal solo near the end blew my mind when I first heard it.
Sugarloaf, "Green-Eyed Lady" (1970)
Sugarloaf got a couple of other songs on the charts, but only this psychedelic gem had real staying power. Why? The kick-ass bass part, of course. It's so much fun to play that bass players often kick into it during jam sessions. And thus is the greatness that is this bass line passed down from generation to generation of unsung four-string heroes.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - DJRadiohead
Great article, Jon.
The riff to "Seven Nation Army" is one of the eternal, all-time cool riffs in the history of the universe. It took me awhile to come around on the Stripes because Jack's voice grated on my nerves (it still does on occasion, but I have since done a 180 on this and the Stripes). This song, this riff, was my turning point.
2 - Jon Sobel
Thanks, DJ. I saw the Stripes live once, and in spite of all Jack's bounding about the stage and switching between guitar and piano, the set got a bit boring after a while. Despite their great songs and great energy, I think they needed a bass player!
3 - Mat Brewster
A few years back I was at a city wide music festival in Strasbourg. There were like ten official stages, but there were tons of unofficial stages and set-ups on just about every corner and alleyway. I must have heard "Seven Nation Army" a dozen times that night...or at least the bass part.
Great freaking song. Great freaking bass line.
I'd add the whole second side of Abbey Road as one long amazing bass performance by Paul
4 - jaz
OK ...time for another ex-bass player to sound off, because as good as the article is, you missed quite a lot.
NO mention of Entwistle? for shame!
Top four stringers, and the best riffs from same, are purely subjective...but allow me to submit them and a sample to show what's been overlooked.
Geddy Lee smokes anything on the list during his worst day...a peef of Entwistle, and second only to Jaco Pastorais in virtuosity.
Lemmy the Father of all things speed...and changed everything by fretting chords and strumming with a pick.
Les Claypool the riffs in the song linked too blow away all on this list, and this guy is prolific as well as drenched in talent on the bass.
more in next comment
5 - jaz
Robert Trujillo from Infectious Grooves, Suicidal Tendencies...and now unfortunately Metallica...still...a real live mutant on the 4 string.
BOTH the bass players from TooL
original flavor here slow, deep groove just behind the beat, off time and tasty...
the new guy is in this link, yes the opening riff is a bass, as well as the groove...good luck figuring it out fellow Players...
And we're not even touching the real Funk players...Flea and Bootsy Collins smoke the list in the original post...
again, all subjective...but there's some samples of things most might not be aware of
thanks for touching the Subject, Jon...keep rocking!
6 - jaz
ooops, realised I was too fast on the Entwistle bit, my apologies, Jon did give the Spider his due.
but the rest stands...still loads of great Players and riffs not mentioned.
but better for me to toss them out for inclusion than shred a fine Post for no good reason...
low notes for life!
7 - Jon Sobel
jaz, your picks are all excellent, but you're on a slightly different tack - my picks aren't about the best or most virtuosic bass players - although I can see you agree with me about some of the players on my list being tops (e.g. McCartney). My "greatest riffs" tend to be what I see as those bass parts, in the context of particular hit songs, that have the most overall musical fame or influence. Certainly, players like Geddy Lee as players were/are as influential as you say.
I'm sure even within my own narrow idea of what this list was about, I'll think of others I missed.
8 - El Bicho
Nice list. I'd replace PF's Money with One of These Days.
what does it say about current bass players, when "the first unforgettable rock bass line of the twenty-first century" was played on a guitar with in a lower octave rather than on bass.
jaz, I dig your mentions and wonder if it will make the writer exclaim, "D'oh!"
Would like to throw in John Paul Jones on Dazed and Confused. I would put that head-to-head against any track in terms of immediate recognition. And its simplicity surely inspired kids to pick up a bass.
9 - jaz
Jon...my next comment is probably flagged as spam, but I fit a few more examples in it (when it comes up you will see)
My point in mentioning Pl;ayers as opposed to riffs in songs folks heard on the radio is that the "greatest" riffs are usually in stuff NOT heard on the radio...deeper cuts in albums...or even stuff that never heard the light of the airwaves
In the forthcoming comment, I touch on both TooL bass players, and the monster riffs they generated, as well as Robert Trujillo...a true hero on the 4 string in so many ways...I also mention Flea and Bootsy Collins to cover the Funk.
All I'm trying to say is that there's a lot more than what hit the radio...and not to denigrate the "pop" stuff...there's so much more out there for those who like the low notes....
ya will see when the waiting comment posts...
and El Bicho...ya, some may go "d'oh" in a gonzo kind of way
these are my real initials...
10 - El Bicho
Your tastes are too distinct and your heroes too well known around these parts, my friend (pardon the familiarity). It was my first sighting of jaz, and rather than wait for D'oh to second your picks, what with the looser restrictions around here, my inquiring mind wanted to know.
Glad to see the Flea mention and sorry for the sidetrack, but I'd like to give a shout out to two of my favorites who usually don't get a lot of attention in these sorts of matters.
David J from Bauhaus/Love and Rockets. His line from "Bela Lugosi's Dead" is a perfect encapsulation of the goth sound. It's reminds me of JPJ's D&C line.
Eric Avery from Jane's Addiction. His work on "Summertime Rolls" is winderful.
11 - jaz
heh..good choices, El bicho
and ya won't see my other names around any more...even this one will be rare, if ever seen again after this thread
hopefully the links i put in will clear soon
12 - duane
Chris Squire Roundabout.
Jack Bruce Politician.
Andy Fraser of Free All Right Now.
John Entwhistle The Real Me.
13 - jaz
El Bicho, my links cleared, check the Trujillo clip...massive stuff, and not one I've previously mentioned, but he's right up there with the top of this generation's players with Claypool.
Duane brings up good ones, as always...the Free tune is definitely an all time great in any genre, and one that had slipped my mind.
Jon, when you can..check the clips I've linked...and you might see what I mean about great riffs arising from great players too copious to list...I'm interested in your opinion of them as another bass player.
To keep it all in mainstream stuff/radio tunes does help to narrow things down.
Examples - Geddy Lee: Limelight, Lemmy:Don't Believe a Word...yet you can goo deep, such as the difference with Entwistle between the well known riff in "My Generation" to the genius of the lesser known "Boris the Spider".
geez...now I've got that Free tune stuck in my head!!!
14 - Dan
Jon, I like your list. My musical periphery is narrow, although there's a lot of things I like that I can't put name to. Anyway, the fun is... adding to it of course. These are in that same kind of "popular and influential to the masses" groove:
"if you want me to stay" -sly and the 'stone
It's "jiggy", and compells one to move their body at the joints.
"other side" -chili peppers
the gradual cresendo of driving base accompanied with "plaintiff wail" of harmonizing hook line.
"Roundabout" -yes
bass virtuoso does all he can in confining parameters of popular song.
"closer to home" -GF railroad
the boys were working up a sweat when they recorded this popular record.
15 - jaz
OMG...Thin Lizzie!
Jailbreak, or the infamous "the Boys are back in town"...great riffs.
16 - duane
What is hip?
Tell me, tell me, if ya thinks ya knows.
17 - Dan
I see duane already beat me to "Roundabout". Good call duane!
18 - jaz
Duane asks a quintessential question in quip form...., so as a quid pro quo...
Here's my Answer.
questions?
19 - Dan
This ain't rock but, "fly me to the moon" -sinatra.
Frank insisted on recording al-natur-owl. Maybe he was right to do so considering the dynamics of live performance are captured exquisitely by this up-right bassmaster.
20 - duane
No questions, jaz. That nails it.
21 - jaz
And the riffs find the Answer...at least partially... hip/cool/down/whatever is all about being contextual...what is fly in Compton don't play in Peoria.
your mileage may vary
22 - Jon Sobel
Would like to throw in John Paul Jones on Dazed and Confused
This is one I probably would have put in the article if I'd remembered it. Not a riff but definitely a memorable and classic bass part - basically a slowed-down walking bass line, really makes the song. Classic.
I also forgot about "Roundabout" - definitely didn't mean to slight the great Chris Squire! I even saw Yes back then - but my time of listening to Yes occurred, and ended, way before I picked up a bass.
jaz, thanks for all the links. That Trujillo track is a blast. As far as Les Claypool - yes, I am a Primus fan, but I couldn't think of one specific riff that really jumped out for me... "Tool" - I might have included both those songs if I'd remembered them...
About Geddy Lee - definitely one of the most amazing bass players ever, but I could never get into Rush in spite of the incredible musicianship. I always found their music too over the top and, I don't know, sort of full of itself.
23 - JR
I don't think the bass parts in "Bouree" and the Barney Miller theme qualify as riffs either; though they are both great bass lines.
I suspect "Bouree" doesn't sound very impressive to someone with a jazz background. Fortunately I wasn't a jazz snob when I discovered Jethro Tull.
24 - El Bicho
What a surprise that someone named "jaz" would have that as the Answer to the question of "what is hip?"
However, you can throw context out the window because if that don't fly somewhere, it's the place and not the tune that is the problem. Some sort of bad confluence of mojo, like being built on top of sacred grounds. I hope I don't find myself in such a location, otherwise it's a one-way ticket out of Squaresville, daddio. [snap snap snap] I'm late for bongo practice. See you kats on the road.
25 - JR
Did I miss someone mentioning Anthony Jackson's part in the O'Jays' "For the Love of Money"? I'd think that would be on everybody's list.