THE 100 GREATEST BASS PARTS OF ALL TIME
A few months back, we at BP were enjoying our usual post-deadline cocktail when we got into the argument that all bass players get into from time to time—what’s the hottest, coolest, grooviest, sweetest, or just best bass part of all time? After hours of heated debate, we decided to get you to make that decision for us via an online poll at our site Guitarworld.com. In due course, 30,000 of you helped us out by picking the winner from a list of 100 songs, plus an Other category for bass parts of your choice. Your final list is printed in full here, with some useful advice about how to play those immortal parts yourself.
We restricted the choices to one song per bassist—otherwise the poll would only contain entries by James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Lee Sklar, Chuck Rainey, Paul McCartney, and Geddy Lee—except in a few cases where a bassist performed both with a band or solo or on a session, or when two artists linked up to form a one-off project (see our No. 3 entry). We stuck to real bass, whether upright or electric, so there are no bass parts played on a pitchshifted guitar (‘Seven Nation Army’ by the White Stripes, we’re looking at you).
Oh, and we’ve printed the results in reverse order, just to add a little tension to your lives. I recommend that you don’t jump forward to see what No. 1 is, although I realize that might be just too tempting. Why not accompany the read with a listen on the Spotify playlist we’ve created at tinyurl.com/5cu2t2bz ?
Let me know what you think of the winning choice when you get there: My email address is at the front of the mag. After all, this is a debate that will never end. With so much great bass playing being recorded every single day around the world, how could it?
100 DOWNPRESSOR MAN
Peter Tosh, 1977
Bassist Robbie Shakespeare
The sadly late Robbie rocked the world of reggae and beyond: Check out this elegant line for a reminder that reggae bass can be subtle as well as thunderous—and who would have thought of playing this part on a Hofner violin bass?
99 FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS
Metallica, 1984
Bassist Cliff Burton
The great Cliff also appears much higher on this list: In defiance of our ‘one song per bassist’ rule, the Metallica fans among you voted this song in via the poll’s Other category. Check out his famous overdriven solo in the intro.
98 BIG MAN ON MULBERRY STREET
Billy Joel, 1986
Bassist Ron Carter
This song helped to sustain the Piano Man’s career in the mulleted mid-Eighties, even lending its title to an episode of Moonlighting. The great Ron Carter supplied upright bass, but we suspect that a lot of otherwise very Carter-loyal people aren’t aware of that fact—which we think explains its unusually lowly position on this list.
97 JUST MY IMAGINATION (RUNNING AWAY WITH ME)
Temptations, 1971
Bassist Carol Kaye
In a career packed full of world-class bass performances, the great Carol Kaye delivered many a line as slick as this one—but rarely one as emotional. Listen how she perfectly gauges the rests and passing notes to suit the sentiments of the song.
PLAYING TIP
Ms Kaye used a Fender Precision on this song for a warm tone. Roll off your mids and top end, but pick with commitment so that the notes have a little edge. Her tone has become a staple of bass culture for a reason.
96 THE GHETTO
Donny Hathaway, 1969
Bassist Marshall Hawkins
Across almost seven minutes of this heartfelt ballad, Marshall Hawkins anchors the music with a sleek but thoughtful line, full of questioning fills... and his tone is to die for, too.
95 THE REAL ME
The Who, 1973
Bassist John Entwistle
Not so much a song as an opportunity for John Entwistle to play high-register fills, this showcase for the late Ox also features his own brand of walking line at various points throughout. We’d all love to play like this if our bands would let us.
94 BETTER GIT IT IN YOUR SOUL
Charles Mingus, 1959
Bassist Charles Mingus
Leading off the immortal Mingus Ah Um LP, this composition is raucous but emotional, busy but focused, with the supposed Angry Man Of Jazz on audibly playful form.
93 COME DOWN
Anderson .Paak, 2016
Bassist Brian Cockerham
You heard this song all through 2016 whether you know it or not, and that bass-line—tickling your brain with its repeated three-note tail—is its finest feature.
92 EXPRESS YOURSELF
Charles Wright And The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, 1973
Bassist Melvin Dunlap
Melvin Dunlap probably never thought that two decades after he laid down the unforgettably hooky bass-line for the original ‘Express Yourself’, the line would become the mainstay of a gangsta rap anthem. On the original version, Dunlap’s bass part was echoed by a guitar, but when the rappers NWA sampled the bass-line and made it the center of a new song, also called ‘Express Yourself’, they dropped the guitar part and amped up the bass-line, a joyous Jackson 5-style mid-ranger.
91 SCOOP
Marcus Miller, 1993
Bassist Marcus Miller
Sure, the percussion and synths of this song may sound a little dated now, but for a slap-bass workout, you need look no further. Sub-bass also abounds in this monster showcase for Miller.
90 GOT THE TIME
Joe Jackson, 1979
Bassist Graham Maby
Neither new wave nor power-pop, but possessing elements of both, Joe Jackson’s music was never slicker than this song—and the bass intro makes it irresistible. Anthrax recorded a beefed-up cover in 1990, with that bass tone given tons of clank by Frank Bello.
89 TWO FOOLS A MINUTE
David Lee Roth, 1988
Bassist Billy Sheehan
Ex-Van Halen singer Roth released his understated second solo album,, to a muted response, but dig deep and you’ll find some of the very best of Billy Sheehan’s playing. Towards the end of this song, he delivers a truly mesmerizing solo that goes all the way to the upper register and beyond. We’re sure he’s fretting on the neck pickup at one point.
