What is the most famous bass line? Can be from a song, movie, TV series, national anthem, Mozart . . . whatever.

Let's exclude lines played by bass and guitar together (ie, Sunshine Of Your Love or Whole Lotta Love).

My candidates:

These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (1966) sung by Nancy Sinatra, double bass played by Chuck Berghofer (Carol Kaye played bass guitar on the track, but not the famous bass line)

My Girl 1964 by The Temptations. The track was recorded by the Motown "Funk Brothers" so the bass guitar player was probably James Jamerson.

Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys - Carol Kaye played bass guitar on the recording.

The main theme from Beethoven's 5th Symphony.

You said no bass and guitar not bass and entire orchestra.

A few maybe lesser-known great bass lines. You didn't say it had to be world-famous.

"Closer to Home" by Grand Funk Railroad

"The Emerald" or "Cowboy Song" by Thin Lizzy

"Green Grass and High Tides Forever" or "There Goes Another Love Song" by the Outlaws

"Rock and Roll All Night" by Kiss

Just to add fuel to the fire.............

Walking On The Moon--The Police

How about the "Barney Miller" theme?

and Seinfeld (even though it's not played on a bass)

How about Green Onion or the bassline from the Peter Gunn Theme? How about Lou Reed's Take a Walk on the Wild Side.

Another One Bites The Dust

Lee Dorman's opening riff on "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida."

John Entwhitle's line in "My Generation."

Berry Oakley's opening riff in "Whipping Post"

Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed

"Come Together"

Prince - Kiss

Sweet Emotion -Aerosmith
Boris the Spider -Who
Under Pressure -Queen
Money -Pink Floyd
Mario Brothers theme
Stand By Me

Chic - "good times".

Sample used for "Rappers Delight" by the Sugarhill gang.

And of course the classic scene in the Wedding Singer.

Feel like its been a while since i have posted.

Hows things everybody?

Alannah Myles - Black Velvet

Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure

Melissa Etheridge - The Way I Do

Tally Banner & The Suicide Bombers

I don't know how 'famous' they are, but my candidates (aside of many that have been mentioned)

The theme from Law & Order SVU
One of These Days- Pink Floyd
Crazy Little Thing Called Love- Queen
Hey You- Pink Floyd
Most anything by Jaco
Vic Wooten's "Amazing Grace" using harmonics
Who's Crying Now- Journey
Come Together- the Beatles
Wouldn't Want to Be Like You- Alan Parsons Project
Stayin' Alive- BeeGees

Those are some that came to me. There are more, but this is a good start

There are some pretty off-the-wall suggestions in some of the posts.

How about a song that someone who is not a musician and certainly not a bass player will recognize immediately from the bass line?

Come Together is certainly one of those.

I was going to say Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman", but if I remember correctly that was guitar and bass.

How about the Beatles' "Day Tripper"? People definitely recognize that one from the bassline.

Definately the Peter Gunn theme.

When Doves Cry - Prince

Papa Was A Rolling Stone - The Temptations
Silly Love Songs - Wings
The Real Me - The Who

+1
Those opening 2 notes are just magic.

Probably mentioned a few times, Queen - "Under Pressure"

Good criterion for selection. My thoughts, including some already mentioned. In no particular order, at that.

"Money" by Pink Floyd
"I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5
"Walking on the Moon" by The Police
"Glide" by Pleasure
"Walk on the Wildside" by Lou Reed ("Can I Kick It? Yes, you can...")
"Good Times" by Chic
"Express Yourself" by Charles Watts et all
"So What" by Miles Davis

Peace.
--s to the u to the u

Wise ass. There's no bass on that song. Nice try.

Another Brick in the Wall P.2

Dreams- Fleetwood Mac (I think it would be recognizeable to a non- bass player. If not, "The Chain" most likely would.)

Come as you are- Nirvana ( I've played it while noodling and people recognize it)

Among other things, I am the OP.

Lots of great bass lines posted. I think the problem is how to define "famous". I did mean famous among the general US population. But there is a big generational factor. I am over 60 years old, so I was around for The Peter Gun TV series and Nancy Sinatra, and Money (man, that is great and famous line). But, would someone who is 20 years old today even know any of this music? Isn't this the MP3, Lady GaGa, Britney Spears and Kanye West generation?

If the opening of B's 5th can be called a bass line (and I would argue that it is a bass line that the whole orchestra is playing - read the sheet music), then without doubt it is the most famous ever. I would bet that even Ms Spears knows the 5th (well, maybe not).

I'm sure that Ms. Spears has both drunk a fifth and taken the fifth on various occasions. She might even have heard Beethoven's Fifth at some time.

I'm 25 and it hurts that those are the first things you equate with my generation. Even if they are some of the most prominent "artists" at the moment. But then, if I wanted to get argumentative I could say "I didn't think anybody from your generation listened to classical music. Wasn't yours the get stoned and screw in the mud generation?"

Michal the Girl - Eyes Wide Open

It's played on a cello, but I think it counts anyway.

Of course. Themes like the Peter Gunn theme have been in lots of cheesy movies and sitcoms for many years. Especially when the plot it has to do with private eyes. Just as George Thorogood's Bad to the Bone is played just about everytime a sitcom character decides to look or act like a tough guy.

Maybe it's more for bass players, but IMO it has to be Jaco's "Continuum"

I'm amazed there's been no mention of "Dazed and confused".

"Linus and Lucy" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio?

I know, it's not just bass, but the bass and piano play the same line.

Randy Bachman talked about famous bass lines on his Vinyl Tap radio program on CBC back in the spring. The shows can be found on the web at:

http://www.cbc.ca/vinyltap/audio.html

Scroll down to the February 28th and March 7th shows

The mud, the street, the trees, the lakes, the airplane restrooms, the restaurant restrooms, the school restrooms, the gas station restrooms, backseats of cars, backseats of motorcycles, under shrubs, on big rocks, swinging from chandeliers, and pretty much anyplace else we could find that wasn't being watched too closely. Be grateful dude, that's how your generation got here, ya know what I mean?

What about Spinal Tap's 'Big Bottom?'

DX

Personally, I hope I was a chandelier baby.

Ask your parents, it should be an interesting evening.
"Let's see, if I recall your mother's leg was like this. Come on honey, let's show the boy. Now imagine, if I was to move too much to this side, my left cheek would obviously get burned by the lava lamp, and if she leaned too far, there'd be bongwater all over the ficus, so I had go like this....Oooo cramp, cramp ow ow...."

"fOR THE lOVE OF mONEY"-Anthony Jackson's bass intro is the bass line.

"Bernadette" Four Tops.

For JEremy C's criteria, "Theme from the Pink PAnther"

Um...that's a sax, dude.

I thought about this tune earlier. As was said earlier, its dificult if you ask bass players what tunes have the most famous bass lines.

The Pink Panther definitley has a famous bass line. Whether or not you would recognise the tune from the bass lineis irrelevant, the tune is not right without the bass line. I've heard the tune carried either by a sax, flute, trumpet or piano, but without the bass line (and the triangle) it's not right.

I think the critera should be widened as most of the tunes mentioned, the bass line is the tune.

Paul Simon's - You Can Call me Al.
Everyone in the UK knows Fleetwood Mac - The Chain but may not know the name as it was the theme tune for Formula 1 racing for a long time.
Come on guys - Brown Eyed Girl!

I'll Take You There by the Staples Singers, although the younger generation may not know it.

It also has one of the most famous bass solos in history.
(Played by David Hood).

Davio - my point was that almost all the bass lines named come from the 60s, 70s or 80s. That might be because most of the posters are over age 30 and, like myself, are not that familiar with music from your generation (under 30).

So, how about some famous bass lines from songs released from 2000 on?

Oh yeah - free love and Woodstock. My generation was the one that got stoned and died in the mud in Viet Nam.

Some more candidates:
> Take Me To The River - the 1978 version by Talking Heads with Tina Weymouth on bass.
> Gin & Juice - Snoop Dogg 1993.

...or maybe its because most of the good bass lines from the mid 90's on are copied from the good bass lines from the 60's 70's and 80's? Or that there just isn't that much in the way of groundbreakingly awesome music coming out these days? (K... 'nuff said don't want to turn this into a completely different discussion)

But if you want more recent, the intro to Pearl Jam's 'Jeremy' comes to mind.

DX

U2's "With or Without You" is about as classic a bass line as they get...

DX

Ok. How about Longview by Greenday.

Every kid who walks in to take lessons knows that one.

Dude, you live in Berkley. Isn't it a law or something for kids in Berkley to know that tune?

How about Give it away (not sure if thats the correct title) by the Chili Peppers.

That is hella correct.

I live 6 blocks from 924 Gilman St and have eaten at Mike Dirnt's restaurant, which is a diner with a punk attitude.
http://www.rudyscantfailcafe.com/

OMG, the hella thing.

When I did a job at a satellite earth station up in Napa, this girl who worked there prefaced everything with "hella". But then, she was hella cool.

Love it.

My son went to college in R.I. and discovered that the kids from California all said "hella" and the kids from New England all said "wicked", with both words meaning approximately the same thing..

Billy Jean?

That's why I like it. You see, I view it as a dollars per note equation. If I play less notes but still get the same pay, I win. Plus, I can get my drank on whilst the other band members are still having to work.

To quote Mavis, "Little David!"

"Black magic woman" into/exit - Santana
I seem to be the only one in the world who thinks this bassline is OK, but everyone else seems to find it amazing.

"Like A Virgin" - Madonna - Ok, it was a synthesizer. But still....

"In the air tonight" - Phil Collins - The monster drum roll towards the end is great, but the bassline has it's own character and phrasing.

"Living on a Prayer" Bon Jovi - My guilty pleasure. So, THERE!

"Pretty Woman" Roy Orbison - Distinctive AND easy to play.

"Billy Jean" Micheal Jackson - Did you ever notice that the first bass note was an octave, not a single note?

I think that the Billie Jean bassline is doubled on a synth.

"Crazy Train" Ozzy Osbourne

"Eye of the Tiger" Survivor

"Slow Ride" Foghat

I honestly have no idea.

lessee...

U2 New Years Day

Led Z Ramble on

Pretenders My city was gone

Dee Lite Groove is in the heart

Tom Sawyer Rush

Boogie Oogie oogie haha

Pink Floyd Another brick in the Wall

the knack? My Sherona

Aerosmith Sweet Emotion

Gimme Some Lovin'--Spencer Davis Group.

G: - - - - - - -
D: 5 5 5 5 5 - -
A: - - - - - - -
E: - - - - - - 3

(yes, I know it was played on a B3 organ).

Not when the Blues Brothers covered it. Then it was Duck.

I Feel Good - James Brown
Midnight Confessions - Grass Roots
The Tighten Up - Archie Bell and the Drells
Ain't That A Groove - James Brown
Funky Broadway - Wilson Pickett
Come Together - The Beatles
I'm A Man - Muddy Waters

what abount Van Morrison - Moondance

As long as we are just listing some personal faves...

Crush-Dave Matthews Band
Come Together-The Beatles
Red Barchetta-Rush
Evil-Interpol

Oh, and pretty much anything Pino Palladino is involved with..

That bassline never repeats and is all over the place with the bassist just walking in key and not worrying about the changes.

If you heard that line without the rest of the song, you'd never know what song it was.

I vote for All Blues.

Except these days, most will recall it as being the bassline from "Ice Ice Baby"

Some of the folks in here get the question, and have offered some great suggestions.

Allow me to throw in:

"Wild Night" - Van Morrison - this one is distinct and unforgettable (and unforgivable the way John Mellenhead butchered it)

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" - Metallica - although lotta folks wouldn't be able to identify the line as an actual bass, it's still a bassline!

I don't think it's been mentioned yet:

Sex Machine - James Brown...iconic much?

Since it is played at major sporting events and therefore exposed to the masses I would think that Another One Bites the Dust could be right at the top.

Wally

Hit me with your rythm stick by Ian D.

The "ice ice baby" reference is so sad...only because its true...and it makes me wanna smack people when they do!!

I can't believe nobody said this one yet: Innagaddadavida - Iron Butterfly!

Page one of this thread, 2nd post from the bottom.

Dancing in the Moonlight - Thin Lizzy

Pump It Up - Elvis Costello

Yes
yes
and yes...

Blue Turk - Alice Cooper (the first one that really grabbed me)
White Wedding - Billy Idol
Brand New Cadillac - The Clash (I know...Vince Taylor)
Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet
Friday - Joe Jackson
Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
Love And Pride - King
My City Was Gone - The Pretenders

I played My City Was Gone in a cover band when the song came out and for the life of me and can't remember the bassline at all.

Cry Like A Baby-The Box Tops

OOPS...missed it.

it goes:

DUN. DUN. do do do Doon.....da Doot, da Doot, da Dooooon..... remember?

How 'bout JPJ on The Lemon Song?
John Entwhistle on The Real Me or My Generation?

Anyone mention the Vince Guaraldi Trio's 'Linus and Lucy'?

Tried to catch up on the posts, but man, this thread is loaded.

If someone posted this already, slap me, but to me, the bass line (and tone) and Perry's voice 'are' the song: Journey - 'Don't Stop Believin'.

Which BTW, I heard said on the radio today, is the most downloaded song to date.

That's an odd song. Our guitarist suggested we play it last year. I couldn't remember it from the 80's, I think it was only a massive hit in the US. It turns out that it was played over the end of the finale of the Sopranos. Which I didn't watch anyway.

That's interesting. The party band I play in just learned it and played it a wedding last week. Everyone on the dance floor sang a long. It's really boring to play.

I don't think this one was mentioned, but I may have missed it. It's another one for us older guys, and is so simple, it was probably one of the first bass lines learned by any kid learning bass in the 60's or 70's, and was the identity of the song: Cream - 'Badge'.

Peace Sells by Megadeth
Knock Me Down By RHCP
Bullet In The Head By RATM
Just Like Heaven By The Cure


Some suggestions. Some cool tunes listed.

My Girl - The Temptations
Only two notes, but everyone knows it when they hear it.

The Jaws theme. Hear those two notes repeating and BAM!

Roundabout by Yes

LOL!!! You made me spray coffee all over. Basterd...

On topic however...

Cream - Sunshine of Your Love
Rush - YYZ

Right on, kenfxj! I knew thaqt I wasn't the only one who loved JJ's Friday. Graham Maby's style is underappreciated and fun as hell. If we're gonna go with famous, we'd have to go with the title cut from the "I'm the Man" album, however.

Glad that someone got around to Roundabout too. Given that sports are multi-generational, I would say that Another One Bites the Dust might be the most famous line of them all.

Last night I was at a party and the dj played She's Not There by the Zombies.

As soon as I heard the opening bassline, I knew what song it was.

(p.s. they had a live band as well...the dj was during the band breaks)

I am the OP.
My thanks to everyone who responded.

Some notes:
1. I think all the famous bass lines were named.
2. A lot of personal favorites, but not really famous, lines were named. But it was fun remembering them.
3. My post did not specify that the bass line had to be played on any particular instrument or be from any specific music genre.
4. IMO, Beethoven's 5th is the most famous bass line, period.

I think we have a winner, and I've been known to pick a few winners in my time.

Hmmm...who mentioned that one?

Probably some lame-o that couldn't wait to be the first to reply. I'm too busy to go back and check who that was though.
Excellent work Mike19, we need more people with your intellect around here.

You're doubled on a synth.


That is all.

"Now here comes the bridge, just like James Brown." -- Doug Pinnick of King's X

Hey, jerkweed, I let it sit for 5 minutes before replying...