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    Paul's Bass Playing

    NOT SUCH A BAD BOY
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    • A
      admin last edited by

      Earlier I was trying to think of Paul's songs that best exemplified his superior bass playing. There were a few that came to mind (Let Me Roll It, Come Together). I thought it would be a good topic. What are his best bass playing songs? In terms of difficulty & creativity. Also I remember reading somewhere in an interview about one of the Beatles songs that he wrote a very difficult bass line for. He never intended to play it live so he made it very intricate. What was it?

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      • G
        Greenmetalsuit last edited by

        I don't know. 'Sgt. Pepper' as a quick guess.

        If I had some more time to spend, then I guess I'd be with you my friend.

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        • A
          Ammar last edited by

          Paul talent and creativity in Bass is something no musician can ignore! not even John Lennon who used to minimize any creativity by Paul. Most of the world best Bass players look at Paul bass playing in very respectful way to learn from melodically and technically. take a look at any Beatles great song that Paul was not the main writer and you will see how much the bass line was effective: - Dear Prudence, Come Together, Something, While My Guitar Gently weeps, Hey Bulldog, Taxman, Nowhere Man, Lucy in the sky... Examples of Beatles songs written by Paul with great Bass lines: I saw her Standing there, All My Loving, Penny Lane, Example's of Paul's solo songs with great Bass: Goodnight Tonight, Silly Love Songs, Coming up (live), From A lover to A friend, Take it Away...

          Love is all you need

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          • Bruce M.
            Bruce M. last edited by

            Ammar:

            Paul talent and creativity in Bass is something no musician can ignore! not even John Lennon who used to minimize any creativity by Paul. Most of the world best Bass players look at Paul bass playing in very respectful way to learn from melodically and technically. take a look at any Beatles great song that Paul was not the main writer and you will see how much the bass line was effective: - Dear Prudence, Come Together, Something, While My Guitar Gently weeps, Hey Bulldog, Taxman, Nowhere Man, Lucy in the sky... Examples of Beatles songs written by Paul with great Bass lines: I saw her Standing there, All My Loving, Penny Lane, Example's of Paul's solo songs with great Bass: Goodnight Tonight, Silly Love Songs, Coming up (live), From A lover to A friend, Take it Away...

            There are lots and lots of others, of course. "She's Given Up Talking" comes immediately to mind. Paul's base sound so sinister, it's just perfect.

            "The only true patriotism, the only rational patriotism is loyalty to the nation all the time, loyalty to government when it deserves it."

            \--Mark Twain

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            • A
              admin last edited by

              I'm not a musician but I think his bass playing innovative and perfect. Sometimes when I listen to his (and Beatles) songs, I just focus on the bass part.

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              • Nancy R
                Nancy R last edited by

                Wings "Time To Hide" !!!

                Omni, Atlanta, GA May 18, 1976, Feb. 17, 1990

                GA Dome, Atlanta, GA May 1, 1993

                Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA May 12, 2002

                FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN May 26, 2013

                Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA Oct. 15, 2014

                Infinite Energy Center, Duluth, GA July 13, 2017

                Bon Secours Arena, Greenville, SC May 30, 2019

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                • LetMeRollIt89
                  LetMeRollIt89 last edited by

                  I am a bass player solely because of Paul McCartney. I like the intricate and busy ones, but even some of the simpler, melodic ones come to mind. I love what he did with the Rickenbacker, especially. Some of my favorite basslines include: Silly Love Songs, Goodnight Tonight, Coming Up, With a Little Help From My Friends, All My Loving, Rain, Hey Bulldog, Penny Lane, Letting Go (WOA live), Something, Day Tripper, Spirits of Ancient Egypt (WOA live), and on and on and on...

                  "And your inspiration long may it last..."

                  5/31/22 - Knoxville

                  7/26/17 - Tinley Park

                  7/25/17 - Tinley Park

                  8/14/14 - San Francisco

                  7/9/14 - Chicago

                  7/16/13 - Milwaukee

                  7/14/13 - Indianapolis

                  5/26/13 - Memphis

                  11/11/12 - St. Louis

                  7/31/11 - Chicago

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                  • Sgt._Pepper
                    Sgt._Pepper last edited by

                    I really Paul's bass playing on "The Word,"Rain" and Taxman" just to name a few!

                    '02- L.A.'10- L.A., S.F.'11- NYC'12- Vancouver'13- Seattle, JKL'14- L.A., Phoenix, S.F., San Diego'15- Lollapalooza'16- Fresno, Desert Trip (x2)'17- Syracuse, Uniondale (Night 2)'19- San Diego, L.A. '22- Spokane, Seattle (Night 1), L.A.

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                    • A
                      Ammar last edited by

                      jessiemillano:

                      I'm not a musician but I think his bass playing innovative and perfect. Sometimes when I listen to his (and Beatles) songs, I just focus on the bass part.

                      you should consider being a musician, you got (the ear), that's really important. and this is how musicians enjoy listening to a song, hearing every detail of a track.

                      Love is all you need

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                      • I
                        Iowa Hawkeye Beatlefan last edited by

                        So many...but "Rain" certainly stands out besides those already mentioned.

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                        • beatlesfanrandy
                          beatlesfanrandy last edited by

                          Paperback Writer is one of his best. Also Dear Prudence. Dig A Pony is good too. Ah, so many...they always used to put down the Beatles' musicianship saying there were better drummers and guitarists, and it's true. But when it comes to bass guitar, imo, there's no one better. Paul is the MAN!

                          Wings Over America - Cow Palace SF - June 1976. New World Tour - Anaheim Stadium - 4/17/93. Driving USA - Oakland Arena - 4/1/2002. US Tour - HP Pavilion - San Jose - 11/08/05. An Evening with Paul McCartney - The Joint at Hard Rock - Las Vegas - 4/19/09. Up & Coming Tour - Hollywood Bowl - 3/31/10. Walk of Fame Star Presentation - Hollywood - Feb. 2012. CBS-TV taping - The Night That Changed America (with Ringo!)  - L.A. Convention Center - Jan. 2014. Out There Tour -Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles - Aug. '14 and Petco Park - San Diego - Sept. '14. Petco Park - San Diego - June 2019.  Got Back Tour - SoFi Stadium - Los Angeles - May 2022

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                          • nowords
                            nowords last edited by

                            nigel.thrillington:

                            Earlier I was trying to think of Paul's songs that best exemplified his superior bass playing. There were a few that came to mind (Let Me Roll It, Come Together). I thought it would be a good topic. What are his best bass playing songs? In terms of difficulty & creativity. Also I remember reading somewhere in an interview about one of the Beatles songs that he wrote a very difficult bass line for. He never intended to play it live so he made it very intricate. What was it?

                            the bass line in Silly Love Songs is fantastic

                            "All those moments will be lost... like tears in rain"

                            Twitter @gaggyboot


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                            • beatlesfanrandy
                              beatlesfanrandy last edited by

                              nigel.thrillington:

                              Also I remember reading somewhere in an interview about one of the Beatles songs that he wrote a very difficult bass line for. He never intended to play it live so he made it very intricate. What was it?

                              I believe it was Fixing A Hole. He played it on the '93 New World Tour, but they had trouble getting it to sound right. I don't think he's played it with a full band since.

                              Wings Over America - Cow Palace SF - June 1976. New World Tour - Anaheim Stadium - 4/17/93. Driving USA - Oakland Arena - 4/1/2002. US Tour - HP Pavilion - San Jose - 11/08/05. An Evening with Paul McCartney - The Joint at Hard Rock - Las Vegas - 4/19/09. Up & Coming Tour - Hollywood Bowl - 3/31/10. Walk of Fame Star Presentation - Hollywood - Feb. 2012. CBS-TV taping - The Night That Changed America (with Ringo!)  - L.A. Convention Center - Jan. 2014. Out There Tour -Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles - Aug. '14 and Petco Park - San Diego - Sept. '14. Petco Park - San Diego - June 2019.  Got Back Tour - SoFi Stadium - Los Angeles - May 2022

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                              • A
                                admin last edited by

                                nigel.thrillington:

                                Earlier I was trying to think of Paul's songs that best exemplified his superior bass playing. There were a few that came to mind (Let Me Roll It...) ...

                                Paul McCartney has come up with the most infectious bass-lines of all time. "Let Me Roll It" is not one of them. Not slamming the song at all, but this song's merits are more in the overall track and its guitar-riff.

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                                • oobu24
                                  oobu24 last edited by

                                  beatlesfanrandy:

                                  nigel.thrillington:

                                  Also I remember reading somewhere in an interview about one of the Beatles songs that he wrote a very difficult bass line for. He never intended to play it live so he made it very intricate. What was it?

                                  I believe it was Fixing A Hole. He played it on the '93 New World Tour, but they had trouble getting it to sound right. I don't think he's played it with a full band since.

                                  I thought it was a different one. Didn't he just say that kind of recently? About not intending to play it live?

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                                  • LetMeRollIt89
                                    LetMeRollIt89 last edited by

                                    oobu24:

                                    beatlesfanrandy:

                                    nigel.thrillington:

                                    Also I remember reading somewhere in an interview about one of the Beatles songs that he wrote a very difficult bass line for. He never intended to play it live so he made it very intricate. What was it?

                                    I believe it was Fixing A Hole. He played it on the '93 New World Tour, but they had trouble getting it to sound right. I don't think he's played it with a full band since.

                                    I thought it was a different one. Didn't he just say that kind of recently? About not intending to play it live?

                                    Are you thinking of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"? He mentioned in an interview last year that a lot of fans request that song, but the timing and arrangement was a bit difficult for playing live.

                                    "And your inspiration long may it last..."

                                    5/31/22 - Knoxville

                                    7/26/17 - Tinley Park

                                    7/25/17 - Tinley Park

                                    8/14/14 - San Francisco

                                    7/9/14 - Chicago

                                    7/16/13 - Milwaukee

                                    7/14/13 - Indianapolis

                                    5/26/13 - Memphis

                                    11/11/12 - St. Louis

                                    7/31/11 - Chicago

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                                    • oobu24
                                      oobu24 last edited by

                                      LetMeRollIt89:

                                      oobu24:

                                      beatlesfanrandy:

                                      nigel.thrillington:

                                      Also I remember reading somewhere in an interview about one of the Beatles songs that he wrote a very difficult bass line for. He never intended to play it live so he made it very intricate. What was it?

                                      I believe it was Fixing A Hole. He played it on the '93 New World Tour, but they had trouble getting it to sound right. I don't think he's played it with a full band since.

                                      I thought it was a different one. Didn't he just say that kind of recently? About not intending to play it live?

                                      Are you thinking of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"? He mentioned in an interview last year that a lot of fans request that song, but the timing and arrangement was a bit difficult for playing live.

                                      That could be it.

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                                      • beatlesfanrandy
                                        beatlesfanrandy last edited by

                                        oobu24:

                                        LetMeRollIt89:

                                        oobu24:

                                        beatlesfanrandy:

                                        nigel.thrillington:

                                        Also I remember reading somewhere in an interview about one of the Beatles songs that he wrote a very difficult bass line for. He never intended to play it live so he made it very intricate. What was it?

                                        I believe it was Fixing A Hole. He played it on the '93 New World Tour, but they had trouble getting it to sound right. I don't think he's played it with a full band since.

                                        I thought it was a different one. Didn't he just say that kind of recently? About not intending to play it live?

                                        Are you thinking of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"? He mentioned in an interview last year that a lot of fans request that song, but the timing and arrangement was a bit difficult for playing live.

                                        That could be it.

                                        That's not a Beatles' song. I thought it was Fixing A Hole. Maybe not.

                                        Wings Over America - Cow Palace SF - June 1976. New World Tour - Anaheim Stadium - 4/17/93. Driving USA - Oakland Arena - 4/1/2002. US Tour - HP Pavilion - San Jose - 11/08/05. An Evening with Paul McCartney - The Joint at Hard Rock - Las Vegas - 4/19/09. Up & Coming Tour - Hollywood Bowl - 3/31/10. Walk of Fame Star Presentation - Hollywood - Feb. 2012. CBS-TV taping - The Night That Changed America (with Ringo!)  - L.A. Convention Center - Jan. 2014. Out There Tour -Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles - Aug. '14 and Petco Park - San Diego - Sept. '14. Petco Park - San Diego - June 2019.  Got Back Tour - SoFi Stadium - Los Angeles - May 2022

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                                        • A
                                          admin last edited by

                                          The bass-line for "Fixing A Hole" -- while melodious and outstanding -- is not difficult to play. At all.

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                                          • A
                                            admin last edited by

                                            audi:

                                            nigel.thrillington:

                                            Earlier I was trying to think of Paul's songs that best exemplified his superior bass playing. There were a few that came to mind (Let Me Roll It...) ...

                                            Paul McCartney has come up with the most infectious bass-lines of all time. "Let Me Roll It" is not one of them. Not slamming the song at all, but this song's merits are more in the overall track and its guitar-riff.

                                            I know he plays guitar in the more recent live versions, but on the original recording, the bass has a bigger presence than his newer live performances. The rift still has the biggest role in the song, and it isn't an intricate bass line, but it carrys the song. You can hear it best in WOA, I guess that's the version that I was thinking of, because it's much more existent. Good ol' Rickenbacker.

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