Sometimes, the best compliment you can get as a bass player is not being noticed. These bass lines are the exception. A bass player’s job is to lock in with the drummer and provide the bottom end. Some players enhance the pocket. Some soften it. That stuff is all technical. The bottom line is (get it?), does it make you want to dance? Let’s take a look at these seven iconic bass lines that helped create classic rock back in the ’70s. They’re listed in chronological order.
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1. “Peace Frog” by The Doors, bass by Ray Neapolitan
When The Doors performed live, keyboardist Ray Manzarek provided the bass parts with a Fender Rhodes piano keyboard bass. Different session musicians were brought into the recording studio to provide the low end. Ray Neapolitan was on board for “Peace Frog” from the 1970 album Morrison Hotel.
When the surviving musicians reunited in 2021 for the Morrison Hotel Classic Albums documentary, drummer John Densmore shared that “Peace Frog” was The Doors’ version of a James Brown song. Densmore, Neapolitan, and guitarist Robbie Krieger played a bit of the song.
Krieger told Neapolitan, “It’s a great line. I would never have come up with that.” Neapolitan would later work with Barbra Streisand and John Sebastian of the Lovin’ Spoonful.
2. “Roundabout” by Yes, bass by Chris Squire
When Yes released Fragile in 1972, a shortened version of “Roundabout” was released and became a hit. Bassist Chris Squire layered his bass line. He overdubbed the identical line playing Steve Howe’s Gibson ES-150 guitar. Keyboardist Rick Wakeman also mimicked the bass line with his left hand on a Hammond C-3 organ. The result is a sinister bottom end that drives the song. The song is a Scottish reel with a light-hearted jig quality. The juxtaposition of the dark, menacing bass line gives the song depth and mystery.
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3. “Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou Reed, bass by Herbie Flowers
The only upright bassist on our list, Herbie Flowers, also overdubbed a fretless Fender Jazz bass on the track. Descending and ascending portamento lines give this 1972 classic its iconic backbone. David Bowie, who produced the track along with Mick Ronson, contributed acoustic guitar. Flowers played with a who’s who of rock ‘n’ rollers, including Elton John, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Al Kooper, Harry Nilsson, Cat Stevens, and Bryan Ferry. He was also a member of T. Rex until Marc Bolan died in 1977.
4. “Money” by Pink Floyd, bass by Roger Waters
The lead single from one of the biggest-selling albums of all time, “Money,” begins with the tape loop of monetary sound effects followed by the earworm bass line in 7/4 time. Roger Waters wrote the 1973 hit and composed that bass line.
Guitarist David Gilmour discussed it in Guitar World in 1993. “It’s Roger’s riff. Roger came in with the verses and lyrics for ‘Money’ more or less completed. And we just made up middle sections, guitar solos, and all that stuff. We also invented some new riffs. We created a 4/4 progression for the guitar solo and made the poor saxophone player play in 7/4. It was my idea to break down and become dry and empty for the second chorus of the solo.”
5. “The Real Me” by The Who, bass by John Entwistle
Quadrophenia by The Who was released in 1973. When they released the soundtrack for the film of the same name in 1979, the song was re-recorded. Bassist John Entwistle claimed he was joking as he first overdubbed the bass in one take in 1973. The band loved it, and it remained on the recording. The latter version is similar to the one he did in jest. Entwistle often played “lead bass,” and this song is a good example of that approach. The Ox, as he was known, had his own style.
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6. “Good Times” by Chic, bass by Bernard Edwards
The iconic bass line by Bernard Edwards gives “Good Times” its drive. The song was a smash, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1979. The backing track was recreated and used as the basis of “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugar Hill Gang and inspired the John Deacon bass line in “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen. It was also used by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five on their hit “…On the Wheels of Steel” in 1982.
Edwards also worked with Diana Ross, Sister Sledge, Debbie Harry, Johnny Mathis, and Madonna. Edwards later produced the supergroup The Power Station with Robert Palmer and members of Duran Duran.
7. “London Calling” by The Clash, bass by Paul Simonon
Barely making the 1970s cut, “London Calling” was released in December 1979. Bassist Paul Simonon was new to the instrument when he joined the band a few years before. The evolution of his bass playing was impressive, and you can feel the confidence in this particular track.
Simonon told Mojo magazine, “We started hanging out, and Mick taught me to play bass. I would play along with reggae records and the Ramones when it came out.”
Simonon famously smashed his white Fender Precision bass onstage as it was captured forever by photographer Pennie Smith and immortalized on the album cover. He told Fender in 2011, “I was sort of annoyed that the bouncers wouldn’t let the audience stand up out of their chairs. So that frustrated me to the point that I destroyed this bass guitar. Unfortunately, you always sort of tend to destroy the things you love. I wasn’t takin’ it out on the bass guitar because there was nothing wrong with it.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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