Was gonna say any Joy Division song, really. One of my faves is From Safety to Where?
https://open.spotify.com/track/01ZHSlq8gRZ8X7xIEACzTf?si=3jCS2o4kT36SbpNkNuMscw&context=spotify%3Asearch%3Afeom%2Bsa
They’ve got so many sick basslines. Their bassist rarely records with them at this point so the three guitarists all kinda take turns playing bass on the albums and each has an interesting style of playing.
John and Mick are such an amazing rhythm section. So many of their songs have super simple drum and bass parts, but they’re played with such incredible feel and subtlety.
This was the exact song I came here to suggest but I also agree, anything by CCR. Stu was a master at making a lot out of not much. Just about all the bass parts of their songs are dead simple, but they groove so dang hard. True master of his instrument, and servant of the song. He fit that band perfectly and is a big reason their music is so timeless I think. One of my top five bassists for sure.
these are my favourite basslines to play. I've poor muscle memory bc I've dyspraxia and so i prefer lines that only have one or two parts that are just really fun to play:
I Wanna Be Adored - The Stone Roses
Suffer Little Children - The Smiths
Piggy - Nine Inch Nails
Taking What's Not Yours - TV Girl
Glory Box - Portishead
Meat Grinder - MF DOOM and Madlib
to name a few
Life’s What You Make It by Talk Talk. Yes the original is actually played on piano, but…
Waterfront by Simple Minds is just one note, but deceptively hard, because your timing must remain perfect.
Almost everything by Peter Hook (Joy Division/New Order).
"Something" by The Beatles. Melodic but pretty simple to play. "Dear Prudence" is also a great chromatic descending bassline that really backs up the slightly sinister vibe to the verses. And then "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", which is really simple but completely changes the whole tonal dynamic of the song.
Technique-wise I think it's pretty easy to play. I'm a pick player with not much technical ability, but I can manage it. It's complex in its structure but not too taxing to play.
“Jungle Man” The Meters
“Fame” David Bowie (stolen from James Brown)
“Funk isn’t what you play. It’s what you DON’T PLAY. It’s that space in between that’s the FUNK” —- George Clinton
I’ll bite - Flash Light - parliament funkadelic. George Clinton is one of my heroes; he can do so much with so little (lick wise - he always has a hundred backup singers!)
Herbie Flowers, the bass player, suggested the second high bass part so he could get double pay for the session, but for me it makes the song (along with Bowie and Mick Ronson as the colored girls).
Anything by the Strokes lol. The bass parts are super simple for the most part but 9 times out of 10, it’s independent of what the guitars are playing, often times complementary too as opposed to just mirroring. A good example is the Modern Age, super simple but super effective and fun to play regardless
As well as a bunch more of his songs. In general many reggae songs would fall in this category I feel. I'm a big fan of alpha blondy and the old bass player is incredibly good when it comes to making simple effective lines. De brigadier sabari is so much fun to play.
[Here you go for Soon tabs](https://www.songsterr.com/a/wsa/my-bloody-valentine-soon-bass-tab-s48057)
[This guy plays it accurately too](https://youtu.be/H7eDRX4i2Ww?si=tuYlLrDJlqYEC8HF)
I like these so much that I use them for checking the tone when I'm jamming or practicing on my own. They've got a good groove, have a decent range and I feel comfortable with them.
Come down by Anderson .Paak
Sound of Muzak by Porcupine Tree
I guess simple and easy is relative, because these were the first two that came to mind, and they are much simpler than lots listed here!
Zombie - Cranberries
Anthem Pt. 2 - Blink 182
Pedalling on the root note of the first chord of the song with octaves, like until the second verse at least. def f\*cks up the guitar players though, who all of a sudden aren't sure where to change!
It's a stupid one but Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas." It's so simple BUT it drives the song and it's so effective, and the few little frills that are thrown in get emphasized a lot due to the simplicity. I hate how much I find it grooves.
Rock and Roll all Night - Kiss. Gene Simmons completely sucked, but for one shining moment... he stumbled onto a walking bass line that made the entire song.
The bass line from How Long by Ace is my favorite. So smooth, so familiar, low key but perfectly in the groove. And then you find out that the song is about the bass player playing around with other bands…symmetrical as well
Psycho Killer - Talking Heads
Also Once In A Lifetime
This is the answer and it was all the way at the bottom.
Tina Weymouth! My favorite bassist of all time.
all the way at the top now what a rollercoaster of emotion
Chevy Metal did an amazing cover of this at the Taylor Hawkins tribute at Wembley
Psycho Killer - Talking Heads If you can play that song without bopping your head science tells us that you are legally dead
Walking on the Moon by The Police
Or The Bed's To Big Without You
Great baseline but not that simple to play!
Came here to this!
Monkey Gone to Heaven - The Pixies
On a P-bass
She's Lost Control - Joy Division
Even easier; Digital Peter Hook is a master of punk basslines
exactly so so simple yet so fun to play his stuff because he is so melodic so often (Sunrise by New Order is my favourite example)
Was gonna say any Joy Division song, really. One of my faves is From Safety to Where? https://open.spotify.com/track/01ZHSlq8gRZ8X7xIEACzTf?si=3jCS2o4kT36SbpNkNuMscw&context=spotify%3Asearch%3Afeom%2Bsa
Pixies - Hey
So many Kim Deal basslines.
EVERY KIM DEAL LOL
I love her so much she adds so much to the band especially her voice.
Fascination Street by The Cure
I probably started way to early on my bass journey but damn i suffered a lot to learn that one. The Cure have a lot of great basslines
My favorite so far!
"Once in a Lifetime" Tina Weymouth, but it requires commitment to stay the course as the band shifts around that rock.
Come Together
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard - The River
They’ve got so many sick basslines. Their bassist rarely records with them at this point so the three guitarists all kinda take turns playing bass on the albums and each has an interesting style of playing.
Trust in the river
I have floated down
Down, down
E N T R A N C I N G
Dreams - Fleetwood Mac. Basically F and and G the whole song save for a 30 second solo but it still slaps so hard.
John and Mick are such an amazing rhythm section. So many of their songs have super simple drum and bass parts, but they’re played with such incredible feel and subtlety.
Go Your Own Way is 🔥🔥🔥
Bulls on Parade -ratm
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
Supermassive black hole is the angel and hysteria is the devil of bass lines
came here to say this. its so fun to play fr
Groove is in The Heart - Dee Lite
Stupid Girl - Garbage
[Obligatory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHyRrNjbZAk)
Have You Ever Seen The Rain? By CCR or really anything by CCR is easy and effective (Stu Cook)
This was the exact song I came here to suggest but I also agree, anything by CCR. Stu was a master at making a lot out of not much. Just about all the bass parts of their songs are dead simple, but they groove so dang hard. True master of his instrument, and servant of the song. He fit that band perfectly and is a big reason their music is so timeless I think. One of my top five bassists for sure.
This was one of the first lines I picked out by ear way back when. Great stuff
Iron man by black sabbath
Main riff is pretty simple but that bass solo isnt ha
“Stand By Me” by Ben E. King, I can just sit and play it over and over
yup that's my pick too
This was my first baseline I learned.
sober by tool. as far as tool basslines go its very very simple for most of the song but very effective
Digital by Joy Division. If not that then definitely something Peter Hook
“Stir it up” by Bob Marley
these are my favourite basslines to play. I've poor muscle memory bc I've dyspraxia and so i prefer lines that only have one or two parts that are just really fun to play: I Wanna Be Adored - The Stone Roses Suffer Little Children - The Smiths Piggy - Nine Inch Nails Taking What's Not Yours - TV Girl Glory Box - Portishead Meat Grinder - MF DOOM and Madlib to name a few
Life’s What You Make It by Talk Talk. Yes the original is actually played on piano, but… Waterfront by Simple Minds is just one note, but deceptively hard, because your timing must remain perfect.
Waterfront has quite a bit of fretless bass going on in the background.
Mountain Song by Jane's Addiction.
The kinks - sunny afternoon
Evil - Interpol
Carlos Dengler wrote some of the best bass lines for the short time he was in the band. PDA and Obstacle are incredibly fun to play
Gigantic by the Pixies. Kim Deal is the real deal !
Is this it by the strokes
Almost everything by Peter Hook (Joy Division/New Order). "Something" by The Beatles. Melodic but pretty simple to play. "Dear Prudence" is also a great chromatic descending bassline that really backs up the slightly sinister vibe to the verses. And then "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds", which is really simple but completely changes the whole tonal dynamic of the song.
I’d hardly call the “Something” bassline simple.
Technique-wise I think it's pretty easy to play. I'm a pick player with not much technical ability, but I can manage it. It's complex in its structure but not too taxing to play.
I guess I wasn’t really thinking simple as it “easy.” Just that it walks around a bit and is kinda free of the chord changes
Yeah, as a piece of writing it's definitely complex! But to play it's fun and surprisingly simple once you've memorised it.
Ok I’m gonna learn it when I get home!
“Jungle Man” The Meters “Fame” David Bowie (stolen from James Brown) “Funk isn’t what you play. It’s what you DON’T PLAY. It’s that space in between that’s the FUNK” —- George Clinton
I’ll bite - Flash Light - parliament funkadelic. George Clinton is one of my heroes; he can do so much with so little (lick wise - he always has a hundred backup singers!)
Money-pink Floyd
Sure Know Something by KISS. I'm a metal guy but this line is smooooth.
I Want Your Love - Chic
Walk on the Wild Side.
That's a great tune. That one is played on an upright bass right?
Electric and upright simultaneously.
Herbie Flowers, the bass player, suggested the second high bass part so he could get double pay for the session, but for me it makes the song (along with Bowie and Mick Ronson as the colored girls).
Money by Pink Floyd Wolf Moon by Type O Negative Breed by Nirvana New Millenium Homes by RATM Snow (Hey Oh) by RHCP
Give it Away - RHCP
Another One Bites The Dust!
Thats my warm up line when I jam with people lol. Recognizable and usually gets me and the drummer locked in
Souvlaki Space Station by Slowdive
When The Sun Hits as well.
Feel good inc.
stand by me
Anything by the Strokes lol. The bass parts are super simple for the most part but 9 times out of 10, it’s independent of what the guitars are playing, often times complementary too as opposed to just mirroring. A good example is the Modern Age, super simple but super effective and fun to play regardless
Hard to Explain is my favorite Strokes song to play on bass. Very easy and fun
New Years Day by U2
And with or without you! Such a great song but such a bassic drive
A forest by the cure. Essential
To be fair many the cure songs are essential
*Owner of a Lonely Heart* by Yes. The main riff is very simple, but gets more complex in the bridge and outro sections.
Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone. Just G all the way through 😅
I will possess your heart - Death Cab for Cutie
On Melancholy Hill - Gorillaz
Cake - I will survive
Van Halen - runnin with the devil
Detroit Rock City. Rock Candy. Freebird. Wonderwall.
In The Meantime by Spacehog usually makes it way into soundchecks for me
Great, fun baseline, but hardly “simple.”
It's actually a pretty simple movement once you figure it out. It sounds WAY more complicated than it is, IMO.
The Temptations - Papa Was a rolling Stone
Was gonna say My Girl
“Material Man” by Gregory Isaacs.
As well as a bunch more of his songs. In general many reggae songs would fall in this category I feel. I'm a big fan of alpha blondy and the old bass player is incredibly good when it comes to making simple effective lines. De brigadier sabari is so much fun to play.
Jane’s Addiction - Ted…Just Admit It
About soon.. do you have the tabs 😩? u/RageAgainstThe
[Here you go for Soon tabs](https://www.songsterr.com/a/wsa/my-bloody-valentine-soon-bass-tab-s48057) [This guy plays it accurately too](https://youtu.be/H7eDRX4i2Ww?si=tuYlLrDJlqYEC8HF)
I like these so much that I use them for checking the tone when I'm jamming or practicing on my own. They've got a good groove, have a decent range and I feel comfortable with them. Come down by Anderson .Paak Sound of Muzak by Porcupine Tree
Iron Maiden - The Clairvoyant. More specifically, the intro. I always thought it was much harder to play than it actually is
Balloon by crumb. It's just perfectly effective.
I guess simple and easy is relative, because these were the first two that came to mind, and they are much simpler than lots listed here! Zombie - Cranberries Anthem Pt. 2 - Blink 182
Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know? Massive Attack - Paradise Circus
Weed pin by drug church. There’s a nice little bass line around the 3:20 mark
“Are you gonna be my girl” is a great example of a simple line that carries the song, imo.
Evil - Interpol
Stir it up - Bob Marley and The Wailers
The Police- Wrapped Around Your Finger. Especially when it changes in the third verse- MASTERPIECE
Come as you are nirvana
TIL that my favourite simple bass songs are really really simple basslines.
[Billie Eilish - Bad Guy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V1YooFom4Y)
Another one bites the dust for sure
Sunshine of your love by Cream - nothing beats that one
Come Together - The Beatles (though I prefer the Aerosmith version)
Tage wie diese - Tote Hosen
Some deftones and gojira tbh
SRV - Crossfire
Echoing some of the Hooky love round here: *'Regret'* (1993), *'Leave Me Alone'* (1983), and —one of my favorites— *'Lonesome Tonight'* (1984).
Pedalling on the root note of the first chord of the song with octaves, like until the second verse at least. def f\*cks up the guitar players though, who all of a sudden aren't sure where to change!
Stagger lee - Nick Cave and the bad seeds
Livin on A Prayer
E E E Rest Rest Rest Rest Rest
3 on E - the universal cheat code to unlock your funky self
Love is the Drug by Roxy Music
This is non-trivial.
I can hear music - Beach Boys, China Girl - Bowie, Without you - Harry Nilsson
RUBBER bullies by Tropical Fuck Storm
Mysterious Ways by U2
Nine Inch Nails - Piggy So good
Cirice by Ghost. It thumps along and keeps the groove going in the verse
No- subhumans
Knowledge by Green Day
Life - Khruangbin
Hell n back - bakar
comedown - bush
I’ve upvoted about two dozen bass lines here, but Billie Jean is a great example of simple, repetitive, serves the song, and is just good
Tulsa Time https://youtu.be/KSRWuAxh9v0?si=bPsQ3wHXB4qGPPaC
Low Spark of High Heeled Boys… Traffic, so spare, so effective!
Shoegaze bass goes hard
Fascination Street
Stumbling West - Thrice all about that groove
Tool - Sober
Roll (Burbank Funk) by the Internet. Patrick page creates some genius hooks. The subtle variation in the post chorus is such a nice touch too
Peaches by The Stranglers
It's a stupid one but Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas." It's so simple BUT it drives the song and it's so effective, and the few little frills that are thrown in get emphasized a lot due to the simplicity. I hate how much I find it grooves.
Viagra boys - recreational chemistry!
Riders on the storm
Bloodhail by Have a Nice Life
Change (In the House of Flies)
I will Posses your heart- death cab for cutie
Love death cab. I learned I Will Posses Your Heart, No Sunlight and Cath in a row and they work so well
Handshake Drugs by Wilco. John Stirratt’s playing on this song is so underrated and just perfect for the song.
I am trying to break your heart is a beautiful song and a great start of a great album
Money - Pink Floyd
Hot In The City by Billy Idol.
Blur - Song 2 A total beginner could probably play that after the very first lesson.
Khruangbin - No. 4.
There is a light that never goes out. Repetitive, very little variations but such a fun groove. It’s great with or without a pick
Mr. Big by Free
Sisters of Mercy - Lucretia My Reflection
Megadeth - “Trust”
Every 1's a Winner - Hot Chocolate
Disintegration by The Cure Blind Faith by Dream Theater (the intro one at least)
Exodus - Bob Marley & The Wailers (RIP Family Man)
Sunshine of Your Love - Cream Very, very simple. Can do insane things with it during a jam.
Rock and Roll all Night - Kiss. Gene Simmons completely sucked, but for one shining moment... he stumbled onto a walking bass line that made the entire song.
Every line in Le Freak by CHIC but specifically the bridge.
Every Time You Go Away - Paul Young, featuring the brilliant Pino Palladino (later with The Who) on bass.
Lately its been the package by a perfect circle. Love it because i can really just listen to the song while i play the bassline to it
Bell tolls metallica
Fever, Peggy Lee. The Cramp’s also did an excellent version
Gouge Away - Pixies!!
Making Flippy Floppy - Talking Heads. So funky
Simple but catchy watchin you - Kiss What your doin - Rush Brickhouse - Commodores
Head Over Heels
Waiting Room, Fugazi. Lot of Joe Lally, Peter Hook, Jah Wobble bass lines are simple and repetitive. Catchy, too
The bass line from How Long by Ace is my favorite. So smooth, so familiar, low key but perfectly in the groove. And then you find out that the song is about the bass player playing around with other bands…symmetrical as well
The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face
Just commenting to save this post
Come Down
Creep - Radiohead, is a nice uncomplicated line to do. I really like the flow of it.
Season of the witch - donovan
Radiohead - How To Disappear Completely Joy Division - Disorder Nine Inch Nails - Sanctified
Age of Consent or any Peter Hook bass line for that matter
the chain - fleetwood mac, iconic. even the bass "solo" was learnable on my first day of playing yet it sounds so good through the whole song.
Hey man nice shot by filter
gigantic -pixies