Pop radio is full of songs where the bass line is the focal point. Pink Floyd’s “Money.” Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.”
But then there are the songs where a great bass line is happy to take a back seat to the other elements of the arrangement.
This article celebrates some well-known songs with surprisingly busy, funky, or unusual bass lines that play a supporting role rather than taking the spotlight themselves. You may already be familiar with these songs, but trust us: checking out the clips and tuning into the bass will give you a new appreciation for the players behind the scenes.
- #1: “Rio” by Duran Duran (1982)
- #2: “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” by R.E.M. (1994)
- #3: “It’s My Life” by Talk Talk (1984)
- #4: “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)” by Elton John (1972)
- #5: “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf (1968)
- #6: “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper (1983)
- #7: “Therefore I Am” by Billie Eilish (2021)
- #8: “California Gurls” by Katy Perry Featuring Snoop Dogg (2010)
- #9: “When We Were Young” by Adele (2015)
- #10: “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus (1992)
- #11: “Hard Times” by Paramore (2017)
- #12: “No Such Thing” by John Mayer (2001)
- #13: “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles (2020)
- #14: “Interstate Love Song” by Stone Temple Pilots (1994)
#1: “Rio” by Duran Duran (1982)
A full-body workout from intro to outro!
1982’s “Rio” may have the appearance of an easy-listening synth romp for road trips in the sunshine. But not for bassist John Taylor. Taylor starts this one at “11” and keeps it chugging all the way to the end. Not even the pop-radio choruses [1:02] or down-tempo bridge [2:41] hold the promise of rest for poor Taylor. The syncopated, offbeat 16ths and muted ghost notes continue for nearly the full duration of the five-minute unabridged album cut. It’s a bass line so funky, it makes us wonder: How did we ever miss it?
#2: “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” by R.E.M. (1994)
Not a dull measure in the whole number
Those ’90s slackers with their poor posture, untidy clothes, and [checks script] . . . harmonic sensibilities? Bassist Mike Mills slips into R.E.M.’s 1994 megahit at a slow boil, subtly walking behind guitarist Peter Buck’s roaring Mesa Trem-O-Verb for the first 30 seconds of the track. But by the first prechorus [0:30], Mills is christening chord voicings and fleshing out rhythms with high-octave grooves on the D and G strings. From this point forward, not a measure goes by without some tasty chord embellishments or rhythmic enhancement. The effect is so subtle and suitable to the song that you may miss it if you’re not listening closely. “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” bears all the hallmarks of a great rock bass line — one that serves the song first and serves the bassist second.
#3: “It’s My Life” by Talk Talk (1984)
An exercise in excess
Sure, the opening bass groove in 1984’s “It’s My Life” is funky enough. But what gets us is how the flurry of driven eighth notes, thick as ’80s mascara, tucks so neatly under the yearning vocals and soaring synths of the prechorus [0:50] and chorus [1:06]. The bass line is essentially an A natural minor scale rounding out the shapes of the chords. But bassist Paul Webb’s use of melody and movement keeps the groove flowing in a way that would be sorely missed with a more conservative part.
#4: “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)” by Elton John (1972)
Rhythm and melody wrapped into one
Dee Murray’s work in 1972’s chart-topping rock ballad “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)” is a great example of how the bass can be both a rhythmic and ornamental instrument. Everything Murray plays elevates the isolated emotion of the song. Take the smooth, synth-like precision triplets at the tune’s opener [0:28]. The relaxed but tasteful groove during the chorus [0:56]. The dynamic bass lift of the “I’m a rocket man” refrain [1:10] as the slide guitars and backing vocals blast off into orbit. It’s masterfully executed and quite unlike most pop-radio bass lines of the era.
#5: “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf (1968)
Bass grooves to get your motor running
If you love box patterns, then bassist Rushton Moreve’s tasty pentatonic licks in 1968’s “Born to Be Wild” are sure to get your motor turning. Moreve’s experience as an LA session bassist shines on this track; his grooves pour gas on the tri-cylinder transverse engine of John Kay’s gravely vocals, Michael Monarch’s razor-sharp guitar scratch, and Goldy McJohn’s howling B3 organ. Sure — Moreve’s bass line could be considered undermixed by modern standards. But even if mixed more prominently, the bass never upstages the more focal elements of the song.
#6: “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper (1983)
Synth bass: more fun on a bass guitar!
With the explosion of vocals and guitars at the chorus [1:07] of Cyndi Lauper’s breakaway 1983 ballad, “Time After Time,” it can be easy to overlook Rob Hyman’s tasteful Prophet synth popping in and out of the track. But upon repeat listens, it’s clear that the hook wouldn’t have nearly the same impact without the support of Hyman’s instrumentation. The bass line itself is built around an ascending C major scale and has just enough movement, especially in the A-minor-triad arpeggio, to keep things interesting. And, yes, since you asked — it does translate super well to an electric bass.
#7: “Therefore I Am” by Billie Eilish (2021)
A groove to knock the gloss off your high frets
Billie Eilish’s 2021 follow-up to 2019’s massively successful When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? kicks off with more of a Gorillaz-esque creeper than an all-out banger. However, “Therefore I Am” is packed with some seriously fun instrumentation, courtesy of über-producer and master songwriter, FINNEAS. The bass line centers around a 4-bar D minor to A major groove, and to play it on a bass guitar in 10th fret position is seriously infectious. It’s hard to tell if the recorded track is an enhanced bass guitar or a synth bass, but we’d bet money FINNEAS wrote it with a bass guitar in hand — most likely one of his prized Mustang Basses.
#8: “California Gurls” by Katy Perry Featuring Snoop Dogg (2010)
Set sail for slap-and-pop paradise!
Ask a random fan to recall what they remember from 2010’s over-the-top party anthem “California Gurls,” and you’re likely to get a variety of answers. But listen back with fresh ears, and you may just catch glimmers of an offbeat slap-and-pop bass groove teased during the verse [0:23] and rising with the song’s hook [0:53]. Its 2-bar ostinato, based on an ascending F major scale, is simple and easy to miss, but it adds such a fun vibe to the song’s party atmosphere that the song wouldn’t feel the same without it — even when your ears don’t actively lock onto it.
#9: “When We Were Young” by Adele (2015)
First-take mojo immortalized
You’d be forgiven for missing the lion’s share of instrumentation in Adele’s haunting 2015 vocal ballad, “When We Were Young.” That’s how good the vocal is. A closer look reveals a velvety bass line written and performed by Gus Seyffert. This first-take keeper was reportedly performed on a ’73 Mustang Bass strung with seriously aged La Bella flatwounds. It was meant to be kept as a guide track only, but producer Ariel Rechtshaid liked the authenticity and melancholy of the first take so much that he kept it. Smart move.
#10: “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus (1992)
A tiptoe through the two licks
If you lived south of the Mason-Dixon in the early ’90s, then you may recall a sudden uptick in bi-level haircuts and coordinated line dancing. The catalyst? 1992’s “Achy Breaky Heart.” This rock-country honky-tonk took the listening world by storm in bowling alleys and food courts across the nation. Driving it all was the steady hand of bassist Corky Holbrook. Holbrook’s bouncy bass line consists of alternating eighth-note patterns in A and E major, with a quick chromatic turnaround lick joining the two. That’s pretty much the whole song. It may sound easy once you learn the patterns, but Holbrook had a hand in influencing what a catchy country bass line would look like for decades to come: dancy, splashy, and with a dash of that classic country root-fifth architecture.
#11: “Hard Times” by Paramore (2017)
A hyperactive bass groove that can’t sit still
Paramore’s 2017 single, “Hard Times,” continues the trend of bass lines laying back for establishing sections and kicking into hyperdrive for the choruses. Producer and sit-in bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen holds down a capable eighth-note groove for the song’s intro [0:08] and verse [0:16] before striding into a full 16th-note gallop for the hook [0:34]. Meldal-Johnsen’s bass line draws on disco/New Wave octaves and chromatics to brighten up the four-on-the-floor groove with returning drummer Zac Farro. It’s a trick right out of Blondie’s playbook, and for a song like this, it really keeps the chorus from stagnating.
#12: “No Such Thing” by John Mayer (2001)
Bassist Dave LaBruyere cuts loose!
Longtime John Mayer bassist Dave “DeLa” LaBruyere launches into a full-on sprint straight out of the gate in Mayer’s debut 2001 hit, “No Such Thing.” What may be considered a solo in other hands turns into the thrilling race to the end in DeLa’s. How did we not notice this in the early 2000s? Maybe we were all too preoccupied with getting Punk’d. DeLa’s bass line remains a masterclass in how even a high-strung and forward-mixed bass part can remain behind the scenes with the right touch. Well done!
#13: “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles (2020)
This smoove, syncopated groove will test your timing
The Twenties has seen a return to the electric bass for several major pop songs. Take 2020’s soul-inspired slow jam, “Watermelon Sugar,” featuring session icon, Pino Palladino. The song’s D Dorian bass groove [0:51] — which could be mistaken for A minor if not for the tune’s melodic center — frequently makes use of quick, pickup 16th-note phrases across the three bottom strings. On the record, it gives the post–a capella sections a sense of lift and urgency. Believe us: learning this groove for the live environment will challenge both your fretting and picking hands.
#14: “Interstate Love Song” by Stone Temple Pilots (1994)
Fills out without stepping on
We know. A funky Robert DeLeo bass line. And water is wet, right? What makes the bass line to 1994’s “Interstate Love Song” so memorable is how funky it gets without stepping on the vocal or guitar licks. Listen to how masterfully DeLeo fills out the descending lament bass (chromatic progression from C-sharp minor to A major) throughout the verses [0:34] and then leans into roots for the choruses [1:20]. The bass may have less prominence than other parts in the mix, but the song would lose a good deal of its momentum with a more prescribed bass line.
When It Comes to Bass, “Busy” Is a State of Mind
We hope this article has challenged you to look for cool bass lines in unexpected places. It’s also a reminder to us all that “busy” isn’t always something to avoid; sometimes, it’s just what a song needs. Do you love talking bass, music, and gear as much as we do? Hit up your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 or continue the conversation with us on social!