Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Another favorite was "This Boy" that song probably had more to do with my playing bass than anything. Mac inspired me to play bass when I was a kid, I had always been a musical kid, playing trumpet and tuba in the school band. Then came guitar and bass. I liked the tuba better than the trumpet and the bass better than guitar, although I still play guitar. (wish I still had a tuba).

This Boy is a great line. I have always loved that one. But there are so many I can't pin a single one as a fave. Rather, his playing is my favorite. He got me hooked on bass.

Bob, I also went from trumpet to tuba and guitar to bass. I have always identified myself as a bass player.
I still have a sousaphone.

I remember being about 4 years old listening to the Beatles and "playing" a violin along with the songs cuz' it looked like Paul's bass!
I guess I never out grew that, but now it's a 4001V63!

Maybe I missed it on a thread but, the bass on Getting Better is phenomenal. It amazes me that Paul took bass on because nobody else in the band wanted to. The playing he does early on and expands in future recordings sounds so advanced for the period. Am I wrong? There are people who are born with a gift and a "mission or reason for living"...that's how I see Paul. Or the Beatles getting together in the first place for that matter. They were meant to change the face of music. I could go on and on. Others would say Chuck Berry, Elvis, Little Richard, Gene Vincent...etc. changed music. That's true. But it's the Beatles that recognized that music and adoped it and expanded on it to make it "cool" and showcase it worldwide.
Enough, I'm off of my soapbox.

I think what makes his bass playing special is that he thinks like an arranger, he plays a moving melody line instead of "thumping". I think a special part of the Beatles was that they were all multi-instrumentalists, they all played guitar, bass, piano, some played drums, I think that helped them think of the "entire picture" when writing and recording.

He also plays bass like the left hand of the piano player that he is. That could be why he was melodic before anyone else in rock music.
I thought he wanted to play bass, not that he was thrust into it because no one wanted to play it.

IMHO: Penny Lane, Something, Lovely Rita, Nowhere Man. I could name lots more!

Does it have to be Beatle basslines?

"Time to Hide"
"Spirits of Ancient Egypt"

Beatle basslines:
Anything on Sgt. Pepper
and I can't think of anything else atm.

Good choices, Nate. Especially on the WOA album. The whole Wings Over America mix really has the bass in the forefront. It's even more so on Wings Over Boston...a bootleg from the same tour. Excellent bass, especially since it's a Rick!!!!

Somewhere in the Beatles Anthology book, George confirms that Paul was forced to take over on bass when Stu left because he and John refused to switch from guitar. At that time, bass players were, paraphrasing Paul and George, "the fat kid in the back of the band". I believe that Paul McCartney and James Jamerson are largely responsible for turning that image around in the minds of music lovers everywhere.

So, no, Paul didn't undermine Stu because he wanted to steal bass playing duties from him, but I'm sure glad that he ended up with the 4-stringer!

As for great bass lines, he has so many and my favorites change constantly but today the ones that come to mind are Penny Lane and Goodnight Tonight.

As far as albums go I think he was the most innovative on Sgt. Pepper and I have read conflicting things about whether or not he wanted to play bass when he first switched. I have never rad anywhere that Stu was forced out, I read that he wanted to stay in Germany with Astrid which is why he left (and also the fact that he knew he was not a musician). Does anyone here have any recordings of nim playing? I have never heard anything

Some tracks featuring Stuart on bass are on Anthology 1.

What tracks have Stu on them?

I forgot to mention "Goodnight Tonight" and "Girlfriend". "Girlfriend" is everywhere on the neck. Great bassline.

Anthology tracks featuring Stu are:

Hallelujah, I Love Her So.
You'll Be Mine.
Cayenne.

There are probably more on bootleg, I haven't looked.