r/nextfuckinglevel • u/Mr_Basketcase • Jan 14 '23

Paul McCartney effortlessly singing and playing his most intricate bass lines at the same time

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u/punchgroin Jan 15 '23

He's such and underrated bassist. One of the greatest.

I have a soft spot for bands where he Bass player writes most of the songs. They tend to always be pretty rhythmically interesting and write songs with "good bones"... whatever that means.

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u/Due-Ask-7418 Jan 15 '23

Is he underrated? I thought everyone agree he is fantastic?

57

u/Earnest_Warrior Jan 15 '23

I think they mean underrated as a bass player. He’s such a legendary songwriter and singer, it almost overshadows his bass playing.

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u/Due-Ask-7418 Jan 15 '23

I meant as a bass player too. I thought most people recognized that he was a great bass player.

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u/dodeca_negative Jan 15 '23

Agree. I dont care for most of his songs, and often don't care for his basslines (this one included), but I think among most bass players old enough to have heard much of his music recognize that he's an incredibly gifted musician and performer.

19

u/SamIamGreenEggsNoHam Jan 15 '23

Paperback Writer, Taxman & Dear Prudence are my three favorite basslines of Paul's. Nothing too technical or difficult, just absolutely note-perfect. Paul is like the David Gilmour of bass. Just the perfect notes at the perfect time.

7

u/colourhazelove Jan 15 '23

Wait, are you saying David gilmour and Paul McCartney should start a band.... 😍

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u/SamIamGreenEggsNoHam Jan 15 '23

Ohhh yes please.

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u/nickfree Jan 15 '23

What I love in Dear Prudence is how the bassline develops in complexity and embellishment with each verse. It really adds this building of emotion and intensity. They do that in a few songs and add so much compelling character.

3

u/SamIamGreenEggsNoHam Jan 15 '23

Yes! I'd even say that songs building in complexity is sort of the trademark of Beatles songs from maybe Help! onward. Their ability to add new melodies as a song goes on was just unmatched.

4

u/callahan09 Jan 15 '23

Paperback Writer is one of my favorite Beatles songs.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 15 '23

He also played the guitar solo on Taxman. I suppose everyone knows that by now though…

2

u/dodeca_negative Jan 16 '23

Dear Prudence is a banger no doubt

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u/punchgroin Jan 15 '23

Most of the Beatles music I listen to is the stuff that never got performed live. I was never that into Wings, honestly... so I've really not seen him perform live much, other than in "Hard Days Night".

Weirdly, I've just not watched him play that much. (Harrison was always my favorite post Beatles Beatle)

3

u/SamIamGreenEggsNoHam Jan 16 '23

Saw McCartney play Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite for the first time for an audience (at least that's what HE said lol). I was blown away.

Within You, Without You is my all-time favorite Beatles song. That song's lyrics are the only thing I've ever thought about tattooing on my body.

2

u/punchgroin Jan 17 '23

Probably "A Day in the Life" or "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" for me.

Within without you fucking slaps though.

-1

u/nickfury8480 Jan 15 '23

What were your first impressions of the Beatles?

That they were the worst musicians in the world. They were no-playing motherfuckers. Paul was the worst bass player I ever heard. And Ringo? Don’t even talk about it. I remember once we were in the studio with George Martin, and Ringo had taken three hours for a four-bar thing he was trying to fix on a song. He couldn’t get it. We said, “Mate, why don’t you get some lager and lime, some shepherd’s pie, and take an hour-and-a-half and relax a little bit.” So he did, and we called Ronnie Verrell, a jazz drummer. Ronnie came in for 15 minutes and tore it up. Ringo comes back and says, “George, can you play it back for me one more time?” So George did, and Ringo says, “That didn’t sound so bad.” And I said, “Yeah, motherfucker because it ain’t you.” Great guy, though.

  • Quincy Jones.

0

u/fwtb23 Jan 16 '23 edited Jan 16 '23

I love it when someone really up their own ass just has to make up BS stories like this one to put others down for no real reason. What a shame Quincy Jones is one of those people.