Come Together

In a rush, but just for the record: this is a great bassline!

You know the band. You know the album.

(The Beatles, Abbey Road. Yes. Paul McCartney)

Something

Another one from Abbey Road, this time by George. Something is one of the most beautiful songs by any Beatle, and McCartney's line is fantastic and, in my opinion, very underappreciated. Melodic as ever, and never clashing with George Harrison's guitar. The solo part is almost like two solos in one (guitar and bass).

Well, there'll be a day when every Abbey Song will have been covered by this blog. The bass of every song in that album is fantastic.

The very rare promo video is quite a finding, as well.

Song: Something
Artist / Band: The Beatles
Album: Abbey Road
Bass: Paul McCartney
Year: 1969

bass tab (external link)

Cry Baby Cry

This is one of my favorite Beatles' songs, and this is very much about the bassline, too - listen to how it grows from the beginning to the end of the song. This is our week's Paul McCartney.

Song: Cry Baby Cry
Artist / Band: The Beatles
Album: The Beatles (White Album)
Bass: Paul McCartney
Year: 1968

Bass tab (external link)

Baby You're a Rich Man

This one is to demonstrate how McCartney and The Beatles were not only concerned about the meldy, but also about tone. The way his bass sounds in this song is still amazing - and, I guess, unheard back then.

Song: Baby You're a Rich Man
Artist / Band: The Beatles
Album: Magical Mystery Tour
Bass: Paul Webb
Year: 1984

Bass tab (external link)

Penny Lane

No week is complete without some Paul McCartney. So threr it is: Penny Lane. The four initial notes on thie bass line are fenomenal.

Sorry for the late post!

Song: Penny Lane
Artist / Band: The Beatles
Album: Magical History Tour
Bass: Paul McCartney
Year: 1967

Bass tab (external link)

Taxman

No week is perfect without The Beatles and McCartney's bass. So here is Taxman. I'll save my next post for The Jam's "Start" - so we can see how it was influenced by this bassline.

Song: Taxman
Artist / Band: The Beatles
Album: Revolver
Bass: Paul McCartney
Year: 1966

Bass tab (external link)

Lovely Rita

Another one by Paul McCartney. I love how this bassline changes from intro to verse to chorus (similar to intro) to ending. Only McCartney could create something so groovy and so melodic at the same time.

Song: Lovely Rita
Artist / Band: The Beatles
Album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Bass: Paul McCartney
Year: 1967

Hey Bulldog

Another beatlesong! I can't help it. I just love McCartney's basslines, and this one is a rock and roll classic, with the bass doubling the guitar doubling the piano.

Actually, I think "Hey Bulldog" is not as widely known as it should (a bit like "Old Brown Shoe"). Why would that be?

Song:Hey Bulldog
Artist / Band: The Beatles
Album:Yellow Submarine (Remastered)
Bass: Paul McCartney
Year: 1969

Bass tab (external link)

Old Brown Shoe

The second Beatles post here (and that's just the beginning), Old Brown Shoe is a song from The Beatles by George Harrison, and it was released as the B-Side of the single The Ballad of John and Yoko (and later made available in Past Masters Vol. II).

Paul McCartney's talent for obtaining interesting and distinct sounds on bass guitar is, I think, unparalleled in rock music. Just think of Baby You're a Rich Man, for instance. For Old Brown Shoe, according to Beatles Bible, that was achieved by overdubbing it with a guitar. Maybe it helps to reinforce the bass agility (just listen to those triplets!).

Song: Old Brown Shoe
Artist / Band: The Beatles
Album: Past Masters, Vol. 2
Bass: Paul McCartney
Year: 1969

Bass tab (external link)

Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam/She Came In Through The Bathroom Window

I've decided to pick up the bass as my instrument many years ago, after listening to Abbey Road several times in a row during a car trip. I was already familiar with that album for years, but listening to Paul McCartney's basslines, specially during the sequence from "Mean Mr. Mustard" to "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window", really opened my eyes to the wonders of that instrument.

Song(s): Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam/She Came In Through The Bathroom Window
Artist / Band: The Beatles
Album: Abbey Road (Remastered)

Bass: Paul McCartney
Year: 1969

Bass tabs (external link)