There's the disco influenced 'Goodnight Tonight' (he was in this phase where you hear him bouncing a high 7th or octave against the root note), 'Take It Away' form Tug of War, and 'Getting Closer' (MORE octave work) from Back to the Egg. On 'Another Day', he really follows (or vice versa) the acoustic guitar part.
The five-string work (on a Wal five-string) under 'Pieces of Eight' from Tripping the Live Fantastic, low B's and all.
Of course these are all after the Beatle faves.
My favorite four to five string expansion: 'Lady Madonna'. IF you play along with the record or play it in your band in A, start the chorus at D on the G-string. That line repeats, start it the second time on open D or D on the A-string. At the turnaround at the end of the chorus ('see how they runnn...'), you play low C, open low B, then E. I just love that. Show off to your firends: While the open E is ringing, reach up and play the resolving A-G# at the octave on the G-string !
His most disarmingly simple line for me is the bass figure under 'Come Together': Open D, G-G#-A at the octave on the A-string, then reach across to F on the G-string to D at the octave on the D-string. How do you find stuff like that?
His noodling around under 'Something': If I did that, it would sound so busy somebody would shoot me.
I've always admired Paul for striking that balance where it's more than your meat and potatoes bass part, but it's less than busy, those little tags and his melodic harmony that just kills me as it always fits.
And how did he do so much with that little Hofner? As much as I should have one, it feels like a little balsa wood toy to me.
I was wired for bass. I always hear lows. I hear the pedals on the pipe organ first. I hear the bottom of the rumble when a Harley or a big truck goes by. I listen to music, I hear bass and drums first, I'm useless at hearing rhythm guitar parts or figuring out vocal harmonies. When I heard Paul in the Beatles, I turned my back on an entire childhood of learning to play the piano and I had to play bass, and I always love his parts first above anyone else. His elegant simplicity and impeccable taste are a target I always aim for (and rarely hit). That he's a reasonably normal man, married forever with happy children only burnished him more for me.
I will however, never become vegan !
It's all his fault. I coulda been a plumber . . .
J o e y
(Message edited by bigredbass on December 13, 2010)
