I know the thread is about the more creative/ interesting Bass lines of decades gone by, but other stuff stands out to me as well...
After just listening to all those tunes on the above list over on YouTube, apart from three of those tunes, the rest all have string arrangements (very good charts that are obviously arranged by experienced arrangers).
Of the three that don't, one has excellent Brass arranging and two have very good, creative, vocal harmony arranging.
So, to me, all the above, and including the very fine musicianship involved, elevates those tunes above 'dross'. It may well be music that you don't like, but to my ears, not dross.
Just my musical opinion(s), of course.