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Something. The Beatles

Colonel36

By Colonel36,
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Coilte Proficient

Coilte

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[quote name='Phil Adams' timestamp='1385284235' post='2286307']
That's not Paul, he's dead. The "image" of him on the crossing at Abbey Road with no shoes on proves it.
[/quote]

Well then, that guy on the cover of Abbey Road is a genius twice over, i.e. a great impersonator and a great bassist. ;)

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Phil Adams Collaborator

Phil Adams

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[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1385289107' post='2286365']


Well then, that guy on the cover of Abbey Road is a genius twice over, i.e. a great impersonator and a great bassist. ;)
[/quote]

I did wonder how the three surviving Beatles managed to find someone who looked, sounded and played like Paul. But he's definitely dead, it clearly states so on the in between grooves of the Walrus when played backwards at 125 mph.

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1385289814' post='2286375']
I'd cry if I had to make do with a bass that sounded as horribly dead and farty as that.
[/quote]

I bet Macca cried all the way to the bank. ;)
I think it works perfectly for the song and is an astonishing example of creative bass playing and composition.

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='booboo' timestamp='1385287445' post='2286343']
Does anyone know if he laid down the vocal at the same time? Even if they were recorded separately he must have done both live - my head hurts just thinking about it!
[/quote]

This from The Beatles Bible:

[color=#333333][font=Georgia, serif][size=4][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Following the 25 February solo demo, recording for Something began properly on 16 April 1969. The Beatles recorded 13 takes, with [url="http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/george-harrison/"]George Harrison[/url] on guitar, [url="http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/paul-mccartney/"]Paul McCartney[/url] on bass, [url="http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/ringo-starr/"]Ringo Starr[/url] on drums and [url="http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/george-martin/"]George Martin[/url] on piano. Although [url="http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/john-lennon/"]John Lennon[/url] was in the studio on the day, he didn't play on the recording, which also featured no vocals.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=Georgia, serif][size=4][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]A re-make of Something was begun on 2 May. This time 36 takes were recorded, forming the basis of the eventually-released version. Again, on this day no vocals were recorded, but Lennon played piano, and [url="http://www.beatlesbible.com/people/billy-preston/"]Billy Preston[/url] contributed an organ part.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=Georgia, serif][size=4][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]At this point the song was 7'48" long - a four-chord coda in 6/8 time, led by John Lennon on piano, nearly doubled the song's length. The chord pattern was later sped up by Lennon and used as the basis for the song Remember, which appeared on his 1970 album Plastic Ono Band.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=Georgia, serif][size=4][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]On [url="http://www.beatlesbible.com/1969/05/05/recording-something-2/"]5 May[/url] McCartney overdubbed another bass part, and Harrison taped his guitar solo. Something was then left until 11 July, when Harrison recorded his lead vocal, and the song was edited down to 5'32'.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color]

[color=#666666][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]'Paul started playing a bass line that was a little elaborate, and George told him, 'No, I want it simple.' Paul complied. There wasn't any disagreement about it, but I did think that such a thing would never happened in years past. George telling Paul how to play the bass? Unthinkable! But this was George's baby, and everybody knew it was an instant classic.'[/font][/size][/color]
[right][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Geoff Emerick Music Radar[/font][/size][/right]

[color=#333333][font=Georgia, serif][size=4][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]It was later reported that Harrison re-recorded his lead guitar part during the [url="http://www.beatlesbible.com/1969/08/15/recording-golden-slumbers-carry-that-weight-the-end-something-here-comes-the-sun/"]15 August orchestral overdub session[/url]. However, the take 37 reduction mix made on [url="http://www.beatlesbible.com/1969/07/11/recording-mixing-maxwells-silver-hammer-something-you-never-give-me-your-money/"]11 July[/url] contains Harrison's final solo, indicating that it was in fact recorded on 5 May.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=Georgia, serif][size=4][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Handclaps and McCartney's backing vocals were added on 16 July. Recording was finally finished almost a month later, on 15 August, when the strings were overdubbed.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=Georgia, serif][size=4][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Something was completed on 19 August, when the extended instrumental jam was finally edited from the end.[/font][/size][/size][/font][/color]

Edited by discreet
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BigRedX Grand Master

BigRedX

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1385292668' post='2286414']
I bet Macca cried all the way to the bank. ;)
I think it works perfectly for the song and is an astonishing example of creative bass playing and composition.
[/quote]

I'm sure he did.

It's not really a "bass line" though. It's just another instrumental part that happens to have been played on the bass guitar. With the amount of overdubs The Beatles were doing at the time separation of all the different parts (especially when there's already piano holding down the bottom end) is fairly important - hence the need for a tone with plenty of attack and no sustain.

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discreet Grand Master

discreet

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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1385292862' post='2286415']
+1 on McCartney's tone. I hate it.
[/quote]

In isolation, perhaps. But it sounds very rich and lush in the mix, and that's what counts.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1385294435' post='2286438']
It's not really a "bass line" though. It's just another instrumental part that happens to have been played on the bass guitar.
[/quote]

That's Macca for you. He was a guitarist turned bass player and it shows. But in my opinion what he plays on this number makes a truly great song even greater. When you compose a song that gets covered 150 times you must be doing something right. :)

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wombatboter Experienced

wombatboter

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I always considered it to be the most beautiful bass line ever... I never wanted it to learn it because then a bit of the magic would be gone and I would know the notes instead of just listening to the sheer beauty of them. "Ticket to ride" used to be "Ticket the ride" but as soon as you know that it's in A major you think about it every time you hear that song...

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Dingus Experienced

Dingus

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I'm a huge fan of Macca's bass playing , and this line is pretty epic in an[i] ad hoc, [/i]off- the- cuff kind of a way.

For someone who some rather silly folks ( that's no one in this discussion yet, though, I hasten to add) don't rate too highly as a bass player , McCartney has a knack for writing some of the most memorable and effective bass hooks ever. The bassline on Dear Prudence is so jaw-droppingly brilliant that I find it hard to express the full extent of my admiration , and there are so many other songs - Paperback Writer, Rain , Silly Love Songs, Coming Up, to name just a few- where Paul shows he can mix it with anybody when it comes to playing the bass.

Thuddy tone ?That pick attack makes it work , but besides that, he can do what he likes in whatever way suits him , because he's Paul McCartney.

Edited by Dingus
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gjones Veteran

gjones

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Since we're on the subject of Abbey Road, I only realised this week how crap the bassline is on Long and Winding Road. I listened to it for years and never noticed it until I read something on the internet about how Paul Mcartney let John Lennon loose with a Fender VI while he played the piano (bad mistake). It was one of the reasons why Paul was so pissed of when Phil Spector (over)produced the track and left John's bassline in.

And here is the guilty party making a mess of a pretty simple bass part.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6AuKENgmLQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6AuKENgmLQ[/url]

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SteveK Experienced

SteveK

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[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1385310935' post='2286706']
Since we're on the subject of [b]Abbey Road,[/b] I only realised this week how crap the bassline is on [b]Long and Winding Road.[/b]
[/quote]
?? :huh: ??

Good to read so much positivity re PM. Like it or not (I know ther are many in denial), we bass players have a lot to thank Paul McCartney for.

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