THE BEST BASSLINE EVER (Public Image by Public Image Ltd

[MisuMakkusu]

Wow... root notes are soooo impressive...

[BLONDBOMSITE]

still grabs you by the throat

[Edensadventures]

Wait what? no!

[SonomaCoMcCoy]

totally on point.



[Thewasteofwords]

rush's tom sawyer pwns this

[stockton22]

I mean Career-ing.

[stockton22]

I think Carrer-ing has a better bass line.

[zenmonkey666]

the song is not bad, the sound is good, but the bassline itself is really nothing special

[dickhucklebuck3]

thought it was gonna be Annalisa, but this bass grooves.

[jennasophia16]

10 points to anyone who can name the soundtrack this song was on

[SimulacronX]

"Best bassline ever"? Lol

[thedude9099]

all u trolls r just jealous of johnny s dancing skills at 2:19

[oldphoque]

This may sound like noise to many people. especially today. However, I was blown away by the band itself even tho I bought First Issue out of curiocity never hearing them. Second edition is my fav. The work by Jah & Keith is just mesmorising.

[Kento617]

I like how John Lydon shifted from the Sex Pistols' look to PIL. I really like it.

[DAREALAndyRampage]

"Easiest! ..for SURE!!"

Levine's 'SOUND' IS 'Positively 'IMMENSE!' On this!!

[Photonzos]

the only good bit of music Lydon had anything to do with.

His voice was a ripped from Renate of Amon Duul II

she got there first John. You stole your voice from a hippy.

[crowfeetjack]

who ever made this video obviously doesn't know shit about bass

[TheUnwisePhilosopher]

Eh... four notes in 2x-quavers don't make the best basseline ever.

[Sesquipedaliantique]

I think the best one is actually on "Death Disco".

Dum dum dummm d-dum

[falica77]

I agree that it is a great bass line . And only 4 notes - E B A and D. But it's how they're played. And Levene's part isn't too shabby either. : )

[DAREALAndyRampage]

@falica77

'What's a 'Geddy Lee'?? ..

SOUNDS-like' "some hippy"!

[Kento617]

@DAREALAndyRampage Bassist from Rush. lol

[tomigunn777]

I LOVE THIS SONG! 1ST TIME I HEARD IT WAS IN THE MOVIE BASQUIAT W/JEFF WRIGHT!!

[VenusVega]

Yes, the best bass ever!!! Jah fucken WOBBLE!!!!!!

[Llynok]

Well, it is catchy.

But take away 3 strings and 10 frets from a bass, and anyone can do this.

[ferdmertz]

yeah, but anybody didn't. so the point's moot. i can play that drumbeat. it's a good one. i can play lots of drumbeats.

[mbuola]

Yeahhhhh, I agreeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Number One of Great Britain Rock theme FOR EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!!

The guitar suond is very good too !!!!!

[membear]

Best Punk/Post Punk song ever.

[PizzicatoArco]

i was expecting some unique kickass bass line, but no

[jmwhitebass]

@PizzicatoArco simple, yet effective. wobble was good but he was no geddy lee. i was disappointed as well.

[Paulph04]

cooltomxxxx, RushPwnsX and 000NarutoFan,stick to you X-Factor crap and leave the real music to the rest of us.

[eltotoX]

Whoa, huge foreshadowing of the styles to come in the 80's.

[ernestoche4ever]

i don't know if is the greatest bassline ever,but it's great,,the first 2 album by pil are amazing..what a period for music!!i was so luck to be 20 years old in that years..

[MisterPerfikt]

Like someone already said...

This bassline was so good, Jah Wobble had to sit down. :D

[evilfeca]

best bassline ever : cargo culte - serge gainsbourg

[freudastaire]

Best bassline ever? No.. it's PIL alright, but poptones :)

[kirky67]

Poptones for me too. Wobble's a genius either way.

[acesanugal1]

I don't know man, I'm kinda partial to King Crimson's "Sleepless". Check it out.

[Nacholism]

is that johnny rotten

[pendodecahedron]

yes

[Orientallightning]

Johnny Rotten was John Lydon's persona while in the Sex Pistols. In Public Image, Ltd. (or PiL), he used his given name. Their music was great.

[zessin]

Damals eine Offenbarung!

[longmann101]

definately not the best bass line ever. checl out hysteria or the osaka jam by muse. will blow you mind if you think this is the best ever.

[BurNiNgBAssisT86]

it's just a normal bassline like all of 'em in this (and many other) musicstyles

and it sounds like fart

[diskochimp]

Best bassline ever? Maybe. Best guitar sound ever? Definitely!

[raunchboy]

Whenever I try to scare capitalists by saying I'm not in it for the money, they just say, "fine, than I won't pay you." Doesn't seem to frighten them at all :(

[wiiotaku2501]

Thanks.

[hottapper]

Nirvana was just another boys band,targeted for the pseudo (middle class) alternative american youth that could afford the merchandising.

Once you sign,pants go down.....integrity gone.

Fun loving criminals going strong day in day out.

[tuleo554]

best bassline ever? nah

[Fender1976uk]

And whats good about Pil :) they broke away from what everyone was use to! they were free! didn't give a shit! and had that postion to stand out! there is only one Johnny Rotten! record companys and the media probably hated them all the time! but as Pil sold records that made it all ok! :) if that makes sense! Pil just mocked the greedy bastards :)

[jenniemfer]

I can remember seeing this video on MTV! (1995)

Weird.

[alternativejohnny]

You had to be 16 in 1976 and living in west London to understand the power of a group like the pistols. We use to pogo and slash our arms with broken bottles. Happy days :-)

[alternativejohnny]

I saw the pistols at the 100 club, Johnny in a polling station in Fulam in 1987 and in an expensive restaurant in 1995. Great song.

[fleaby]

People arguing, calm yourselves.The bass is great and upfront, which Joy Division utilised later to equal effect. The idea of which is best makes it sound like a Q magazine hot 100.Terrifying. Metal Box really employs bass, if that fails try Mikey Dread At The Controls.

[pinkfrogman]

BEST bass line ever is... Inner City Blues!!!!

Sorry! Really Is!!! Marvin Gaye

[rugshort]

What are you talking about? One of the best basslines ever is Marvin Gaye's 'What's goin' on' You have no idea what you're talking about.

[hungryhippos41]

coming for a guy who's never listened to real great bassists probably..wow....

[caesar349]

ussshhh!

[hungryhippos41]

sorry about that I misunderstood what you said I guess...you're correct..

[npowerjohn]

Cool as fuck. Suit and skinny tie when some people were still in flares

[msstabby]

Public image

You got what you wanted

The public image belongs to me

It's my entrance

My own creation

My grand finale

My goodbye

I love John Lydon.

[ziggy577]

Cool Song.

[Redefine01]

Good music it has life that today's music just doesn't seem to have.

[vambo23]

Yeah, there is good stuff around tho'. I like The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Peaches and Miss Kittin. But I know what you mean man.

[safetosaydontquoteme]

it's missing something... you mean like.... talent? and creativity? every band in today's music either sounds like a nirvana ripoff, some pop punk shit, overdone alternative rock, the same rap/pop song, or the oh so popular metalcore genre.

[vambo23]

I like all kinds of music including classical but I still have to go down the Death Disco and beat on the brat everyday. I think it is funny tho'...the punks here are the positive ones, saying what they think is good and being open minded and the classicals are being all negative, nihalistic and chucking swear words about! Made me chuckle anyway.

[vambo23]

As Bart Simpson said as Stretch Dude "We must use these powers only to annoy". If Lydon can still annoy reactionary fools after all these years he must have been doing something right. Still think its a great bassline/intro...each to their own.

[vambo23]

I agree. It's also one of the best intros, full stop. Johnny's "hellos" and his cackle coinciding with the guitar crash is a joy. BEF? uuuurgh! it's horrible, it's like Level42. Iron Butterfly? ye gods!

[whyshouldI303]

No BEF Groove thang {later to be, we dont need this fascist groove thang,Heaven17) came out about the same time.. PILs best song though,if not only viable song

[miriyaa]

too simple. and simple in music means bad.

[rugshort]

idiot

[vambo23]

ha ha ha ha, very funny.

[rugshort]

No go diggy die.

Ain't no country I know.

Thanks for that. Hadn't heard that in ages.

[vambo23]

Jon Wayne IS big leggy! (:

[hungryhippos41]

you're the idiot for thinking this bassline is above average

[rugshort]

What's a great bassline then?

[hungryhippos41]

listen to "Lounge Act" by Nirvana, the intro is amazing.

[KacophonicHoney]

Nirvana is pop bullshit at it's finest.

[hungryhippos41]

ha! nirvana never went main stream main stream went Nirvana. They kept a RAW sound which is more than can be said for these guys. 3 albums later and they're legendary...and these guys will be forgotten soon enough.

[rugshort]

You have absolutely no idea what you're talkin' about. I think you should cease commenting because you're beginning to sound like a fool.

[hungryhippos41]

I don't know what I'm talking about you're telling me this shitty bassline is as easy to play as lounge act maybe you need to stop commenting because a REAL bassist knows this is shit.

[rugshort]

you can work out both basslines, this one and lounge act, in the same amount of time it takes to listen to them. They're both very easy to play.

[hungryhippos41]

well...you move up and down the neck more in lounge act than this song, so in that respect, if you're a beginner you should learn this one because it's easy.

[rugshort]

I'd like to hear you play this one.

[hungryhippos41]

I can...it's so standard.

[rugshort]

Yes it's a standard. But I'll bet you can't do it all the way through.

[rugshort]

Bollocks. Play this song all the way through without fault and tell me it's an easy bassline. Do it for 3:26 without fucking up. You won't do it. Try playing along to a Ramones live album without a break and see how you do. Simple they're not.

[hungryhippos41]

Sorry, I guess I was kind of confusing about what I meant. I never meant to call the band bad or the bassist bad, I just was trying to say it's not THE BEST bassline. I re-read comments and realized that's what I was saying. Sorry about that.

[rugshort]

The guy who posted this loves this bassline. Of course it's not the best bassline ever, whatever that is. But if you're talking about what's the best played, most beautifully improvised, soulful and musical song ever played on the bass you wouldn't go far wrong in suggesting 'What's Goin' On' by Marvin Gaye, played by James Jamerson Jr.

[rugshort]

These guys will be forgotten soon enough? This is from 1978! Nirvana were an eclectic bunch and certainly knew this song. You're talking from your bottom.

[KacophonicHoney]

Actually, Nirvana were the darlings of MTV in the early 90s. They didn't sell out because they were always marketing tools. At least Johnny Rotten stood for something.

[faxstax]

your an idiot, nirvana wasnt always marketing tools and they pissed off mtv too.

[KacophonicHoney]

"your an idiot"

I cannot take you seriously.

[faxstax]

i took your mother seriously last night.

[KacophonicHoney]

Thanks for proving my point, sweetheart.

Come talk to me when you grow up a little.

[Fender1976uk]

Thats true! Nirvana never followed any rules! they dressed how they wanted! they didn't care about some ego driven twat band! they did things different to what was agreed :) look at top of the pops! they didn't perform it properly because they were sick of it being so popular! like ti was their only tune ever! but then grundge died after kurt! it became a fashion! like Punk rock did! mainstream always wrecks something new and fresh

[birdy47]

yeah thats true! ''load up on drugs, kill your friends!'' lol

[MeaningCorrupted1]

that's gotta be the dumbest thing i've read so far this year.

[miriyaa]

hahahaha...... you like rotten and all that shit so shut the fuck up...... i listen to beethoven, i like classical music, i know about what i'm talking about....

[vambo23]

who are you to tell anyone to shut up? never mind the "fuck up". So you like Beethoven, he really turns me on too. You don't have a clue about PIL. "That's hust your tough-titty". Thats a quote bub, but you won't get that either. Liking one type of music doesn't give you the right to shut-up anyone, what are you a nazi on the run, or something?

[MeaningCorrupted1]

i'd wager you just pretend to like classical. btw, when you say you like classical don't name drop beethoven... everyone will know you're phony, pick someone more obscure.

anyways, i'd take the ramones' first album over any classical.

[hungryhippos41]

it's true if you want a better bassline listen to "Lounge Act" by Nirvana

[hungryhippos41]

simple doesn't mean bad, it's just not creative, and lacks the melody a bass is capable of creating

[rugshort]

Sometimes it's what you don't play that makes the song.

[hungryhippos41]

what are you talking about? that makes no sense

[rugshort]

Of course it does.

[hungryhippos41]

No it doesn't, this bassline is terrible I could think of SO many basslines better than this.

[rugshort]

"Lounge Act" by Nirvana is just as easy to play and this is as good as that. This is a brilliant song, the bassline is brilliant in it's simplicity.

[bent2]

This whole song is creative dude.

[hungryhippos41]

not the bass...it's standard...nothing special, it's pop bullshit at it's finest.

~~SUPPORT PUNK ROCK!!!!

[SUPERPLYTNT]

yeah man

one of the best bassline ever

simple like death

[hungryhippos41]

obviously you've never heard "Lounge Act" or other great bassists. I mean come on this is nothing it's just standard boring stuff. Find a real bassline

[runner301]

best bassline? Aint you dumbasses ever heard Iron Butterfly?

[dancintheknight]

whether we have heard it or not, no need for the language. just open us up to suggestions. peace thank you.

[MicRidget]

I also like the simple bass on 'Religion' by PiL... its some kind of hypnotic...dam-dam-dam-dab--da­-da..

[Lem65]

no, no wait...listen...the best bass line is 'aint no feeble bastard' by Discharge...man, this could go on forever HA!..actually it's 'the day lemon oranges world caught fire' by the Magic Carpets. & good luck finding that!

[equation86]

I absolutely love this song. It is amazing. However, I think the award for best bassline has to go to Joy Division for "Disorder."

[Chumleh]

John is an amazing vocalist. Singer, maybe not. But no one has, did, or will sound like him. Imagine jamming with him.

[beerroot29]

this john sounds alot different

[philipbebb]

yunk

[stargazeruk4]

I think you will find that's spellt 'junk'.

[fosterch]

Has anyone publicly destroyed their own image in this way consciously in pop music before? Maybe when Elvis got fat and said 'fuck it'.

[PAULLONDEN]

This is ONE Ace tune....

but it's the WHOLE line▬▬▬▬▬▬.

Wobble even had to sit down for this simple yet bloody effective bassline.

[meowzer999]

Amazing guitarsound, like punk shattered into luminous shardz of sharp-edged spanglez

Maybe the best track PiL ever did

[dancintheknight]

wassup rocker! i agree with your comment, hard to describe the sound, but yes, possibly one of their best. peace!

[dejeej]

Gotta admit, "Smoke on the Water" is probablt the first riff I ever tried to figure out, but the first time I picked up a bass I started playing this. Simple yet effective and classic. Lydon's no fluke, both his bands matter.

[wormwood67]

Great song. Great band. Best bassline ever? Uh, no.  Loudest bassline ever? Perhaps.

[crapht]

this bassline is a crock of fuck......

[Lem65]

best bass line is the Ace of Spades, everyone knows that or is it Love Song ?...

and 'best' does not mean 'most technically proficient'..

[moparmonster1965]

The best bass line is either UK Subs' Warhead or The Exploited's Psycho, not this.

[wot2wot2]

i thought the best bass line was anything by chic...... yer big old daft punk

[xistentialkid]

What is the name of this song?

[T33Bon35]

Public Image (it's in the title Public Image by Public Image Ltd)

[AdamJaffer]

johnny rotten is a fucking god

[DaH1pp1e]

I can play this. And I play guitar... not a hard bass line.

[piage2]

golf clap.

[ferdmertz]

Actually Patrice Rushen's song Forget Me Nots features the best bassline ever. This song does kick ass tho.

[auto4union]

Like the song but you`re easily satisfied if you think thats the best bassline ever! G D G D C etc ! Get a grip laddie !

[AOCRkid]

the best bass line is by failure, i just can't figure out the song yet, it's either another space song or heliotropic.

[Lizardthing]

Listen to Rush for the best bass ever.

[congotronics]

canzone daaaaa madonna!

[dehorslescrouilles]

This bassline is very simplistic. It consists of 4 notes: 0-7-0-7-0-7-5-10

I can have the same bass sound with Cool Edit Pro 2's reverb effect...

[TabbzMoo]

yh, very simple, first bass line i learnt, but still effective and that is what matters.

[genglemt]

Great baseline. But there are so many others, both by Wobble and other players, so I wouldn't say this is the greatest. Still, the intro of this song, that pounding bass, fills my heart with sheer joy, just as it did back in.. 1978? Or was it 1977? Anyway, this was the sound I needed, this was the sound of my generation taking over, etc etc. Youth, revolution, new identity.

[Capz541]

i can play this on bass

[muselifrog]

The Best Bassline ever, I'd say, Is on 'The Idiots are Taking Over' by NOFX

[Invadrshanee]

that bassline sucks

[muselifrog]

Assuming that you have actually heard it, I would guess that you don't know too much about bass playing.

[Invadrshanee]

well of course i've heard it. i wouldn't say it sucked if i have never heard of it. and though i have been playing bass since i was eight years old, you don't need a fine knowledge of an instrument to judge how the use of it sounds. i mean, if anything that'd give you a more unbias opinion on how it sounds. considering that you would not really take in consideration the skill it needs.

[kenhen33]

You prob still play bass like an eight year old.

[Invadrshanee]

i didn't really know eight year-old kids were the renowned bad bass players, but okay. =D

[skipp0023]

Best bass line ever? Jah Wobble did many better -- Annalisa, Low Life, Death Disco, Poptones, etc

[wontgetfooledagain1]

GlamMetalSucks and johnnythi were a waste of sperm. It doesn't matter who did it first, because PIL did it best. ^_^

Well....you get the idea.

[fascistamericadotnet]

isnt this the band he should be re-forming - instead of the sex pistols?

[meejawhore]

do you reckon I could sell the wraparound PiL newspaper that came with the 7" single on eBay for much?

[inzithaksin]

probably not the best bassline ever, because its not about the bass, or the guitar or any instrument. not even johnny lydon's fucking image. its how the whole band's sound comes out, and the stuff that came out from the post-punk era was the best hands down.

[schlomiebird]

Keith Levene: first ballot inductee into my guitarist hall of fame.

[karnubawax]

I'm not saying that Jah Wobble isn't a great bass player... "Poptones" is a better example of his style.

[karnubawax]

I will admit that this is an awesome song - PiL's best IMHO - but it's really Levene's guitar that makes the song awesome. I think Lydon's off key singing and the guitar really make the bass more anchored. My opinion is that PiL was more influential than the Pistols were, and are seriously underrated as a pioneering band. You can hear a lot of the beginnings of rave/electronia in "Second Edition."

[mermerciless]

its not even close to be good, maybe sounds "ok" but simple as shit and nothing special

[BertisEvil66]

the bassline is simple and nothing is great about it. but it sounds good in the mix - this is the work of the audio engineer and not of the bass player !

looking for a great bass line.

ian dury - hit me with your rhythm stick !!!

or sister sledge - thinking of you

brgds

[H18ury]

Still as wonderful as it ever was... to me the energy of Levene's guitar work is the key to the song however, Wobble's legendary bass work really came to the fore on Metal Box.

[Cureheadlany]

It is the best bassline ever?...So do I :)

[lakamas11]

I've heard that "under pressure" by Queen and Bowie was voted as Best Baseline.I guess its true.

[moparmonster1965]

No way. "Warhead" by UK Subs was far better.

[IILlamaChowII]

This bassline blows. Cake's cover on I Will Survive is ten times better!

[kisakk]

Which bassline? Thump-Thump is the best bassline ever..?

[hairhorn]

I dunno, the bassline in "Poptones" gives this one a run for its money. Jah Wobble is a natural.