Bassist David Hungate - TOTO's Secret Weapon

#bass #basshistory #analysis #transcription #groove #paulthompson
Breaking down one of my favorite grooves--1978's "Georgy Porgy" by TOTO, featuring one of my favorite--and UNSUNG--bass players: David Hungate.
Getting to know the "Bump" Groove
What is 'POCKET'?
And how did Jeff Porcaro and David Hungate make this music feel like that?!
Also, taking a moment to remember TOTO's longest tenured bassist, the late Mike Porcaro.
Website: www.paulthompson.us
Instagram @pdbass74
Twitter @pdbass74

[@camerakungfu]

To be fair, Toto was entirely built from secret weapons.

[@user-wn3ry5sk5i]

Yes, absolutely, but the sensual groove of Hungate's bass, with Porcaro's punctuated drums and Paich's delicate tinkling and tickling of the keys, is no secret, but a pleasure. 😮😊❤

[@carlosycaza1653]

Excellent coment !!

[@tman197]

Truer words...

[@RodneyLancaster]

I think that I mentioned that he and I are friends. He started on trombone, probably why he is such a good reader. He was offered the Woody Herman gig and Sonny and Cher along the same time and S & C paid a lot more; and flying jets to gigs. When our former trombone teacher passed away we got on the phone and talked for a few hours. His father was Missouri congressman, William Leonard Hungate; also a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

[@eazlacfam]

Thank you for keeping David Hungate’s legacy alive and for the spectacularly clear explanation of the pocket. Another top notch video.

[@marketguy2]

I couldn’t have said it better. Thanks for your comment and thanks for the awesome video.

[@Blech319]

The fills on Georgie Porgie's bassline are actually very dissonant. Really makes the song.

[@nicholastotoro7721]

*Extremely* dissonant, especially played on its own, but works perfectly in context.

[@pierreolivier6651]

Those fills deserved some explanation 🙂. But the lesson is joyous and very interesting as always.

[@pushslice]

I was about to post this. for all the good reasons GP is such an infectious song ….DAT bass tho!!!

[@rikkousa]

I ALWAYS loved georgie porgy since it was released f and now I know why:)

[@Shane4Bass]

David Hungate! What a bass player. Thanks for also mentioning Mike Porcaro. Both amazing musicians

[@leroywallace2492]

My fave Hungate moment is the soaring outro he lays down on "99" Just BEAUTIFUL

[@DahcipheR]

That little bass motif at the outro of Africa is so damn magical

[@edennard1]

I thought Mike Pocaro ( rip ) played Bass on that track .

[@discovolante777]

​​@@edennard1Hungate left the band and moved to Nashville immediately after laying down the basic tracks for TOTO IV. Which is why Mike is in all the videos from that album.

[@cualter]

It calls to mind the bellowing of an animal, specifically a bull. I think that's the sound he was imitating there.

[@peepsieD]

Interesting but think he was imitating the synth that does the sixteenth note part in that vamp

[@beeaech1799]

Speaking of Grease...David Hungate played the famous Bassline on "The One That I Want." It was played on "...a '62 Precision with Rotosounds and a pick. I was probably using my Versatone amp as well as a direct box..." --David Hungate (This was from an e-mail David wrote to a fan. )

[@ronmay9196]

Came here to ask this. Thanks. That's a kickass bassline!

[@ChuckWortman]

One of the coolest thing I have learned from watching videos on great artsists like Hungate is the incredibly high level of skill needed just to create these simple bass lines. Its like a master knowing what can be thrown away and distilled to perfectly fit a song, something only a high level of musicianship can allow.

[@evanjazzista]

Thank you for dedicating this video to Michael Porcaro and to all the people who dearly loved him. I miss him *big* time. 🙏

[@JoinTheProgress]

Same, he and Jeff, huge-huge losses.

[@Lisse1]

Awesome vid. My favorite Toto song! And the incredible Cheryl Lynn. Props to the great songwriter David Paich too. And much love to the Porcaro brothers.

[@theangryaccountant0]

Hungate is one of the all-time greats on Bass. So many grooves we take for granted were played by him first.

[@balisaani]

I agree he's one of the all time greats, but clearly he didn't come up with all these grooves or pull them out of thin air - we all have our influences, and so did he.

[@turbohamster]

My wife's sister is married to one of his sons. He's a super cool and laid back guy, love getting to spend holidays with him. He has the craziest stories about literally everyone in the music biz from the 70s-90s. "What Cher? Yeah she's really nice, liked to make sure we were all well fed." Great to see this video about him!

[@scottyboy11001]

When Toto announced around 2015 Hungate was touring with them I jumped on the tickets immediately. Stood front row watching an absolute legend playing those original songs... something I wont forget. I wanted to leave this quote I found with a Dave Hungate itnerview talking about Mike Pocaro. The fact that Toto had these 2 legendary players and just shows how humble Hungate is!!! "I first heard Mike when he was 15 and I was in my early 20s. He scared me to death and became one of my favorite bass players. He had incredible time and technique and no one played better with Jeff. I get too much credit as “original Toto bass player.” Mike was there for 25 years, through the ups and downs, always playing great, coming up with great parts. He deserves most of the credit"

[@keepgrindingup7661]

That killing bass tone along with the grooves of Jeff Porcaro make those guys a team to be reckoned with

[@styner3]

You have easily become my favorite bass KZbin content creator, I'm a long time bass player but have only been reading music the last 3yrs. I've learned so much from your channel. 🙏

[@ThatGuy-mn2gg]

In my opinion, your videos justify KZbin's existence in my life. There is something for everyone here and I'm all for a musician talking about musicians. You are connecting so many dots. I was a huge liner notes reader back in the day. I know that them Pocora boys were all over those first MJ solo albums. In fact I knew the names of those Pocaro boys from the Jackson sessions way before I realized that they were Toto. If they were in a studio with Louis Johnson, Greg Phillaganes and Johnathon "Sugarfoot" Moffett, hell, that's all I needed to know. Them dudes were legit. Period!!!!!!

[@Gregor9043]

Fantastic bassist to honor!

[@hotshotjcb3798]

I will be heading to a Toto concert later this month. Some of the greatest musicians ever!

[@brucewilson1958]

I'm a 69 year old American man, a Baha'i for 37 years. Hungate is a long time Baha'i. In the late 1980s I lived in Nashville and sang in the Tennessee Baha'i Choir. Sometime we rehearsed at Hungates home. Honor to know him.

[@edbutler3]

Such a great, effective but concise demonstration of "pocket". It's one of those terms that gets thrown around all the time, but rarely defined. I remember a stage in my development as a player (about 30 years ago!) when I started to realize I needed to figure out how to play slightly behind the beat instead of on top of it. But nobody told me it was called "pocket"!

[@davidthompson4649]

David Hungate!! played on the Grease soundtrack .

[@lpgoog]

This guy & Rick Beato are great ❤

[@brendonmurley8276]

Seconded!

[@rts100x5]

Can't say enough about TOTO ... another band that was so much larger than the sum of the parts ... very nice of you to mention Mike Picarro ... he was certainly filled some big shoes and his intensity just made TOTO that much better ...

[@CliffMcAulay]

A really nice tribute to David Hungate and a fine explanation of the elusive 'pocket'. Thank you.

[@hipsterkennyrogers909]

Silk Degrees is amazing. This is Hungate's best work.

[@sammyboykin5624]

I absolutely LOVE your channel. As a drummer, I always enjoy your choices of players and tunes. Still eagerly awaiting your take on the late great Mick Karn. Thank you for your great work!

[@atquinn1975]

A Mick Karn video would be incredible!

[@viktormuerte]

​@@atquinn1975agree!

[@kcameo1]

You, sir, need no searching for no pocket. You got it, in exuberance!! Nice somebody shine's a spotlight on the bass in Toto, a band one can not praise enough for both excellence in musicianship and mega fine tunes the boys wrote. As a long time fan, Georgy P has always made my playlist of Toto cuts. And although the band has expressed they hated the disco era and wouldn't had anything to do with that sound, they clearly had some funky pocket going on. Both on their own tracks and as studio cats playing for others. Just consider I keep forgetting from Mike McDonald or one of their tracks from the XX album, miss sun. Ofcourse Jeff Porcaro was know for his incredible time and groove ability and ofc Steve Lukather is one of the most underrated rythm guitarist (and one of the best imho) but without Hungate shining on these early Toto cuts it wouldn't had that supertight pocket feel. He and Jeff (and later the even more sober Mike and Jeff) ... a match made in heaven. A salut to you (again 😂) for your fine taste in music!

[@lenkybasscustombassguitars9381]

David Hungate the first bass player I listened as a child, his name was on the back of a Andre Crouch record my mother played always

[@AiMR]

Which Andre album did he play on? Andre kicks it.

[@lenkybasscustombassguitars9381]

@@AiMRThe Album with Soon and very soon

[@tacoque]

I was under the assumption that Abraham Laboriel played Bass on all of the Andrae Crouch records. I was wrong

[@jimihendrix5308]

​@@AiMRI'll be thinking of you....with lots of sessions musician ..and also the WARNER BRO.recording..DON'T GIVE UP...i think ....with TOTO session musicians.....from your brother in SOUTH-AFRICA

[@jimihendrix5308]

​@@tacoqueNo....not all...there were ...Hadley Hockensmith...and also Billy Thedford ,James Felix.....THAT was the early Andrae Crouch Albums....on LIGHT RECORDING from your btother in Cape Town Sunny SOUTH-AFRICA

[@dicksaunders7543]

As a musician during the 70's I always read the liner credits of album that I bought to know who I was listening to. David Hungate is a true professional and master of the instrument. Thanx for bringing attention to him! Peace

[@danielpalmersofficial]

David Hungate is my biggest inspiration, he’s that good!! ✌️😙

[@AJMjazz]

Not only is Mr. Hungate a killer bassist, he is also a fine guitarist and trombonist.

[@dannyjames2413]

I've been a fan of TOTO from the beginning. This has always been my favorite by them. Thanks for breaking it down and exposing the genius of this track.

[@scottwhite2757]

Awesome !!

[@jpsmusicandmore5457]

My favorite band ever. Love Steely Dan but they were more duetplus beast mode players. ToTo is a band. The dads of Paich and Porcaro brothers were cray amazing. What a wonderful talented bunch. Mike after David WOW. Thanks for sharing

[@JNeedels]

I've always wanted to meet David Hungate. One tiny but powerful bass lead that I've always liked is the last part of the song "99" on the Toto Hydra album.

[@midiman5045]

Nice to see people appreciate David Hungate and Toto. Totally Awesome band.

[@RATCLIFFE-LISTENS]

Hungate was a contemporary of David Paich Jeff Porcaro a little older than Lukather. What a group and to the person from the point of sheer talent,theory,and feel ….the best!

[@jaycareaga9929]

Paich, Jeff and Luke were were closer in age. Paich and Jeff were born in 1954. Luke and Steve Porcaro in 1957. Mike Porcaro in 1955. Hungate and Bobby Kimball are the oldest. Hungate and Bobby were born in 1947

[@alfonsogutierrez1392]

They were all secret weapons, super musicians

[@grooveattitude06]

The bass line of the song "you're the one that I want" is incredible too (and very difficult to play)

[@meekoloco]

“That’s jazz y’all.” Brilliant!

[@Del3k]

WOW now i know why i loved those songs. Hungate was the common thread.

[@dfreeman120]

Another brilliant episode Paul. The Toto productions and tracks were second to none especially with David Hungate holding it down. Take care

[@PlumpyDelicioso]

Hungate had a great monthly column in bass player magazine years ago. Great job

[@davidval7188]

Okay this is my child hood wow. It brings back so many memories.

[@jazzpunk]

Love "Georgy Porgy". I bought that album because of that tune. Another > Hungate's outro on "99"... killer. RIP, MP...

[@basscliff55]

You know, I’ve been playing that groove all my life and have always wondered who came up with it.. 👍🏽 Toto has always been one of my favorite groups, still is.

[@RockPolitics]

Your videos are always some of the most enjoyable on KZbin. You go where the groove is, no matter who and no matter the genre. There's a saying that a person never really dies until the last person to remember their names dies. You helped keep Hungate and Porcaro alive. Both deserve that.

[@TheSMPStudios]

I never got to see David Hungate play live, but I did get to see Mike, front row with his feet literally in front of my head. That Toto concert was one of the best I’ve ever been to. The only thing that would’ve made it better would’ve been if Jeff would’ve still been around. Simon Phillips is one of my favorite drummers, but Jeff’s feel, pocket, and energy is something that only comes around once. The back to Mike, he really gave me a new appreciation for bass players, and I even started playing around with the bass. Great channel my friend! You have new subscriber!!

[@ericnaquin2105]

As a bassist, I now understand why I love listening to all the songs you mentioned including the Grease soundtrack! How did I miss that? It all makes sense now

[@mjolnircarlssen4211]

David Hungate is absolutely incredible.

[@Funkybassplayer]

Hey pdbass. If I’m not mistaken you can also hear it in JB Papa Don’t Take No Mess. Only the second note is a ghost note. Awesome video bud. 🙏🏻👍🏻👏🏻

[@lylesmith3506]

Hungate is so damn good. He is one of my hero’s.

[@okolekahuna3862]

The first time I heard David, was on Silk Degrees, and was just blown away. His feel, choice of notes and fills immediately caught my ears.

[@TokyoJim618]

This video made me go down a rabbit hole of 70's delight. Here it is: Bobby Caldwell - What You Won't Do for Love Michael McDonald - I Keep Forgettin' The Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes Boz Scaggs - Lowdown Steely Dan - Hey 18 Jackson Browne - The Load Out & Stay Jackson Browne - Running on Empty Gerry Rafferty - Right Down the Line Gerry Rafferty Baker Street Long Version Kansas - Carry on Wayward Son Kansas - Dust in the Wind Rainbow - Since You Been Gone 10cc - I'm Not In Love Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

[@marcmoretti2502]

Every video of yours that I watch, I'm introduced to new amazing music that I'd missed out on up until now. I love this channel.

[@FAMUCHOLLY]

Thanks professor Paul. This is another of my favorites. Take care of yourself.

[@Hank-ip8rl]

Another excellent one. I never tire of hearing that hi-hat when Low Down comes on. The one I've been hooked on lately is Intimacy from Ramsey's Tequila Mockingbird album. Absolute groover. That whole album goes.

[@peepsieD]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequila_Mockingbird

[@parisedwards]

Great tutorial 👌🏿 👍🏿 👏

[@Xubuntu47]

Thanks for highlighting what (to me) was hidden in plain sight. I didn't pay a lot of attention to this music when it was current; now I can go back and really listen. One of the delights of starting to play bass late in life is discovering cool bass lines you never noticed before, in tunes you've heard a million times.

[@User-jk8wq]

Also the dude behind the incredible bassline on You Are the One That I Want from the Grease soundtrack

[@PhilMoskowitz]

1:39 -"Can't Hide Love" came out three years before Toto's first album. Though it's not surprising because that EWF sound was replicated so much in the later half of the 1980s. Being session musicians Toto was used to playing a lot of different styles, and that was sound was just one of them.

[@MichaelJordan-vr1nh]

Love his work on "you're the one that I want" from Grease sound track. Amazing groove !

[@Cdarlosfletch58]

78 was a fantastic year !

[@slangofagespodcast]

David Hungate is a master.

[@rick.d]

His contribution to Standing in the Shadows of Motown was Home Cookin' - dude knows groove.

[@GregariousAntithesis]

Loved Pocoro's Peavey Circus, so damn beautiful.

[@dewdew34]

Love the breakdown. 99 and Georgy Porgy are my favorites.

[@spankduncan1114]

Thank you for demonstrating the concept of three places to play to the beat. I've been frustrated over the years with musicians that don't get that, the feel is relative to the time of the other parts. You played those three versions perfectly.

[@sasvee]

I love bass driving songs - thanks for the education

[@outermarker5801]

Yup, I also love his solo right at the end of '99' - beautiful. And RIP Mike, who did fabulous work on live versions of 'Georgy Porgy' as well. These guys and so many others inspired generations of us to pick up the low end

[@edzielinski]

Fantastic. I've been vibing on Georgy Porgy (and Toto and Jeff Porcaro) for years and this answered one of my questions about it's infectious groove. Thanks!

[@williamlowe7718]

Porcaro and Hungate may be one of the best rhythm sections of all time! Btw, your channel and content is beyond top shelf bro!!

[@kw19193]

Agree 100% with your assessment of Hungate, a bassist with over-the-moon feel and plain old talent. Too, I would like to lift a glass to your good self, your channel is a delight. The enthusiasm you share is not only sincere but infectious as well. There are a couple other entertaining bass channels on YT but their focus is almost solely on complexity, speed, and ego - a little bit of this goes a lo-o-o-ng way. Don't know if you accept suggestions from non-subscribers but how about a video on King Crimson era John Wetton? Regardless, love your work and as long as you keep making vids I'll be watching them. Cheers!

[@heidichristensen7919]

I saw Toto back in about 1980. My first, and favorite concert. Also saw them in the 90s, so got to see both Dave and Mike. And thank you for explaining pocket! I’ve heard the word over and over but no explanation of what it is.

[@steelkeez7700]

I learn more and more every video man thanks 🙏🏾

[@PM-fs2eg]

It's always been one of my favourite Toto songs. Very interresting vids...thank you.

[@ajadrew]

David used to write articles in Bass Player magazine back in the late 80s/early 90's re note placement on country lines...the precision he spoke of was so far ahead of me at that time. I still have the magazines so must dig them out again! Also, I've thought several times that you'd cover 'Can't stop The Love' by Maze..there are some brilliant funk lines on that album! And Melvin Lee Davis is a superb player who's worth looking into - his tone & fluidity is gorgeous 👍😊

[@ajadrew]

@@thejam2k 👍😊

[@jfefan97]

Glad you did a vid on Hungate the bass player who did the "Grease" soundtrack bass playing. That's some iconic basslines. A real gigantic 1970's extraganaza!!!! Thanks!!!

[@Mspindare]

Stumbles here.. glad I did. Great channel. (Pay the man!).

[@tomdbass1]

I met David years ago when I first moved to Nashville. Great guy and definitely a big influence on my playing. He told me once that the bass track to “Lowdown” is actually 2 separate bass tracks. There’s the main groove of the tune and an overdubbed track that he’s playing double stops and chords.

[@ChicaLocaGB]

Your videos make me happy. Hold the Line does funny things to me.

[@miguelbass]

Thank you, Paul. You are my favourite KZbin channel. David also contributed to Bass Player Magazine, another side of his heroic bass playing carreer.

[@buddystewart2020]

David was a monster, and that track, Georgy Porgy was one of my favs.

[@gillboardman8998]

Still, still, still to this day my favorite Hungate bass line is on Olivia Newton John's "A Little More Love". 😎👍

[@musikman9103]

Thanks for yet another informative and entertaining video. I've always loved 'Georgy Porgy'! Ashford and Simpson bassist Francisco Centeno once told me that his great bass line on the hit "It Seems To Hang On" was inspired by David Hungate's playing on Boz Scagg's 'Lowdown.' Great that you remembered Mike Porcaro too.

[@kittymariek]

I love watching your videos, listening and learning about the bass, thank you for that. But the EWF song can't hide love was released before TOTO was formed , it was released in 1975. I have both TOTO albums you listed here and bout to play them now🎵🎶

[@loftsound]

For what its worth- and I hope you get a chance to check this out- The bass pockets hit me hard as a kid who grew up in the 1970s. I started as a drummer and took lessons and became pretty well educated on drums and rhythm, etc. I later picked up guitar and stuck with that as well, still taking both drum and guitar lessons. I was focused on those two instruments but was drawn to the bass movement in the productions of songs without knowing it. Then I started to hear and listen for bass parts particularly. As a Queen fan, it wasn’t always easy to pick out John Deacons parts and I wasn’t really listening for them at the time. What really made me hear the bass on its own was the Gerry Rafferty album City to City. Gary Taylor played bass on the whole album and two songs stuck out to me and really made me take note and work out the bass lines. First was City to City, the title track. Starts with basic octave and then walks in the chorus and continues walking through the second verse and the rest of the song. It was like being awakened by a bass line. That walking part was just infectious. The other song is called Home and Dry. Quarter note bass lines with a little fill here and there but what a pocket! Listening to those two tunes opened up a door to the bass line world for me that made it all make sense. Mentioning Hungate brings back all those great lines he did with Toto and all the others. He never overplayed. He always made it work. Great video. Check out the Gerry Rafferty tunes.

[@jimpottssoundandvision]

Your breakdowns are the finest Sir! Cheers JP

[@mattfoley6082]

Yeah, those chords and Jeff's drums are what hooked me.

[@bayoufretless]

Great video. Perfect choice of the player and the tune. He’s a MASSIVE influence for me, but doesn’t get the attention he deserves.

[@Jaycee37]

PD, you always bring the good good! Thanks I learn so much watching your cast.

[@turtlespiritflutes7570]

Another song that utilized this groove with a minor deviation was Al Jarreaus “Morning”. Instead of 3 16th notes into 3rd beat, it uses 16th note, 1/8th note then down beat for a bit more syncopation Trumpet player that used to write the arrangements for our band because bass player was in his own world. And the problem with trumpet players is they don’t watch bass and drum video’s. Every arranger should play some bass, keyboards and at least familiar with guitar grooves

[@kuminamoja]

Many bass players tried. One walk in and plays, and finally you are the one that i want has it s bass line

[@zve482]

I’m glad I tripped over this. Enjoyed the video, great job.

[@toneman501]

David is a master of space.... "... it's not the music that's hard..."

[@Dominion-1]

(1:03) *I met him in a club hangin out one night, He said, "Hello I'm George.. hi Lyte!* 😀

[@cyberwraith2k1]

This just came up in my feed today. Wanted to thank you for always making your videos so accessible. I play keyboards, and haven’t played bass in years, but I always learn something from your videos that I can still apply to my own playing and writing. Thank You!

[@outtayardstudio]

Watching them now...😮. 25th anniversary...Mike porcaro bass Simon Phillips drums...badass concert!! 💯💯🎤💯

[@Midi-olo-gist6758]

This is some good stuff that you bring us. Thanks for all your great info. Plus your knowledge of music is off the chain. What a smart cool brother you are. Thanks man 😊😊