Foo Fighters, The Pretender - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction

[@JohnT_72]

I never paid that close attention to that bass line, but now it's all I hear, and certainly what makes the song so great and so enjoyable. thank for calling it out to me!!

[@deportedsouls3165]

It's not a baseline in the intro in the ordinary way, since it's played on the guitar. But I get the point since it's repeated with the base throughout the song.

[@killermetalwolf2843]

@@deportedsouls3165 it is a bass line in the most literal sense, it is played on a string bass. edit: well, cello, but close enough

[@philshorten3221]

The VIDEO is def worth a watch😉

[@JCVitamin]

Welp...I now enjoy this song like it's new to me again. Many thanks for the insight!!

[@larryfontenot9018]

When Foo Fighters play this song live, they use a synthesizer for some of the concerts. But in others, they hire a string bassist and when that happens, the bass is featured at the front of the stage and the instrument's sound is prominent.

[@LeeKennison]

Vlad you left out the most important part in the background info to help Amy put this in context. The Foo Fighters is the creation of Dave Grohl, the drummer from Nirvana who you have seen in the "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" and "Teen Spirit" videos. Their first album is essentially all Dave Grohl, who is well known as a multi-instrumentalist, playing and singing all the parts. Soon after he brought on many other top notch musicians to fill out the roles, with Taylor Hawkins on the drums (Dave's former role in Nirvana) while Dave plays guitar and sings lead. I really liked your take on the lyrics. Great reaction and observations, I really enjoyed it. Just wish you had the full context, but understandable when recording so many of these back to back.

[@orcaflotta7867]

Exactly. Amy forgot to mention we're listening to grunge monarchy here. Say what you will, Foos made some nice songs but altogether are much more juvenile and a considerable step backwards compared to their mothership Nirvana.

[@mightyV444]

Yeah, I was surprised by the omission of that piece of information, too! 😅

[@mightyV444]

@@orcaflotta7867 - Depends on who's listening! 😉 Me, I've always preferred the Foo Fighters, as Nirvana just are too dark and aggressive for my taste. I do recognise their music-historical importance and Cobain's talents in particular, though 😉👍

[@gavinmallett9331]

I agree. I also think the bridge, the section of the song before the final chorus & outro,is so very Nirvana, Dave even sings in a Kurt kinda way. Yeah!?! Who Are You!!??!!...

[@willjohnson8446]

She’s also heard Dave Grohl when she listened to Tenacious D’s Tribute. He played drums and electric guitar on that track… as well as playing the devil in the video.

[@ZosoLU]

That melody line you mentioned really pulls you in, and it's cool to see it in different ways through the song. I love how its line of "Keep you in the dark, you know they all pretend" is sung over the last choruses of "What if I say I'm not like the others.." It's a moment of contrapuntal brilliance! One of their most popular songs is "Everlong" which also has a strikingly beautiful melody. I think you'd really like that one, Amy.

[@barryevans791]

Its really simple, but playing it on Rocksmith makes me feel cool as heck.

[@brendonlake1522]

For sure watch the video! So many great foo fighters tracks. Dave has not been shy about his love for the Beatles and i think that shows in his incorporation of catchy melodies even though the music is often 'noisy'😊

[@SteveMenardDesignDXM]

The Foo Fighters definitely have a heavy, driving sound, but at the same time, many of their songs have great melodies and catchy hooks. Their founding member, lead singer and rhythm guitarist, David Grohl, was the drummer in the band Nirvana.

[@hansaugustsson7288]

Amy, that introductory bass melody reminds me of the beginning of I Want You (She's So Heavy) by The Beatles. The guitar arpeggio is also there. Check it out for comparison!

[@toxic-o1u]

Was just going to post that the bass line remembers me of something I know from some classic song, probably Beatles, Led Zeppelin or maybe Pink Floyd, without being able to name it exactly.

[@stuarthein3444]

The problem is that Amy is reviewing The Beatles chronologically and is only to the White Album. It will be a long time before she hears the intro to "I Want You (She's So Heavy)".

[@MrCatandMe]

One of these days you'll have to introduce her to Steely Dan: Two college trained composers, the best studio musicians of the day, and months spent perfecting and recording each song. Their Aja album is fantastic.

[@MB-ih6co]

She needs to hear Aja!

[@MIAKRI-pi2bq]

Isn't Steely Dan was a stand user from JoJo?

[@andrewramage5850]

After the Act of Union in 1707 (when Scotland and England became the united Kingdom), James Francis Edward Stuart led a rebellion in 1715. He became the Old pretender when his son, Charles Edward Stuart, led a follow-on rebellion in 1745, thus becoming the Young Pretender.

[@WillFlyTheLightingGuy]

This song, along with most of the band’s most popular songs, is about positive affirmation. It’s about taking stock in yourself, being fearless, and going out to be the person you were always meant to be. It challenges you to look at yourself and make concrete choices about who you want to be…and then being bold enough to go out and be the best you. It’s a call to action. It’s a crying out against lackadaisical existence.

[@jarnovilen5259]

I would assume that most who know Foo Fighters music a bit better knows this sublime bass line, which is gorgeous as you said.

[@javiermari8537]

Great analysis as always, for something less chaotic I would recommend the song Ever long, probably their biggest all time hit. Cheers.

[@the_oslovian]

This is so much fun to watch. I really love Foo Fighters arrangements and it's so fun to see you breaking it down. ❤

[@dylankerr2411]

I recommend watching the music video for this one. It's one of the rare videos that actually enhances the presentation of the song.

[@barriehull7076]

David Eric Grohl (/ˈɡroʊl/; born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He founded the rock band Foo Fighters, of which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. From 1990 to 1994, he was the drummer of the grunge band Nirvana.

[@apseudonym488]

I always liked his work with Crisis of Conformity.

[@philshorten3221]

Dave Grohl did tear up his vocal chords right at the end you can hear his voice crack! Not only a legend but a super nice guy! ❤

[@obitonye]

his wife agrees

[@nataliephillips9494]

great band

[@AyyyGabagool]

I'm very surprised that the pre-reaction literature excluded the fact that the lead singer and song writer of the Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl, was the drummer of Nirvana, which to me would seem to be an important part of the evolution of rock through the 90s that Amy mentioned during the last Nirvana reaction

[@robertpetre9378]

Dave Grohl often plays his guitar as if it is a drum and thinks about the individual strings like parts of a drum kit it’s a very unique way of playing guitar as he doesn’t come from my guitar background and is more naturally fitted to play drums

[@germantoenglish898]

The bass pulls you in to shake you up. 😂

[@txtmstrjoe]

I had given up hope Ms. Shafer would share her thoughts on my favorite band, but it's great to be wrong sometimes! Thank you!

[@JamesKlas]

I thimk you give them þoo much credit.

[@waynedwyer6509]

For context you should watch the video. It's more about how the enforcers of our society shape us and how this person is saying "I'm not like the others", I won't be controlled by you pretenders. The pretenders are only interested in power and control. It's a powerful video, gives me chills whenever I see it.

[@TheRealDCF]

Another one of their songs that has that symphonic feel during the chorus is “Sky is a Neighborhood”.

[@TheFlixAndTheBrain]

"It's a thing of beauty" she says. "A thing of beauty, I know, will never fade away..." I continue. Now I'd want her to listen to "Never fade away" from Samurai/Cyberpunk 2077. Also interesting to hear her pointing out the bassline. I'm really bad at hearing bass, my focus is usually on the lead and rhythm guitar, but it's fun to analyze a song a little more in-depth together with her. The Pretender is one of my favorite songs.

[@KathyTerpstra-zf6so]

Check out live performance of Queen and Adam Lambert at the Isel of Wright "Who Wants to Live forever".

[@kaceylinne344]

best of you, walk, everlong, all my life, these days, times like these, run, rescued, the sky is a neighborhood, waiting on a war, learn to fly, monkey wrench, rope, no way back, shame shame, something from nothing, the feast and the famine

[@ajmell7]

As far as '90s music goes, I don't recall you covering any British bands of the era. "Common People" by Pulp is a classic Britpop nugget you might want to consider -- very different from the angsty grunge sound that prevailed in the U.S.

[@mightyV444]

Supergrass were cool then, too! 🤩👍

[@HoooRU]

Radiohead would be a whole new journey!

[@LeeKennison]

She has done Oasis "Wonderwall" and a couple of Radiohead tunes ("Creep" and "Paranoid Android"). I think she said "Paranoid Android" was one of her favorite 90s tunes, and if I remember correctly she also liked "Wonderwall" which was fairly early in her journey into rock.

[@sergiofernandez6524]

Please watch (not only listen) to the Wembley live version, I think you will love it. I wish I was there! Thanks for your content!

[@noeadrielbravoherrera1240]

I love your reactions and how you analyze the composition and everything. I recommend you listen to Avenged Sevenfold song: Little Pice of Heaven. That song its quite funny and creepy. It Has a lot of instruments in it and some mesmerizing changes of style. I really think that you will find it interesting

[@commentatron]

The string parts remind me of some Beatles song, maybe Eleanor Rigby. Dave's songs often seem to channel part of the Beatles magic. I assume he was a fan and student of that popular school.

[@ursikoeln]

Please do Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)!!!!

[@marcelqueiroz8613]

Everlong, My Hero, Best of You, Times Like These, Learn to Fly, Monkey Wrench, Rope, Big Me, Walk, Long Road to Ruin, Walking After You...

[@ozludo]

And Stacked Actors for some rage

[@ABitOLace]

The way Amy describes her interpretation of the lyrics makes me suddenly think how this song could be seen as a kind of allegory for being trans and having not yet come to terms with it - even if that wasn't the original intent. I suppose that's the beauty of lyrics that are descriptive but open-ended enough to be relatable in a number of ways depending on how you interpret them.

[@Maxry-v2y]

It’s your own personal situation

[@kriszwis1445]

this song , bass line theme from i want you song the beatles from the album abbey road

[@stephenhobbs4753]

I've always thought the bass line to which you're referring was a great counter melody, creating a contrast that addresses our duality...

[@michaelz9892]

Vlad- curious if you personally are not into Bowie's music. I'm surprised that his huge catalogue hasn't really been explored yet?

[@shiva1742]

For real!!! Like so many other legends that he does not seem to care for or maybe even be aware of. I can appreciate Amy and her earnest efforts, but this whole enterprise seems pretty off balance to me.

[@zingstar57]

Bro it is a new channel

[@Maxry-v2y]

The moody blues song ,nights in white satin, would be a good review,reminds me of a friend who has passed

[@barriehull7076]

It's complicated, keeping up with names! Wikipedia: When the exiled King James VII and II died in 1701, his son James Frances Edward took up the reins of the Jacobite cause. He laid claim to the thrones of Scotland, England and Ireland as James VIII and III. But to his opponents he was the 'Pretender'. James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 1688 - 1 January 1766)[a] was the House of Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland from 1701 until his death in 1766. The only son of James II of England and his second wife, Mary of Modena, he was Prince of Wales and heir until his Catholic father was deposed and exiled in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. His Protestant half-sister Mary II and her husband William III became co-monarchs. As a Catholic, he was subsequently excluded from the succession by the Act of Settlement 1701. Raised primarily in France and Italy, when his father died in September 1701 James claimed the thrones. As part of the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1708 Louis XIV of France backed a landing in Scotland on his behalf. This failed, as did further attempts in 1715 and 1719. Led by his elder son Charles Edward Stuart, the 1745 Rising was the last serious effort to restore the House of Stuart. William III (William Henry; Dutch: Willem Hendrik; 4 November 1650 - 8 March 1702),[b] also known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from the 1670s, and King of England, Ireland, and Scotland from 1689 until his death in 1702. He ruled Great Britain and Ireland with his wife, Queen Mary II, and their joint reign is known as that of William and Mary.

[@herbertwest9626]

I doubt this song has anything to do with the historical facts you listed. It's about a more universal subject matter. Anyone can be a "pretender".

[@terrykennedy-lares8840]

I may be wrong, but I saw your "I'm tolerating this as best I can" face during the more heavy metal parts of this. I agree the bass line was the best part of this. I never caught on to the Foo Fighters cause I was and am still exploring the classic rock groups. Of the 90's groups I tended towards the Replacements and Green Day.

[@bernhardkrickl3567]

I've heard the Foo Fighters described as "the world's most okayest band" and I understand the sentiment :) I'm not a big fan and it took me a long time to get into their music somewhat, but I really enjoyed their 2021 album "Medicine at Midnight". Maybe you will, too. Also, note that Dave Grohl and his band mates are big Beatles fans. I'ld say you can hear that in their music, at least on "Medicine at Midnight" and on "The Pretender" as well.

[@ogolthorp]

@@bernhardkrickl3567grohl has grown A LOT as a musician since collabing with Josh Homme so much. Check out Them Crooked Vultures if you want to hear some real mature, depthful and layered rock sounds. It’s grohl on drums, Josh homme on vocals/guitar and John Paul jones (of Led Zeppelin) on bass.

[@Bogomoljka9]

I would love to see you react to this velvet glove by red hot chili peppers

[@carlosjavier-ux2ig]

Funny you said that about the cello. In the Wembley concert (opening with this song) it was performed with a cello.

[@grilledspaghetti]

In the studio as well.

[@sambirch6784]

I like the fact Dave Grohl doesn't really make this song comfortable to listen to at any point, it never settles into a relaxed structure but it's more like a rising state of alarm. It makes the section where it goes quiet like the intro even more effective.

[@stevenscharmer1765]

Yes, and that's because, if you listen to the lyrics, he is trying to rouse people out of their complacency. So the music follows suit.

[@carlospascoa559]

This song is good, but 'Everlong' is definitely their best song. It's honestly the quintessential 90s alternative rock song-a masterpiece. Please listen to that one if you listen to The Foo Fighters again!

[@WillFlyTheLightingGuy]

Everyone calm down. Musically, it’s still considered a bass line if it’s not played on the bass guitar.

[@schlurosaurusrex2827]

Correct!!

[@jak959]

Everlong by the foo fighters at wembley stadium.

[@jeffledp]

Please do Queens of the Stone Age!

[@gedece]

This might be a homage to The Who when they sung "Who are you, I just wanna know, I really want to know, who are you"

[@suburbanindie]

The last few notes of that bass line are also descending chromatically if my ear is not mistaken

[@thomaskrash]

oh and waaw i became a huge fan in days... can you will you would you listen to godspeed you black emperor- bbf3. or any. thankyouforthemusic.

[@daneashby3562]

Orchestral shifting chords and bass hints at a Beatles trick.

[@Fang70]

What if I say I'm not like the otters?

[@Maxry-v2y]

😂

[@scottmacdonald1826]

I guess it's now a little thing to be "fashionable, trendy, or relevant" to hate the Foo's. Too bad they put out really good songs.

[@shiva1742]

Too bad that you still haven’t listened to Jackson Browne yet and his song, “ The Pretender”, a piece of music with real creative craftsmanship and poignant and meaningful lyrics and no sledgehammer drumming or scream singing.

[@Inuyasha463]

Glad you checked out Foo Fighters. They're one of the few bands from my school days that I still revisit relatively regularly. I recommend checking out Everlong next.

[@lukasmeggs5857]

Isn’t the line she picked up on at the beginning played by guitar? It’s quite an interesting chord to play

[@winterbird4447]

Exit Wound, Jackie Leven on the list?

[@ledsagarra583]

Please react to manfred mann's earth band "questions" Schubert connection

[@tonytjandra4798]

Music video by Dennis DeYoung ( Styx ) performing Desert Moon. Thank you. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJSpgH98qdxlf8U

[@ruddock7]

Please please please could you do a review of Gladys Knight and the Pips ( Neither One Of Us). I know it's not rock music but would love your opinion on it, thankyou.

[@DC_Prox]

"riff" is a broad term, a "riff" can be from any instrument, including bass.

[@SimonRobertElder]

I'm in two minds as to whether to watch this or not, as I know it'll be stuck in my head for days, but what the heck.

[@obitonye]

Please make a video about Weezer - Say it Ain't So

[@PainInTheS]

That song title has a whole other meaning now with Dave Grohl. 🤣 Foo fighters....music that sounds nice but without lasting impression. It's safe music, nice in the background but very little substance.

[@ivanove888]

Could you react to The Warning?

[@torbenpetersen8983]

The intro is inspired from Led Zeppelins "Stairway to .. " I like the harmonics in the chorus. /Am/... /Am/D3/F/ .. You should see the video ..

[@wesleyrodgers886]

Tom Waits. Back in the crowd. 😊

[@Phimponn]

REACT TO PACO DE LUCIA, THERE SPANISH MUSIC TOOO, NOT EVERYTHING IS IN ENGLISH

[@Tacko14]

The Foo Fighters. In general, their songs are not very special. There are some but it's not a requisite. The special thing is the band itself. They're seductive, intoxicating and very addictive. Well, they were, anyway. Without Taylor, we'll see. He was our cuddly teddy bear. He was My Hero.

[@barriehull7076]

Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender is an Emmy/Rose d'Or award-winning 2012 feature-length documentary film about Queen singer Freddie Mercury and his attempt to forge a solo career.

[@diamondstud322]

Foo Fighters are the best rock band of the past 30 years imo. I’m not sure where “Everlong” came in on the charts, but it was definitely their biggest hit in terms of critical success, and it’s evident why when you hear it. I’d also like to suggest a second listen to Falling in Reverse. I know you often do two versions of the same song, and Falling in Reverse did something unusual. They “re-imagined” several of their songs on the anniversary of the original release. I think you’d really find their “The Drug in me is You” and “The Drug in me Reimagined” interesting.

[@mightyV444]

This song's title always reminds me of 'The Great Pretender' by Freddie Mercury 😊 Which I think was a cover?! I'm not entirely sure 🤔 And the "bass line" and the chord progression around it definitely was copied from the verse in Panic! At The Disco's Hit 'I Write Sins Not Tragedies', which had been released not long before 'The Pretender' 😅

[@dago87able]

Indeed, by non others than The Platters

[@mightyV444]

@@dago87able - Oh wow! Cool! 😀 And thank you for the info! 😊👍

[@dago87able]

@@mightyV444 not at all

[@barnigranero5882]

One of their weaker songs and that's a compliment. You should try Everlong.

[@herbertwest9626]

Weak? It's pretty well written and also quite heavy for a rock band.

[@barnigranero5882]

@@herbertwest9626 I wasn't referring to the heavyness. More the quality of the track. It's not as interesting as a lot of their other songs and a bit one dimensional. This is a very high standard that we are comparing with though.

[@CrowVWade]

I can’t here them now without thinking. They’ll sue someone playing they’re music without permission but, they don’t own their own music anymore and he also cheated on his wife and has a baby outside his marriage 👎 yuck

[@letsgomets002]

Clad more classic rock....not this grunge stuff don't like genre

[@JohnSmith-n9u]

The history of guitar part 2. What was your guitar for you. Food fighters are ya I guess. I would have sounded the same as Dave, by the way I was the Original Producer song writer Composer for the food fighters, but before you point the finger at me with the meaning of the lyrics. It must be explained, under the artistry infringement act, I at first look just like Pirate John Coxen, I have family in Roatan Honduras. My name is John Smith, Origins England , Ireland , Spain. John Lennon would do leisure travels to Roatan, and had family working biking rock bands and doing music composition with AASCAP. Been doing it for years. Great trade Liesure travel Liesure Music. Yeah I admit to all this and other Rock Bands and such like that. I was self taught on Guitar My was a gift from my higher power that I received when born. Please enjoy the Firefighters. Oh and if you enjoy Diving please give time to travel to the Second Biggest Barrier Reef in the world. But I'm going into details about how Paul McCartney would say, "Only Mama Knows". John Smith.

[@commentatron]

If you think that bass line was distracting... you know how sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts? Well, try listening to the song while watching its video.

[@ludwigemil619]

For love's sake, can somebody please tell her that she's listening to Nirvana minus Curt Kobain?

[@barriehull7076]

You have dude.

[@davidmoore5276]

Minus Krist Novoselic.

[@szaki]

Foo Fighters? LOL! How about some real heavy metal from the 80s? Judas Priest - The sentinel kzbin.info/www/bejne/jX-5nqhtmL5mqZYsi=xxjp--WRe4nSiRBf kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHq2goCeqb2cia8si=za9WACpibsIwTHa5 Best is at 5:55! Singer has tenor voice range, like Freddy Mercury had! 👍👍👍

[@jdktoo]

without the video? wtf? this is youtube.

[@of6594]

Foo Fighters are ok ... but overrated

[@Alrekr666]

This is the most boring and overrated band of the last 30 years. Now that you are familiar with it, please go back to the good ones. Cheers.

[@grattonland]

LOL

[@michavandam]

Amy, you manage to listen to a song that completely ROCKS, and only say something about the melodic bass line and the lyrics - totally ignoring the Rock aspects. In passing you mention the words "noisy" and "invasive", but you're just not giving us a reaction to the Rock that's so blatantly in your face here. You leech on to what you understand, but you neglect the drumming, the guitar playing, the screaming, the manipulating of noise, the dynamics, the skillful affecting of our heartbeat, the emotional impact, etc. If you want to talk about bass lines, save that for the Beatles and Queen. Even though this bass part is nice, it's played over and over, so in the end it's not very interesting. But you go on about it...

[@raoulduke3770]

Right, she should react the way you want her to.

[@paulhorgan6152]

Elton John 1986 live in Melbourne Australia

[@markvanderstelt8999]

No this is Foo Fighters