Is THIS the Most Famous Bass Break In Popular Music?

[@michaelabbott9080]

Whilst not wishing to engage in "one upmanship"..I was Roy Hallee's assistant for the first 2 months work on Graceland. We cut the live band tracks in studio A1 at Hit Factory, where I was then an assistant engineer..The album was partially written and built in the studio. Paul simply asked the band to jam and or play round ideas he had. They did that and I recorded everything on the 2 track. Paul sat in the Control Room and wrote notes. After about 20 mins he would go into the studio and using sections they had played that he had notated they constructed the songs...From what seemed a very fluid, open jam session, he had structured sections of the songs...This song was put together like that...I remember the bass break and Paul saying we had to keep that in... Ironically I was also assisting Roy on Artie's album "The Animals Xmas" at the same time..Paul would only work Mon-Thurs office hours, and we were working with Artie and Jimmy Webb at the weekend..This put me in a few awkward situations as Paul and Artie were not getting along at the time and both wanted to know what the other was doing...Seems like a lifetime ago now, although somewhere I still have a Platinum album for Graceland..

[@michaelabbott9080]

I cannot confirm the type of amp that was used..if any. If one was used, it would have been an Ampeg B15 Portaflex as they were the standard house bass amp at the time...

[@spyderj3756]

Thank you for sharing!!!! 😍

[@scopius2]

Cool story, bro. And I say that with full sincerity.

[@christopherobrien6570]

You are very modest in your opening sentence Sir, and I respect that enormously. Please don't feel you are engaging in one upmanship, this account of events is priceless, if you have any more accounts , I would love to read them. Thanks again for letting us in.

[@BlackRootsAcademyOfSoul]

Glad to call him my Brotha and Friend. The great Bakhiti 👌🏿Gotta share this with him. Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤

[@MarcG7424]

Tell him he's is greatly appreciated and bassist all over the world know who he is greetings from 🇺🇲 ✌🏾

[@tommost1]

I got to meet Bakithi a few (many) years ago, what a great person!

[@geemcd]

Big love to that man from the UK ❤

[@dmikewilcox]

Love from Chicago, USA

[@wythetrumpet6419]

Being a trumpet player, I must agree, this is absolutely incredible bass playing! I honestly believe it was the bass that made this album sell incredibly well! Great video! Thank you! 🎺👍

[@TheStobb50]

This is one of those songs I’m a reasonably accomplished bass player, but when I listen to this, I honestly feel like giving up it’s so brilliant

[@terrywho22]

When this song came out, Bakithi Kumalo became an overnight sensation among bass players and musicians alike. Anyone interested in his music should consider checking out his solo albums, starting with San' Bonan.

[@HouseholdDog]

He's an absolute rhythm genius.

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

So glad you finally did this one. Really enjoyed your recreation of that solo break.

[@JohnnieDelong]

I'm a bass player with 50 years under my belt, I give this this a 2 thumbs up. Killer line, still gives me chills..

[@audiodead7302]

Are your chills multiplying? If so, are you losing control?

[@forresthale9529]

One of my favorite bass lines ever. This was the first bass song I fell in love with.

[@lundsweden]

This album was huge in '86-'87. Everyone loved the bass line in Call me Al, especially that cool backward bass part. Its funny what a real mashup this album was, but it worked!

[@isayoldchap1]

I was about twelve years old when this album came out. I clearly remember my next door neighbor repeatedly playing and rewinding that bass solo on his a cassette player on a summer's day. I really enjoyed your breakdown of the different bass parts. I always appreciated that syncopated sound and the relaxed feel afforded by the counterpoint fretless bass parts with those slides - very simple but creates a comfortable groove. This track in particular is one I listen to when trying out a new pair of headphones.

[@HolidayInGuantanamo]

Love this bass line so much. I just suddenly shouted "YEAH!" when you started the "Bonedigger" portion. So uplifting, melodic and joyous. Grinning like a madman while watching this. 😂

[@evanlucas3]

Very cool dissection...and way to go with the Khoisan clicking!!

[@toddh4491]

I had no idea there were so many bass parts. I learn something new every time I watch your show.

[@Midi-olo-gist6758]

Wow!! Talk about a piece of information. This probably the most interesting information ever given on a break down of song. Thanks for all you do 😊

[@dancook1118]

This album was a revelation! Here was this whole river of musical genius that was largely unknown to the US of A. So grateful I did not miss out on hearing it and getting to see these beautiful players bringing it in all the videos that came out. Thanks so much for your channel.

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

Full-time guitarist and 'pretend' bassist here: I gotta say, the more I learn about bass, the more I want to play the thing! Thank you PD!

[@TheSSMusicChannel]

Its so clever and rythmic it makes you very happy just to listen to it. A touch of magic really.

[@ryanaul]

Excellent analysis. Informative, concise and well delivered.

[@sambolino44]

I love your deep dives into the music; I've learned a lot from watching your videos. But this is the first time you had me dancing with joy.

[@yourcenour]

Thanks! This was awesome.

[@tangerinesrock90038]

This channel is a gem! Love the breakdowns and explanations!

[@sliverhandsonbasses]

The quality of content in your channel is nothing less than stunning! 👏🏻

[@pdbass]

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@philkirschner7007]

incredible outtakes :)

[@dmsanct]

this song immediately puts you in a good mood. its magical

[@nilkilnilkil]

There is some crazy bass on this whole record ...

[@pablojimenez1423]

Your channel is amazing 🙏🏻

[@TheMisterGriswold]

I'm a keyboard player and watch every episode. 🎹

[@sarahwelty9223]

I love your EADG intro I know where to come now for tuning in the correct key! I love your videos they're brilliant I've just discovered your channel and you now have a new fan. Best wishes to you x🙂👍

[@misterdeity]

Great video!!! Nice hearing you play as well!

[@DJSockmonkeyMusic]

I've loved this album since the moment i first it, I heard this song on the radio and BEGGED my mum for the record, but my stepdad bought it for me in the end. I wore out two copies of the LP before my 13th birthday.

[@ChicaLocaGB]

I was a kid when this came out and for years I thought that Chevy Chase was Paul Simon.

[@jessewallis6589]

Me too!

[@michaelanthony9068]

Thank you pd ! I now click “like” before your videos even begin. I watched a Scott’s Bass Lessons video today and Scott and Ian Allison mentioned how they love your channel. It’s the video about The Staple Singers, I’ll Take You There.

[@pdbass]

😮😮😮

[@shkyrbty]

Killer breakdown of all those killer lines! Thank you~

[@timtravasos2742]

Awesome bass parts, for sure. Great analysis. Thank you

[@Lycurgus1982]

When you have this playing in your childhood home it follows you until the end of your days.

[@scopius2]

You are a really good teacher, or expositor, or whatever it is that you folks do on KZbin. You're good at it!

[@pdbass]

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@FC-cz6zd]

Great to see your channel steadily growing. Really have enjoyed it. Thanks!

[@verwindung11]

Thank you SO much! This was so great. Love the way you break it down piece by piece.

[@hazybrain7]

Hearing the Graceland Album way back for the first time as a bass player was like a James Jamerson moment for me, so original and effortless grooviness - that album has gotten thousands of plays here .. Wonderful times, wonderful music .

[@T3L3cast3r]

The icing on the cake is Ladysmith Black Mambazo singing along with the Bonedigger line, giving the bass even more depth.

[@NativeIntelligenceCheckMyDJmix]

i love this breakdown video... so interesting, Graceland is one off my top 10 favorite albums ever

[@wanderlking8634]

It is easy to notice Diamonds on the Souls of her shoes but I missed all the things going on in the low end of You Can Call Me Al. Amazing stuff.

[@zenzenzen4741]

Without knowing much about Paul Simon and saw the music video as a kid, every time I heard that solo I thought it was Tony Levin because I grew up liking Tony just that much!

[@US_Joe]

Thanks for this! Two of my favorites were on the Kodachrome album - the title song, along with the soulful "Loves Me Like a Rock". Paul is an unsung musical genius. 👍👍👍

[@radiozelaza]

I like when a bass solo attacks you by surprise. Another song with a surprise bass solo I like is by the Polish 80s new wave band Maanam "Lipstick On The Glass"

[@4dee8eez]

Absolutely! Always love your videos!

[@arrell]

2:39 Listening to those additional bass lines, what stands out to me is how much the fretless sings! You can't replicate it on a fretted.

[@0num4]

Incredible song! I've liked it since I was in elementary school. If this isn't just a fun, groovy song, then I don't know what is.

[@ryanbarry9219]

Thank you for serving such nice sauce.

[@michaelmacdonell4834]

I got into South African "Township" music via a couple of Gospel choir albums - the names have long drifted from my memory. I was jumping about the place like a loon when this album came out and I heard all those intricate rhythms and different harmonies. Still do, I'm told.

[@z98133]

Love your breakdowns.

[@28russ]

This is one of if not my favourite album. The base is phenomenal through the whole album but the base line and particularly the bass solo in "Diamonds on the soles of her shoes" is a little more memorable to me but probably cause it's my favourite song on the album and I've listened to it the most and I do an acoustic guitar cover of it. And I just learnt that Adrian Belew also played on the album. Well no wonder the whole thing sounds so friggin awesome. And I've noticed that Paul Simon has the levels on the base more prominent in a lot of his songs, where as in songs from a lot of other artists songs ya can barely hear the base if ya can hear it at all. It's just mixed somewhere there in the background. ❤❤

[@cantstartafire]

Love this album, thanks so much for this.

[@jcortese3300]

I'm a pianist and harpist, so I'm always surprised whenever I sense that 12TET sounds a little off, and ... well, the second C in that first motif sounded off. Until you played it on the fretless. 🙂 I do love a fretless bass! Lovely cushiony sound, like the flugelhorn of the string section.

[@Mario-yk7ej]

Great, thanks for explaining this to me. I always I felt there had to be some kind of magic to this song as it is rather simple and yet sounds so good. I wasn't almost aware of what is happening with the base tracks here.

[@SodiumWage]

Legendary song and a legendary music video for the song too.

[@psychicbass]

That's awesome...I remember when it came out....

[@BassGuitarInstrumental]

Excellent video, thank you

[@douglaswilkin4991]

I always wondered about this. Thanks Paul

[@livealoha50f]

I love when i try to subscribe but i can’t because i am already subscribed -man i have great taste

[@jayramsey690]

Listen to all the bass guitars! It’s like Spinal tap!

[@gilbo4000]

I love your stuff Paul - don't stop whatever you do. Whilst on the subject I'd love to see you do a take on two of my personal favourite (unfreted) bassists, Eberhard Webber and Percy Jones. You may have already done so but I must have it.

[@gilbo4000]

... missed it, that is.

[@notreallydavid]

Back then, I hadn't heard bass as heavy as this in a non-heavy track. It took me some time to decide whether I liked it, but I got the right abswer in the end.

[@kelvinwilson9217]

It was also another great project that Adrian Belew played a role in and left his mark on.

[@DemonsCrest1]

so THAT's why this song is so awesome! :D

[@majorpayne8373]

Nothing surpasses the bass on "Good Vibrations". Thanks to you, Brian.

[@sergecreste7358]

Merci!

[@CrankyOldNerd]

I was in the middle of my teen years when this came out. We saw it on MTV of course as that was what you did. I grew up with my parents 'Simon and Garfunkel Greatest Hits' as the only record and wasn't really aware of his solor releases up to this point. So that was how we kenw him. With him and Chevy Chase in the video lip syncing it we were confused as heck. I didn't have a job yet so it was birthday or babysitting money to get one of these and it was a big purchase for me. Imagine my surprise when Boy in the Bubble starts, and all the other songs ont ehre was so not 'you can call me al' style. they were better. My mom comes storming into my room when Under African Skies started, LINDA RONDSTAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO LINDA RONDSTAT?? It was pretty funny she was not a fan of 80s rock /new wave that her kid normally blasted.

[@simeon2851]

The pronunciation of Mbaqanga was perfect!😂

[@foto21]

That whole era was such a high point, from Bhundu Boys to Toure Kunda to Fela. Ginger Baker actually moved to Senegal I believe and was helping a lot of those bands get recorded, or maybe he was just around. I don't know, but I do know what a great era in music it was from Africa. The players were amazing.

[@wickedprotos1937]

That solo always blew my mind in cooless factor. I ddin't know about the reversal 2nd half, that's cheating ;-)

[@kevindean9613]

on the Solo I use to use reverse reverb ,worked well for me .

[@jrpipik]

The title for the song comes from a moment Paul Simon shared with his first wife in the 60s. They went to a party and the host (who had no idea who they were) introduced them Al and Betty, and they thought it was funny so they never corrected him. They would often call each other Al and Betty.

[@pdbass]

It was the composer Pierre Boulez, actually!

[@FinnBjerke]

I love this video mate.....

[@nathanprofitt3224]

Do you know how many people don’t know what a palindrome is?!?! Love your channel…I’m just having fun with it now!

[@jfjoubertquebec]

1:28 Bravo!!

[@1oolabob]

This makes me go kind of Yogi Berra, because you can hear how good the music is just by listening to it. Graceland is one of the most wonderful things a pop musician ever did: write and sing great songs, and showcase amazing ethnic musicians because they're awesome.

[@ChrisPFDeVito]

That "horn" part is actually Adrian Belew playing his guitar synth.

[@slubber]

My go to track on that disc is Under African Skies - for me is on my top 5 fretless bass songs of all time (especially the live version on SNL)

[@jamesrawlins735]

If I had to label the most popular bass break in pop music, I submit the bass opening to the Barney Miller theme - so iconic.

[@shannonpincombe8485]

Just loving your clips. Every one so enjoyable. I love bass. I know you're rooted in more groove sound bass but is there any chance you could please break doen one of the hundreds of classic Steve Harris basslines from amy of the early Iron Maiden albums? Steve wanted to be a drummer but didn't have the space for a kit as a kid. He buys this dodgy bass and falls on love with the sound the hum in his body and 'Steel Fingers' as he is known drove Iron Maiden with super melodic bass parts. He didn't just want the guiters to have all the fun. After all Iron Maiden is HIS band. So your channel dropped into my feed. Keep em coming.

[@etoineschrdlu9382]

Mbaqanga - Easy for you to say!

[@graemefisher4189]

First song I learned when I purchased a fretless 😊

[@corrindion]

Fantastic!

[@jacklarson6281]

when you mentioned that it is/was common for bassists to pluck the strings during the verse and then slap or pop during the chorus, it reminded me of an old interview with Chuck Rainy talking about recoding Peg on Steely Dan's Aja. he said he had to shift away from view of the recording engineer so the engineer wouldn't see what he was up to. the implication being that at that time ('77), it was not a common thing to do.

[@weebgrinder-AIArtistPro]

Never realized it was "just" a I-IV-V good stuff

[@counterfit5]

Don't forget the bass sax in the horns.

[@BenTrem42]

1:27 *_Nice klik!_*

[@BenTrem42]

@__Pdbass:-) ... I think. 2 cryp 4 me

[@bosshogster6715]

Love Mbaqanga music. It’s feel good music. If you like Graceland then you MUST check out the current South African band called Hot Water (particularly their album Songoma). A fantastic and massively underrated band. Their singer even sounds a lot like Paul Simon! If you’re interested in listeNing to more older Mbqanga music I recommend checking out the Makgona Tsohle Band and (the South African) Soul Brothers.

[@MetalHeart8787]

your video & knowledge is Great ive seen ( Not a fan of ) Davie504 Bass videos, and i have learned more From just watching 4 mins of your Video. Not huge on paul simmon either But always liked that song & Bass line.

[@pizzicato16]

Mbaqanga! I'm assuming it's a Xhosa word. The coolest language

[@piterprajs]

I love your channel man! Could you please make a video about this song: Paul Simon - Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes (from The African Concert, 1987)? There's a lot of fretless bass magic going on in this song. It's on Paul Simon's YT channel. Please pdbass, please!

[@pdbass]

That's a GOOOOD one!

[@NoBrakes23]

I quickly got tired of this song when it came out and have hated it for years. This video gave me some appreciation for it.

[@doctorauxiliary]

they south african verbiage had you really working extra hard on this one, huh? ;-D gotta earn those likes & subscribes. haha!!

[@olivierrorif6028]

the 6 strings bass was a fender VI i think no ?

[@jamesha175]

OMG did you just play "Wrathchild" ?

[@pdbass]

💪🏽

[@aelxxs]

I just found your channel and I've really enjoyed your videos! I would be really interested in what you think about bass lines in 80's Japanese music. Check out Koki Ito, he's amazing

[@cursedswordsman]

I swear to god you already made a video on this song

[@MUGSYBROWN]

I never thought a Paul Simon album would wind up being on one of my favorite albums of ALL TIMES List, but this puppy has been on it since the day I took the time to listen to the WHOLE album, many many moons ago. It’s STILL on that List. Every single song is so incredibly tasteful and full of pizzaz, but I KNOW he kind of stole all of the music on that album too. It’s still great though 😊

[@bpabustan]

Bakithi has the funk, much like Larry Graham and Bernard Edwards

[@spank2424]

Wow I use to play this track with this cover band I was in back then. Never know what magic happens in the studio thanks for the info 👍🏾