Pearly Dewdrops' Drops: The clever artistry of Cocteau Twins Bass Lines - Bass Lesson & Cover

Talking a bit about Cocteau Twins, their 1984 track "Pearly Dewdrops' Drops", and a deconstruction of Simon Raymonde's bass parts. EDIT: thanks to Robin Guthrie for his subsequent insight on this track - Robin actually wrote this bass part before Simon joined the band. See in comments.
Also a bass playthrough of the entire song.
Song & artist background - 0:16
Bass lesson - 2:12
Playthrough - 10:46
Like my video? Support me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jedmakesnoise

[@robinguthrie]

Actually, I wrote that bass part, the original version of that song was recorded at Palladium Studios in Straiton Village, Edinburgh, several month before even meeting Simon. The original version was released on a 'cassette only' compilation called 'Dreams And Desires' (1984, Cassette). Following this, we recorded, The Spanglemaker EP, in Palladium and included a version with Mr Raymonde playing my bass part. In the early days of working with Simon there were several songs already written where he played bass. But not always. We, happily, switched guitar and bass rolls for the 1985 Aikea Guinea, for example. As our relationship progressed Simon fell into a more creative roll of which he duly deserves credit, however I continued bass playing on our songs until we fell apart in 1997 .

[@MH-jg4lq]

Wow! This bass part is gorgeous to listen to! Robin - how old were you when you started playing guitar and base?

[@jeddyeval]

Robin, thanks so much for your input and insight. It’s interesting to hear what was really happening behind the scenes involving writing parts etc. This is a beautiful piece and your writing and performance of it must be acknowledged properly (I shall amend in the video) All in all, I adore what your group has created over the years. From a humble Australian fan (who found your music in a time that I really needed it) I sincerely thank you so much for your beautiful music.

[@laurencepreston2939]

Thanks for the clarification, Robin. You have confirmed an idea I had already. There is a similarity with the bass line in Sugar Hiccup (pre-Simon Raymonde). I dabble with the bass and I admire your imaginative approach to creating bass lines (2- or 3-note chords, 2-note harmony etc.). The bass lines, together with the ethereal vocals and floating dreamlike guitar sounds, were such an integral part of the Cocteau sound. To quote Abba "thank you for the music". It is soul-touching. If my admiration for your input was 10 before, now it goes to eleven!

[@softlightsymphonyband]

Robin, speaking of switching up instruments played: In the song Quisquose are you and Simon both playing bass VI guitars? I feel like it was mentioned that you did this on this track but can’t find the reference now. Or perhaps there are other tracks you did this and not this one? Regardless I was listening to it today and it’s mesmerizingly beautiful. Cheers

[@BeTheGuitar]

So now we learn that not only was Mr. Guthrie a pioneer of a unique soundscape on guitar, but he crafted some damn fine work on the bass as well. Hats off!

[@eduardoalegriarampante639]

Im a 53 year old rabid Twins and Simon fan. This was such a yummy treat. Thnxs.

[@poet1972]

Best explanation ever. Everybody was talking about Liz' singing then. But it always was that new bass-sound! Something a lot of great bands like The Cure or The Mission included in their music.

[@joeltunnah]

My all time favorite song by my all time favorite band! I saw them live at the Riviera Theater in Buffalo NY, 1994!

[@Genshi]

Good video, but one minor correction (and Robin could chime in to verify) at the 0:57 mark you flashed the Linndrum LM-2 which they never used. They did use the LM-1 briefly but Robin hated it because it was such a popular drum machine that everybody was using at the time, so by late 83 and 84 (when Pearly Dewdrops Drop came out) he had switched to the Emu Drumulator.

[@harveyturnersedpage7907]

As a guitarist, I always loved Simon’s bass playing. The only one I could never quite work out exactly what he was doing was ‘Spangle Maker’. Some of the songs from Bluebell Knoll and Heaven or Las Vegas have great bass lines, often starting typically using single notes then launching into chords with his playing acting more like a rhythm guitar section.

[@laurencepreston2939]

One of the best musical tutorials I've seen! Very clearly explained! And I agree: Simon Raymonde's immaginative bass lines (and not only these) were such an integral part of the Cocteau sound.

[@jorgereyna2049]

I love the Cocteau Twins and @robinguthrie solo. I think I was in Peru and I went to see you live. Was an unreal experience. Is that true that you were living in Lima for a while? I am from Lima but moved to Australia 22 years ago. By the way, I love this video and how Jeddy gives an academic explanation about Cocteau twins song, you are awesome mate!

[@Ursapie]

i don't play guitar, but was still fascinated with your explanation; brilliantly done, Jed

[@night_fiend6]

Peter Hook would play two or three notes on bass. The intro to Love Will Tear Us Apart is one example of Hooky doing just that.

[@matthewrampley1894]

Takes me back to my student days. So the bit about melancholy nostalgia is absolutely spot on. It still gives me a shiver whenever I listen to it, nearly 40 years later.

[@thebmxband1t]

liked the simple but detailed way you explained this awesome track. youre a great teacher.

[@MarcosVieiraVideos]

Jed... Thank you for your playing demonstration... Regards.

[@GuitarWithBrett]

Sick ! I’ve played this guitar and never thought how it’s weird for bass , super cool

[@robertjung4001]

Pretty damn awesome. Thanks for presenting this...arguably one of their finest songs. Well. Done.

[@iris3401]

Thank you for this! It gives me w newfound appreciation for the song

[@Bern446]

That bass line is fucking epic. It deserves its own video.

[@stevechurch4728]

that was really good, great stuff, the first song i heard of theirs and could not buy it fast enough. thanks for that.

[@jeddyeval]

Thanks so much! :)

[@markfrank7796]

Jed Makes Noise, thanks so much for this tutorial. It's great to see this great bass line broken down and then put back together. I've been a Cocteaus fan since the mid-80s, and whether it was Robin or Simon playing it, I've always been as impressed by their bass parts as by the guitar parts.

[@flandriaworx4634]

Just came across this great explanation of this bass track. Well done. Its a pity this great band fell apart cos they wrote some memorable songs. Cocteau Twins Forever.... Thanks Jed and well done👍👍👍

[@kevmac1230]

You taught an old dog a new trick today.Thanks.

[@BeTheGuitar]

Fantastic work! Looking forward to seeing more Cocteau Twins bass line constructions. And yes, I agree with you: the shift from major to minor and the passing tone are absolutely one brilliant piece of emotionally powerful sonic shifts.

[@rjwije4874]

Great job and a fantastic cover of the Twins

[@earlsfield]

Amazing work mate. Would you do Millimillenary or Wax and Wane? But yeah this mix of bas guitar and Elizabeth's voice induce so many different feelings at once ...

[@SviatoslavKaverin]

Привет, брат. Check "Wax and Wane" (and more) at the channel Micah Newman, those are the clips from a decade ago. With respect to Jed, I just can't ignore your request. Now Mr. Noise is having a chance to record the same stuff at the contemporary level of quality.

[@angelglezlopez]

Gracias Jed, por enseñarme la música de mis adorados cocteau desde otro punto de vista. SIempre fueron para mí unos artistas diferentes, únicos y maravillosos.

[@valknut6829]

Fantastic! I love Cocteau Twins to this day! Of course ... I used to play bass too

[@michaelstomiany3396]

Thanks for this

[@no1duncb]

Brilliant mate, just learned this on the bass recently, one of my all time favourite tunes. Just jammed along with you 👍🎶🔥

[@Pogokoala]

Damn that was beautiful

[@xanafilipeteixeira4356]

Great work and explanation man. Beautiful bass line, it reminds me janes addiction also. Thanks a lot.

[@thesound-chameleonman3580]

Beautiful tone. I sent my vinyl off to him yesterday to be signed! Blue Bell Knoll inked! I also have the vinyl sleeve of Pearly signed by Simon! C.

[@gra-emed3617]

Thanks for sharing this. I am definitely using all these tips you have given for my lessons going forward. Also love the Cocteau Twins so thank you for picking such an awesome tune 😁👌oh and you have amazing hair 😉

[@vivianhayes6865]

Cousteau twins are my favorite 🥰 great tutorial

[@IanMcCausland]

love this! great job!!

[@fdhal87wn]

Thank you very much Jed for a great inspiring lesson of a great inspiring music! Subscribed!

[@deeptracy23]

wow. super simple yet super genius.

[@basillabib4548]

This was the first song I heard that made me fall for them. Amazing work! Btw, how did you isolate the bass from the simultaneous drum machine and vocals in the song for analysis?

[@edertwins]

Thank You. Very Original.🙂

[@jeffb5798]

Great job, breaking this song down!

[@oesplendordocaos5184]

Good. Very good

[@adrianramos137]

Wow fantastic!!!!!!!!!!! I love the cocteau’s thank you for this!!

[@raybeer549]

Excellent tutorial. Thank you.

[@Britsican69]

Thank you for sharing this!!!

[@barruque]

Hey friend, make a bass leson about cocteau twins, the itchy glowbo. Greetings from Argentina.

[@Brokeninc]

I was drawn to this video because of the line from the movie Doom Generation.

[@craigdamage]

Anyone who digs the sound of modulated bass MUST check out the band Magazine. Barry Adamson made that swirling bass-chorus sound famous in the late 70s which everybody copied in the 80s.

[@JohnM...]

First heard the Cocteau Twins on a UK program called The Tube. The song was 'Pink orange red'. I was hooked. Strange this is, through my whole life (I'm now 53) NO ONE had ever heard of the Cocteau Twins 🤬

[@TheSason666]

But we know and love them even in our Ukraine !!!

[@stevenbakos]

Exquisite

[@cloneroom]

BRAVO...wonderful

[@ozmarichardson6524]

Peter Hook played like this too!

[@didieruglietta7365]

Magnifique!

[@oesplendordocaos5184]

Uhhh. Very good

[@user-be1bh2zr5w]

Теперь люблю эту песню ещё больше, спасибо тебе!

[@deathhzrd]

Please do a video on early Cocteau twins guitar tone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE i can’t figure out how they do it. The body was able to replicate it but I can’t figure it out t

[@felixluissaenzmendez1128]

liked and subscribed...👍

[@nelsondalagrima7081]

Música muito linda

[@Kris_P._Bey_Ken]

Can you do heaven or Las Vegas?

[@retrosonique7129]

The Waltzing Twins.

[@alex.sunders]

Incrível!

[@mercster]

Nice haircut.

[@mercster]

Just realized this same note progression could be used for most of their songs. Don't get me wrong, it's enough to bring me to tears. But it's kinda formulaic.

[@vasileiosfilis9284]

!

[@ianburma]

Is it a Chorus fx on bass?

[@user-gw6zn2mt2w]

Красавчик-krasAfchick(handsome)!!! -in Russia we say this for a guy who really does smth cool!)))))

[@metropolitandream]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYDOopiFbZKsjZI the lead !

[@olivers8301]

say pearly dewdrops drops one more time ...

[@davidstockhoff8801]

Jed says Liz Fraser has the voice "of an angel" but on this song she howls. Funny what people hear or don't hear.

[@thesound-chameleonman3580]

Garbage. Beautiful vocal. C.