When The Beatles needed a bassist after Stuart Sutcliffe left the band, Paul McCartney took the job because nobody else wanted to volunteer. After all, it wasn’t exactly the glory spot in the lineup at that time.
But McCartney’s skill and imagination in devising his bass parts for Beatles songs helped to transform the way the instrument was utilized by rock bands. Here are five of those bass parts that emerged from the mix to make their presence known.
“I Saw Her Standing There” from Please Please Me (1962)
The very first song on the very first Beatles album (Please Please Me in 1962) established what McCartney could bring to the table as a bassist. Considering the blistering tempo of the song, he easily could have chosen to play a more minimal role, popping in occasionally with chosen notes. Instead, he charges headlong into the breach, giving the song an unstoppable rhythmic pulse. Listen to the way he smoothly interacts with Ringo Starr’s drums, even though Starr had only joined the band just a few months prior to this recording.
“Nowhere Man” from Rubber Soul (1965)
This is just one example of many where McCartney’s playing gives a Beatles song an extra melodic kick. And when you break it all down, the tunefulness on the instrument is the element Macca was able to deliver most consistently. He wasn’t the first to play that way, and he’s been open about the debt he owes to James Jamerson, the legendarily melodic bass player for the Funk Brothers at Motown. On “Nowhere Man,” that influence comes to the fore as McCartney creates enticing countermelodies that weave around John Lennon’s main vocal.
“I’m Only Sleeping” from Revolver (1966)
This track from Revolver features plenty of interesting quirks. There’s a backwards guitar solo, false ending, and some yawning. The song concerns John Lennon’s struggles to stay awake and alert, and he’s just fine with his lethargy, even if the rest of the world isn’t. McCartney brings a lot of clever atmosphere to the song by playing to what the lyrics are saying. The drone effect he gets from his instrument creates a soporific effect, and when the song moves from one section to the next, the single notes he plays sound like someone walking on tiptoes to avoid waking Lennon.
“Come Together” from Abbey Road (1969)
The Beatles rarely faltered, but it seems fair to say they weren’t always at home when they tried to go with a relatively straightforward blues approach. They were at their best when they led with their strong melodic tendencies. But one song where they definitely came through with an appropriately bluesy attack was “Come Together,” and McCartney deserves a lot of credit for it. Not only does he lay down the gritty piano licks in the middle section, but he also comes through with the iconic riff that serves as the foundation for the song.
“Something” from Abbey Road (1969)
George Harrison and Paul McCartney clashed over how much one man should be playing their respective instruments on songs written by the other. They famously fell out during the Let It Be sessions when McCartney wanted Harrison to play less. Not long after that incident, McCartney went for a maximalist approach on the bass on Harrison’s beautiful ballad “Something.” To Harrison’s credit, he allowed it to happen, and the end result is a stunning performance by Macca, especially in the instrumental break, when Paul’s bass, Harrison’s slide, and Ringo Starr’s drums do an exquisite dance.
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