Money Songs For Bass

This post – and list – came about due to a chat via email with one of the subscribers to First Bass And Beyond.? And this subscriber – his name is Gilbert – called a certain type of song a ‘money song.’

So What Is A Money Song?

In Gil’s words, a ‘money song’ is a song that a working bass player needs in his song vocabulary. Notice that distinction: a “working” bass player. There are songs that all working bands will play…and Gil compiled a list based on a chart of most requested songs that DJs play.? Here’s the top 40 or so on Gil’s list:

1. Don’t Stop Believing by Journey
2. I Gotta Feeling by The Black eyed Peas
3. You Shook Me All Night Long – by AC/DC
4. Just Dance by Lady Gaga
5. Single Ladies by Beyonce
6. Living On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
7. Boom Boom Pow – by The Black Eyed Peas
8. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
9. Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
10. Love Shack by The B-52s
11. Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
12. Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
13. Sexyback by Justin Timberlake
14. Dancing Queen by Abba
15. Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
16. Poker Face by Lady Gaga
17. The Cupid Shuffle by Cupid
18. Hey Ya by Outkast
19. Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot
20. We Are Family by Sister Sledge
21. Celebration by Kool & the Gang
22. Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper
23. Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
24. Yeah by Usher
25. Twist And Shout by The Beatles
26. Thriller by Michael Jackson
27. I’m Yours by Jason Mraz
28. Let’s Get It started by The Black eyed Peas
29. At Last by Etta James
30. Friends In Low Places by Garth Brooks
31. Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations
32. Brick House by The Commodores
33. My Girl by The Temptations
34. Low by Flo Rida
35. The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra
36. Don’t Stop til You Get Enough by Michael Jackson
37. Footloose by Kenny Loggins
38. Staying Alive by The Bee Gees
39. Old Time Rock And Roll by Bob Seger
40. Shout by The Isley Brothers

Songs ‘Working’ Bass Players should Know

I’ve always believed working bass players should know a ton of songs. In fact you won’t know this but the first iteration of How To Play Bass Dot Com was actually under the domain name of www.working-bassist.co,uk.

So my question to you is – as this changes depending on where you are on the world – what would be YOUR top 10 money songs.? And remember these aren’t songs that you like, they are songs you have to know in order to get paying gigs.

Leave a comment and let me know.