This post – and list – came about due to a chat via email with Gilbert – HE 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:
- Don’t Stop Believing by Journey
- I Gotta Feeling by The Black eyed Peas
- You Shook Me All Night Long – by AC/DC
- Just Dance by Lady Gaga
- Single Ladies by Beyonce
- Living On A Prayer by Bon Jovi
- Boom Boom Pow – by The Black Eyed Peas
- Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
- Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
- Love Shack by The B-52s
- Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
- Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Sexyback by Justin Timberlake
- Dancing Queen by Abba
- Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
- Poker Face by Lady Gaga
- The Cupid Shuffle by Cupid
- Hey Ya by Outkast
- Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot
- We Are Family by Sister Sledge
- Celebration by Kool & the Gang
- Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper
- Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
- Yeah by Usher
- Twist And Shout by The Beatles
- Thriller by Michael Jackson
- I’m Yours by Jason Mraz
- Let’s Get It started by The Black eyed Peas
- At Last by Etta James
- Friends In Low Places by Garth Brooks
- Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations
- Brick House by The Commodores
- My Girl by The Temptations
- Low by Flo Rida
- The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra
- Don’t Stop til You Get Enough by Michael Jackson
- Footloose by Kenny Loggins
- Staying Alive by The Bee Gees
- Old Time Rock And Roll by Bob Seger
- 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.
This is off the subject of paid gigs, but can expedite some of my studies.
Thank you Paul for what you do, it will be as a addition convenience if you can put in a search menu to your song lists. this way when I’m looking for a lesson I can search and be corrected to that lesson immediately. I enjoy all your lessons and I try to waste no time in retrieving the lessons I am interested in. If this is possible it will be a great help to my studies. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Don,
Don, there is a search box in the upper right of the website (above the header)