How To Play Bass

Learn songs not scales

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Money Songs For Bass

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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:

  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.

Comments

  1. 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,