Per the documentary, "In the Shadow's of Motown", they had to track Jamerson down at the local bar and get him in the studio to lay this down. He was drunk and laying with his back on the studio floor and did it in one take. This is the take that you're hearing now. Utterly amazing.
The best thing is that while we spend years and years only to understand and mimic his playing, he recorded this track in one take, laying on the floor, totally drunk.. it was natural to him! Thank you JJ
Damn! What a genius! So natural and unpretentious. No grandiose gestures, no unnecessary fillers. Just a perfectly constructed bass-line, carrying a song forward. Thanks for posting.
Marvin Gaye is my favorite singer of all time. But this is the only time I didn't mind hearing his song without him singing. Much respect James Jamerson
My favorite thing about Jamerson is his feel. If you listen to the full track with the drums you can hear him playing on the back-end of the beat, almost like he's dragging, but he never does. He does it on a lot of the Motown stuff especially in the late '60s. It gives the song a very relaxed, muscular feel. LOVE IT!!
I'm teaching myself bass for the past 10 months.Anytime I jam around this is bass line pattern I normally use. Brilliant funky and what a bassist is supposed to do.
Calvin James That's what I like about TH-cam comments, how they plumb the depths of the important philosophical issues that humankind faces. Like the issue that this post posits for discussion. Namely, "how drunk, exactly, is fuck?"
***** I don't know if you guys already knew this but 'bananeskit' knew about this in a previous lifetime! It ain't news if 'bananeskit' has something to say about it. That's one coool cat. damnnn
"Bass players call from all over, wanting to know what type of equipment I use, what type of bass, what kind of strings-- things like that. I'll tell them, but that's not what's important; it's the feel. The strings don't make the sound, it's the feel. It's all in here, in the heart." What a cool guy he was. James Jamerson.
A master class in groove, syncopation and note selection. Truly the Grandaddy of modern electric bass. An American original and a great innovator. Thanks for the tunes James.
Thank God we have this as a resource. You can almost hear the rest of the rhythm section when you hear the bassline. That's a mark of something special and yes rockoz, you're right it's the thinking behind the playing and what an understanding of the whole sound he obviously had!. Check how in the second verse he goes up to the 6 the second time and doesn't fill up the space afterwards like he did in the first verse. The fact that he couldn't stand up while he was playing this is beyond most of us. It's earned its rightful place in the canon of music. He's showing all of us how it's done. Thank you James Jamerson.
JJ and his bass were one. That dude was not only a trendsetter trailblazer but a genius. He defined the importance of the bass as an instrument in music by playing the bass as a lead.
Also, while recording this iconic bass track, JJ was hammered-wasted while laying supine on the Motown studio floor. Mad respect for someone to casually put this track down while casually free-wheeling it while laying on the floor.
@ Perhaps that was his secret. Given his issues with drinking (whether he thought they were issues or not), it wouldn't be surprising if he didn't play as passionate or with the same technical groove while sober. Much in the same way heroin addicts (speaking from experience) feel as though they can't go through life without something to "heal" their emotions, allowing them to be more functional and passionate about life (until a certain point, then it becomes either just another chore or a living hell)
A friend of mine (a producer) played me the master tracks of this song and it blew me away. Their musicianship was so tight, and not many can match it.
This is “The tone” the sound of that precision bass is the most accurate definition of exquisite low end in music, total perfection a master class in groove, elegance, simplicity and beauty, Jamerson is pure genius and will live forever!!!
What I'm hearing here, is the left hand strength of a full-on upright player...playing a P-Bass with string action ever so high off the board, and with a mute. I also hear a guy who lives, breaths...eats music... 24 hours a day. Some people have that power that others strive for but simply can't achieve because each of us are as unique as a fingerprint. Also, he's got like...three time signatures swirling around in his head at all times....and he can pick and choose what he wants. This for me is an absolute pleasure to listen to...and a buffet of revealed ideas that we can now hear by itself. His playing was an accompaniment delivered with such dizzying intoxication that he made anyone he played along side of sound better that day! He truly was the bass bible.
Might I recommend another late great upright player: Bob Cranshaw. That man was my godfather and adopted uncle. He was right on the level with Jamerson and Rainey and both agreed. Check his work. You speak truth!
Impossible to 'dislike' anything about 'What's Going on', a gem, marvellous, a bloody genius, god like soul man, one of the best albums ever released, made my youth worth living....I could go on!
Listening to this just gives me a sense of nostalgia. I was listening to this coming back home from church. I’m 15 right now, abt to turn 16. While I was driving through my neighborhood, I put on this isolated, and started to remember the times when I was younger. I looked at the same areas I used to run through, the old church I used to attend, the same sidewalks I used to walk to school on. I even looked at my backyard. I started to tear up a little bit. Time flies by man, it feels like just yesterday I was a little kid, now I’m older, and I’ll never be able to go back. But that’s like yk. Beautiful baseline. From Brooklyn, New York.
The only reason why I could expect anyone to dislike this would be because they are sound and noise snobs and don't like the scratching and pay more attention to that than the amazing bass playing this man is laying down. The fact that this song even exists is awesome there needs to be the entire what's going on cd in just bass. James Jamerson is on par with my favorite Flea.
what blows me away about this is it's such a laid back tune, and if i didn't read the title i would never have identified it . this is exactly how i DON'T want my bassist to play, but Mr. Jamerson did exactly the right thing and in context it's perfect! this whole band was synergy to the highest degree.isolate one element and it makes no sense. put all 8 (yea, just 8) faders up and you have everything you need , period. as good as it will ever get.
I have to say that What's going is the greatest song ever. I bought the album while visiting my cousin in LA. Well I didn't play it until I got back to Oklahoma from Greyhound bus ride with my Mother 1971. When I got my bags unpacked I went to my little Airline record player with the two speakers that would detach with the six feet of wire each side. When I put the record on it was worth the wait. I heard this talking back n forth, "Hey what's happening. And then Marvin with that brilliant falsetto followed by the bass line. I wondered why this song was such a masterpiece and years later I know why. You got the greatest bass player of all time playing that bass line and the Marvin's friends from the Detroit Lions Lem Barney and Mel Farr, sounds like a get together at someone's house or a juke joint. Such creativity and all the voices Marvin layered on top of each other. 1971 when I got the album it could came out a year earlier. And then the cover Marvin in a large heavy coat fighting that cold winds from Lake Michigan. The albums just goes effortlessly into a another song flying high in the friendly sky to mercy mercy me. Yeah Barry had to admit that Marvin and Stevie where creative talents that he just couldn't hold back. And yes it relevant in 2021 even more so than 1971. LB
Great memory...and reflective analysis. I can see you riding the Greyhound and anticipating your music--then anxiously unpacking your record, setting up the stereo, then wondering where the party people were coming from. Thanks for sharing the memory.
Nobody played electric bass like this guy before he came along. Jamerson literally changed the face of bass in popular music. Hear how the bassline makes a syncopated melody that (if you listen to the full song) works perfectly with every other instrument, including the vocals. It may not seem like much now, but the influence this guy had on bassists like Paul McCartney, John Deacon, and (apparently) Flea is undeniable.
It really doesn't matter if he was drunk or sober when he played this ... it is one of the most beautiful pieces of music at the bottom of one of the most beautiful songs ever!
James Jamerson and Marvin should both be listed as geniuses. Jamerson for his ability to play like this and Marvin for having the guts to drag his drunk butt into the studio and risk it knowing that he was the right bass player for it.
I play multiple instruments and I am a music nerd in general...For a while I have been wondering about which one is the best bass line of all time...and honestly, after listening to this beauty for the 9955th time, I think I've got the answer. This bass line is just absolutely perfect...and the fact that Jamerson played it on first try WHILE DRUNK is the ultimate proof of the fact that he was an authentic music genius. The word "genius" is kind of thrown around these days...but it perfectly fits in this case
Bass is one of the most deceptive tracks to solo (that is, play on its own in a mix of multiple tracks), because it has SO MUCH TO DO WITH THE REST OF THE BAND. When you put this into the song, perfection blossoms. It has no meaning without the song unless you know the song and come back to this to praise James. He killed this in a way that all the best bassists in the world will tell you at any time is the best jam and vibe ever done, in respect to Motown excellence and the world of music in this period. It is the shit.
I agree. The genius of this track lies in the spacing of that second note. The way it comes juuuuuust a bit later than you expect. Yes, tasteful bass lines, but his timing was just amazing.
For myself im so curious how it all happens? What comes first the James Jamerson bassline or the other parts of the song. Im sure its pretty obvious he had to work around other pieces of music but as im eager to learn bass i wonder if he would have basslines in mind or if he reacts to other instruments and makes it gold?
Classic tone. I do like rounds on a pbass too though, for a bit of grit in certain other styles of music. I can't stand most 'modern' bass sounds, just gimme a pbass and those couple of real sweet spots around the pickup, thats the way bass should sound!
Love Paul and Flea for putting Jamerson's name out there. Paul and Flea where great bassists their damn self ESPECIALLY Flea (One of my favorites of All-Time). You can't say that Jamerson didn't change the game with the way he played. Music is separated by era and before the Funk Brothers came in, music was pretty tame and baselines were simple. Jamerson's style was special...Everyone took from him, Vernice White from EWF cited him as an influence too!
Thank you for this classic, legendary bass track from one of the GREATEST bassist whoever lived!!!! James Jamerson was a HIGHLY underrated musician, as the rest of the Funk Brothers were...I am so glad that most of them lived to receive their JUST due...THANK YOU FOR THIS....
I don’t know if I’d say that since symphonies definitely have more than just one voice and are played by orchestras made up of many many instruments but yeah, I get what you mean.
I am a guitar player but I love bass and this man's bass in my opinion is the best. Growing up as a white kid in the 70s in an English seaside town I would hear those Motown songs and the one thing I was drawn to was James Jamerson's wonderful basslines. The man was an absolute genius and a legend. And to think he played this on his back, out of it and plucked with one finger still astounds me today. Such talent and creativity.
This is one of the greats! In my humble opinion, James Jameson, Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones and John Entwistle are the founding fathers of all great electric bass playing. Here we can hear Jameson at his very best!
Jamerson, McCartney, and JPJ yes, I agree, Entwistle didn't do much to change the way the bass was played, he just played quite fast. Mayor influences on bass history: Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Jack Bruce, Jaco Pastorius, and Larry Graham. Yes, there are a gazillion more major bassists, but those are like the core ones, pluse McCartney of course.
adrian5b Disagree with you on Entwistle before him most people used a thumpy flatwound sound, after Entwistle you have people cranking the treble and using roundwounds, he and James How invented the Rotosound Swing 66 strings which defined Chris Squire and Geddy's tone. I'm not the hugest fan of Entwistles playing or tone, but he was probably more influential than Ged or Squire. IMO. Personal preference is obviously a big thing on this issue though.
Macready childs I would agree Entwistle may have changed the perception of bass in pop music and made a bass solo more of a thing, but IMO that's a different thing than changing how bassists actually played their basses. Almost all the bassists mentioned in this discussion have spoken about how Jamerson was an influence on the way the play--not necessarily stylistically, but regarding his feel and ability to come up with complex fills and keep the groove going, transforming good songs into great ones once fully realized on their recording. And Jamerson rarely got a solo, he was generally just considered part of the rhythm section and overlooked by the mainstream. But those bassists were definitely listening to Jamerson, especially the European ones (JPJ, Entwistle, McCartney).
Man, that's a beautiful sounds..If I was gonna learn how to play an instrument - It would be the bass because of James Jameson.. He makes it talk & sing!!!
wow the CNN music special "The Seventies" just showed a clip of a live performance of What's Going On with Marvin on Piano and James Jamerson on the bass!!!
The thumbs down aren't musicians. You have to be a part of music in order to appreciate the licks and the concepts and denotations that each instrument brings to a song. They are profound and distinct. You just can't beat a prolific musician.
Watched This Video & Heard JJ Many of Times - As A Bassist He Was The Best. Many Bass Guitarist Should Watch This And JJs Other Videos, he Was Light Years Ahead of Many... I have Been performing Live For 40 Years Plus & I Still Cannot Understand How James Jamerson Was Not - Highly recconized By The Majors Today In The Business of Music Writing- & And Bass Guitar Performance? I Know His Sound Anywahere I Am Listening To Music. You See? He Didn't Only Play Well As A Bassist, He Was Also A Great Music Composer, A Real Funk Brother- Master of That Motown Records Early Sound. I Take My Hat Off To The Late Great James Jemerson- & His Original Band Members - I Mean Those Latenight Musicians That Could Play jazz In the Clubs & Jamm All Night Long...The Sounds Is Still Here... Just Listen...
The genius, No question about it. This iIsolated bass track is revealing of his physical skills which were incomparable. The real thing to me is when all instruments are playing. His timing was incredible. His line carries, the song, does not over power. but fits with the other superb instruments and vocals like a glove. That to me is what a bass was designed to do. His creativity and instincts are unmatched.
One of the most recorded and heard bass players of all time. And one of the most underrated bass players of all time. He isn't No Les Claypool or Victor Wooten,but this dude still set all the standards that they play to and wish to be like
Tony Graham You could certainly argue that when Fender started making their American Vintage reissue instruments in 1982, and they picked the year 1962 to model a classic rosewood fretboard Precision Bass off, Jamerson's 1962 "Funk Machine" probably came to mind.
Thank you Sooo much James Jamerson! I don't think you ever really knew how much we were really listening. And thank thank you for making the young Michael Jackson sound so good. RIP MJ
Standing In The Shadow Of Motown is a film all musicians should watch, it's such a shame that such genius has to be tarred with addiction. Of course it doesn't have to be, but in the case of Jamerson it was. When I saw Standing ITSOM I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, dance or sing so I did them all. When I came out of the cinema there were 2 18 year old girls enthusing about the film - so it wasn't just me and nostalgia. We will never see the like again!
Wow! I remember it took weeks to try to get all the nuances of this masterpiece when I tried copying it of a record 30 yrs ago. Thanks so much for posting this.
Mr. Jamerson is the big deal. Mccartney fan here, even The Ox, John Paul Jones and many more has acknowledge that Mr. Jamerson is the father of modern bassplaying...
![ปฏิเสธไม่ไหว (Crush on you) - LIPTA feat. No One Else [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/NBw1jF342vw/mqdefault.jpg)
It’s cool how they let Marvin sing on this stunning James Jamerson bass piece
😆
😂
Per the documentary, "In the Shadow's of Motown", they had to track Jamerson down at the local bar and get him in the studio to lay this down. He was drunk and laying with his back on the studio floor and did it in one take. This is the take that you're hearing now. Utterly amazing.
A real rock star
GOAT
Marvin wouldn't record without him
Sadly it's too late for a James Jamerson, Keith Moon, Jim Morrison collaboration.
@@blujay9191to me keith moon drumming does not belong with jamerson basslines. two goats, two separate genres
The best thing is that while we spend years and years only to understand and mimic his playing, he recorded this track in one take, laying on the floor, totally drunk.. it was natural to him! Thank you JJ
And apparently with old strings that he wouldn't change due entirely to the feel and sound. Of such things legends are made.
I see this image of him every time I hear this song. The bass legend at work.
Not surprised. While my band mates smoke weed and play, I do my best playing near drunk.
Damn! What a genius! So natural and unpretentious. No grandiose gestures, no unnecessary fillers. Just a perfectly constructed bass-line, carrying a song forward. Thanks for posting.
See this is the genius of Jamerson. WIth very little going on, he created an iconic bassline. No fireworks needed. Just served the song.
Sounds like What's Going On was James Jamerson.
Marvin Gaye is my favorite singer of all time. But this is the only time I didn't mind hearing his song without him singing. Much respect James Jamerson
My favorite thing about Jamerson is his feel. If you listen to the full track with the drums you can hear him playing on the back-end of the beat, almost like he's dragging, but he never does. He does it on a lot of the Motown stuff especially in the late '60s. It gives the song a very relaxed, muscular feel. LOVE IT!!
That’s a cool observation… I definitely hear it
Jesus Christ this comment was made when I was 3 years old
dude its so driven when isolated but sounds so clean in the mix. those engineers really knew what they were doing.
This track is an INVALUABLE resource for bass players and musicians in general.
I'm teaching myself bass for the past 10 months.Anytime I jam around this is bass line pattern I normally use. Brilliant funky and what a bassist is supposed to do.
My semester just ended and this line is my summer project.
@@JT96708nice!!!!!!
Something like Jesus sent me a vocal message
Rumor is he played this track flat on his back and drunk as fuck. He is a legend.
***** Cool guy over here!
Calvin James That's what I like about TH-cam comments, how they plumb the depths of the important philosophical issues that humankind faces. Like the issue that this post posits for discussion. Namely, "how drunk, exactly, is fuck?"
***** I don't know if you guys already knew this but 'bananeskit' knew about this in a previous lifetime! It ain't news if 'bananeskit' has something to say about it. That's one coool cat. damnnn
+dougie quaid it isnt called "freestyle" with real music. it's called improvisation
+ Bill Perri Not relevant, Bill. bananeskit heard about it before you read that book. He's cool as hell.
This guy played on so many hits, I wish he would've gotten rich from all his outstanding work.
3alarm247 I know his daughter and ya
3alarm247 if he cared about money he wouldn’t have chosen to be a professional bassist.
chiliandcornbread09 i thought he signed a 50 grand a year deal or something back in the day.... Could be wrong...
chiliandcornbread09 have you heard about nathan east?
dude's mansion is dope
session rate. songwriters get rich.
His base lines stand out above everyone else. He is the Hendrix of bass guitar and changed the way things were done....PERIOD.
Tony Marinelli not a rumor. see the Funk Bros. video
Ronald Adams One of my favorite documentaries. Thanks
Jaco said the same
Nah it's pretty agreed upon that he is the GOAT, but Jaco was the Hendrix of the bass.
Sir Paul McCartney would agree with you 100%.He had a heavy influence on Paul McCartney when he was still in The Beatles.
"Bass players call from all over, wanting to know what type of equipment I use, what type of bass, what kind of strings-- things like that. I'll tell them, but that's not what's important; it's the feel. The strings don't make the sound, it's the feel. It's all in here, in the heart."
What a cool guy he was. James Jamerson.
A master class in groove, syncopation and note selection. Truly the Grandaddy of modern electric bass. An American original and a great innovator. Thanks for the tunes James.
He inserted an original composition into the song. There hasn't been an occasion of listening to "What's going on?" without my being impressed.
Thank God we have this as a resource. You can almost hear the rest of the rhythm section when you hear the bassline. That's a mark of something special and yes rockoz, you're right it's the thinking behind the playing and what an understanding of the whole sound he obviously had!. Check how in the second verse he goes up to the 6 the second time and doesn't fill up the space afterwards like he did in the first verse. The fact that he couldn't stand up while he was playing this is beyond most of us. It's earned its rightful place in the canon of music. He's showing all of us how it's done. Thank you James Jamerson.
probably because the pickups are picking up the snare drum
Yeah I literally can still hear the snare lol
JJ and his bass were one. That dude was not only a trendsetter trailblazer but a genius. He defined the importance of the bass as an instrument in music by playing the bass as a lead.
Best bass player to ever wander this world. With only one freakin' finger, he did what people can barely do with 2 nowadays.
It's like he's singing through the bass, the instrument is nothing but a microphone to him.
Auggie G m
I always felr that Jamerson style was he was singing along with the singers...lol\
excellent analysis friend, A+
exactly !
Thank you
Also, while recording this iconic bass track, JJ was hammered-wasted while laying supine on the Motown studio floor. Mad respect for someone to casually put this track down while casually free-wheeling it while laying on the floor.
He was fresh from the club...
Played with one finger
My new favorite musician 😍
@ Perhaps that was his secret. Given his issues with drinking (whether he thought they were issues or not), it wouldn't be surprising if he didn't play as passionate or with the same technical groove while sober. Much in the same way heroin addicts (speaking from experience) feel as though they can't go through life without something to "heal" their emotions, allowing them to be more functional and passionate about life (until a certain point, then it becomes either just another chore or a living hell)
@@scs7790 "The hook"
This cured my erectile dysfunction.
hero
Lol
me too brotha she grew 6 inches too
😂😂😂😂
One of the best responses I read on anything!
A friend of mine (a producer) played me the master tracks of this song and it blew me away. Their musicianship was so tight, and not many can match it.
This is “The tone” the sound of that precision bass is the most accurate definition of exquisite low end in music, total perfection a master class in groove, elegance, simplicity and beauty, Jamerson is pure genius and will live forever!!!
What I'm hearing here, is the left hand strength of a full-on upright player...playing a P-Bass with string action ever so high off the board, and with a mute. I also hear a guy who lives, breaths...eats music... 24 hours a day. Some people have that power that others strive for but simply can't achieve because each of us are as unique as a fingerprint. Also, he's got like...three time signatures swirling around in his head at all times....and he can pick and choose what he wants. This for me is an absolute pleasure to listen to...and a buffet of revealed ideas that we can now hear by itself. His playing was an accompaniment delivered with such dizzying intoxication that he made anyone he played along side of sound better that day! He truly was the bass bible.
Might I recommend another late great upright player: Bob Cranshaw. That man was my godfather and adopted uncle. He was right on the level with Jamerson and Rainey and both agreed. Check his work. You speak truth!
Can’t believe only 6 likes for this brilliant comment
I learn something new no matter how many times I listen to Mr. Jamersons' tracks. Unbelievable talent!
Impossible to 'dislike' anything about 'What's Going on', a gem, marvellous, a bloody genius, god like soul man, one of the best albums ever released, made my youth worth living....I could go on!
THE Greatest bass line EVER, James JAMERSON is THEE Legend.
Listening to this just gives me a sense of nostalgia. I was listening to this coming back home from church. I’m 15 right now, abt to turn 16. While I was driving through my neighborhood, I put on this isolated, and started to remember the times when I was younger. I looked at the same areas I used to run through, the old church I used to attend, the same sidewalks I used to walk to school on. I even looked at my backyard. I started to tear up a little bit. Time flies by man, it feels like just yesterday I was a little kid, now I’m older, and I’ll never be able to go back. But that’s like yk. Beautiful baseline. From Brooklyn, New York.
Rumour has it he recorded this laying down in the studio, an amazing bassist truly the godfather of bass
The only reason why I could expect anyone to dislike this would be because they are sound and noise snobs and don't like the scratching and pay more attention to that than the amazing bass playing this man is laying down. The fact that this song even exists is awesome there needs to be the entire what's going on cd in just bass. James Jamerson is on par with my favorite Flea.
just watched this video again. crazy right?
right!!! me too :)
nflpredictor316 lol noise snobs
this man is the soul of a bass player.
It's striking how his timing isn't even that straight, there's a swing to it.
That's his genius. He can hit behind the beat and make the song swing. Louis Armstrong was also the master if not the creator of swing time.
That's one of the things wrong with modern recording. Everyone is playing to the click track and they've taken all the humanity out of it.
first thing i noticed too, and admittedly, i was like 'wtf?'. then it came together for me. so great, this guy
It's all about how the bass and drums interact. So much groove.
@@zoetmb8393 you're exactly right
what blows me away about this is it's such a laid back tune, and if i didn't read the title i would never have identified it . this is exactly how i DON'T want my bassist to play, but
Mr. Jamerson did exactly the right thing and in context it's perfect! this whole band was synergy to the highest degree.isolate one element and it makes no sense. put all 8 (yea, just 8) faders up and you have everything you need , period. as good as it will ever get.
I have to say that What's going is the greatest song ever. I bought the album while visiting my cousin in LA. Well I didn't play it until I got back to Oklahoma from Greyhound bus ride with my Mother 1971. When I got my bags unpacked I went to my little Airline record player with the two speakers that would detach with the six feet of wire each side. When I put the record on it was worth the wait. I heard this talking back n forth, "Hey what's happening. And then Marvin with that brilliant falsetto followed by the bass line. I wondered why this song was such a masterpiece and years later I know why. You got the greatest bass player of all time playing that bass line and the Marvin's friends from the Detroit Lions Lem Barney and Mel Farr, sounds like a get together at someone's house or a juke joint. Such creativity and all the voices Marvin layered on top of each other. 1971 when I got the album it could came out a year earlier. And then the cover Marvin in a large heavy coat fighting that cold winds from Lake Michigan. The albums just goes effortlessly into a another song flying high in the friendly sky to mercy mercy me. Yeah Barry had to admit that Marvin and Stevie where creative talents that he just couldn't hold back. And yes it relevant in 2021 even more so than 1971. LB
Beautifully stated. All of it.
Thanks!!
Great memory...and reflective analysis. I can see you riding the Greyhound and anticipating your music--then anxiously unpacking your record, setting up the stereo, then wondering where the party people were coming from. Thanks for sharing the memory.
Nobody played electric bass like this guy before he came along. Jamerson literally changed the face of bass in popular music. Hear how the bassline makes a syncopated melody that (if you listen to the full song) works perfectly with every other instrument, including the vocals. It may not seem like much now, but the influence this guy had on bassists like Paul McCartney, John Deacon, and (apparently) Flea is undeniable.
Truly a powerhouse. Jamerson was such a vital key to Motown. One of my favorites.
The depth and presence of this bass tone and the way it sat in the mix is perfection
James Jamerson made the bass sing in every song. What a genius.
It really doesn't matter if he was drunk or sober when he played this ... it is one of the most beautiful pieces of music at the bottom of one of the most beautiful songs ever!
Thanks for posting this...major lesson on how he did it. The touch, the feel, the tone, the taste, the note selection, its all right here.
James Jamerson and Marvin should both be listed as geniuses.
Jamerson for his ability to play like this and Marvin for having the guts to drag his drunk butt into the studio and risk it knowing that he was the right bass player for it.
I play multiple instruments and I am a music nerd in general...For a while I have been wondering about which one is the best bass line of all time...and honestly, after listening to this beauty for the 9955th time, I think I've got the answer. This bass line is just absolutely perfect...and the fact that Jamerson played it on first try WHILE DRUNK is the ultimate proof of the fact that he was an authentic music genius. The word "genius" is kind of thrown around these days...but it perfectly fits in this case
I could just sit and listen to this all freaking night!
Man.. Jamerson was pure genius!! I can't believe that he wrote this bass line (or some parts of it) laying drunk on the floor!!!!!
So, we can def be sure he hasn't 'written' this bass line... ;-)
let's say he performed, rather
Bass is one of the most deceptive tracks to solo (that is, play on its own in a mix of multiple tracks), because it has SO MUCH TO DO WITH THE REST OF THE BAND. When you put this into the song, perfection blossoms. It has no meaning without the song unless you know the song and come back to this to praise James. He killed this in a way that all the best bassists in the world will tell you at any time is the best jam and vibe ever done, in respect to Motown excellence and the world of music in this period. It is the shit.
+SeerTrulth Yeah, you can really hear how it fits the song even with just the little bit of drums bleeding through at 0:30
I agree. The genius of this track lies in the spacing of that second note. The way it comes juuuuuust a bit later than you expect. Yes, tasteful bass lines, but his timing was just amazing.
Good Pic, Victor Eijkhout !,,,ed
I wish I could add +1000 to thumbs up here
For myself im so curious how it all happens? What comes first the James Jamerson bassline or the other parts of the song. Im sure its pretty obvious he had to work around other pieces of music but as im eager to learn bass i wonder if he would have basslines in mind or if he reacts to other instruments and makes it gold?
I love the sound of flatwounds, I'm tired of the thin Seinfeld bass sound everyone uses these days. This is real electric bass.
Half-wounds are a nice compromise.
Oh yeah, that skinny sounding bass is overrated, i prefer Fender Precision (7 to 9 K ohms pickups) or mudbuckers (from 19 to 37 ohms pickups).
rbcastillo / hey rb / I love it as well / So So Soothing & Soulful / The bassline is talking
I love my flatwounds also
Classic tone. I do like rounds on a pbass too though, for a bit of grit in certain other styles of music. I can't stand most 'modern' bass sounds, just gimme a pbass and those couple of real sweet spots around the pickup, thats the way bass should sound!
Love Paul and Flea for putting Jamerson's name out there. Paul and Flea where great bassists their damn self ESPECIALLY Flea (One of my favorites of All-Time). You can't say that Jamerson didn't change the game with the way he played. Music is separated by era and before the Funk Brothers came in, music was pretty tame and baselines were simple. Jamerson's style was special...Everyone took from him, Vernice White from EWF cited him as an influence too!
What song was this for the artist
James Jamerson hailed from South Carolina, my home state. Made us all proud!
Hey, EricBlackmonGuitar. I’m a Carolina home state. Just north;) Thanks for all your great lessons. You’ve taught me a thing or more🎸
Central, Pickens Co., SC here.
Where in the South Carolina
@@beingfootman4545 James was born in Charleston.
King JameS
Thank you for this classic, legendary bass track from one of the GREATEST bassist whoever lived!!!! James Jamerson was a HIGHLY underrated musician, as the rest of the Funk Brothers were...I am so glad that most of them lived to receive their JUST due...THANK YOU FOR THIS....
in a genre where bass is more of a lead instrument, not many can do it better than this master.
As a 45 yrs. Bassist, this is off the charts. "In the pocket," we talk, this proves the walk. Missing this Man.
he's my favorite bass player of all times. nobody has his touch .
I can’t think of anything else that would top this as the best bass line ever.
Really wouldn’t have have happened without this guy.
Big respect
Come on bro, this is not the beat bass line of all time!!
A lot of dudes couldn't play like that standing up...
let's say almost all rather than a lot
i would say most all couldn't
Hell no one can play like James at all 😂
And sober, and with all 5 of their fingers.
The man is a LEGEND! Grooving away, musical, melodic and soulful...pure class!
His basslines are like symphonies.
Yeah, symphonies played by Capt. Beefheart and his Magic Band.
I don’t know if I’d say that since symphonies definitely have more than just one voice and are played by orchestras made up of many many instruments but yeah, I get what you mean.
I am a guitar player but I love bass and this man's bass in my opinion is the best. Growing up as a white kid in the 70s in an English seaside town I would hear those Motown songs and the one thing I was drawn to was James Jamerson's wonderful basslines. The man was an absolute genius and a legend. And to think he played this on his back, out of it and plucked with one finger still astounds me today. Such talent and creativity.
1:55 to 2:05 is sick. Happy Birthday to JJ
roscoegino and he managed all of that with a single finger..Hallelujah
Such an elegant player.
Master of the Bass! Much Honor & Respect to James! Rest In Loving Peace & Power!
Thank You.
Simply beautiful. One of the best bass tracks.
His playing is beautiful enough said.
I always love his articulation. A true upright player who knew how to emulate those tones on an electric.
Wow.....this guy was a serious beast on the bass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!✊✊✊✊
it's amazing that this was played laying flat on his back..2 shades to the wind!! Absolutely amazing!!!
This is one of the greats! In my humble opinion, James Jameson, Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones and John Entwistle are the founding fathers of all great electric bass playing.
Here we can hear Jameson at his very best!
Jamerson, McCartney, and JPJ yes, I agree, Entwistle didn't do much to change the way the bass was played, he just played quite fast. Mayor influences on bass history: Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Jack Bruce, Jaco Pastorius, and Larry Graham. Yes, there are a gazillion more major bassists, but those are like the core ones, pluse McCartney of course.
adrian5b Disagree with you on Entwistle before him most people used a thumpy flatwound sound, after Entwistle you have people cranking the treble and using roundwounds, he and James How invented the Rotosound Swing 66 strings which defined Chris Squire and Geddy's tone. I'm not the hugest fan of Entwistles playing or tone, but he was probably more influential than Ged or Squire. IMO. Personal preference is obviously a big thing on this issue though.
Macready childs I would agree Entwistle may have changed the perception of bass in pop music and made a bass solo more of a thing, but IMO that's a different thing than changing how bassists actually played their basses. Almost all the bassists mentioned in this discussion have spoken about how Jamerson was an influence on the way the play--not necessarily stylistically, but regarding his feel and ability to come up with complex fills and keep the groove going, transforming good songs into great ones once fully realized on their recording. And Jamerson rarely got a solo, he was generally just considered part of the rhythm section and overlooked by the mainstream. But those bassists were definitely listening to Jamerson, especially the European ones (JPJ, Entwistle, McCartney).
Don't forget Queen's John Deacon. "Another One Bites the Dust", "Under Pressure", "You're My Best Friend"... enough said!
I agree McCartney doesn't get mentioned for his bass skills as much as he should.
thanks for this bassline isolation.. James was the greatest..
Man, that's a beautiful sounds..If I was gonna learn how to play an instrument - It would be the bass because of James Jameson.. He makes it talk & sing!!!
One of the few musicians I know of that can actually make the instrument talk to you. Legend!
wow the CNN music special "The Seventies" just showed a clip of a live performance of What's Going On with Marvin on Piano and James Jamerson on the bass!!!
The thumbs down aren't musicians. You have to be a part of music in order to appreciate the licks and the concepts and denotations that each instrument brings to a song. They are profound and distinct. You just can't beat a prolific musician.
Watched This Video & Heard JJ Many of Times - As A Bassist He Was The Best. Many Bass Guitarist Should Watch This And JJs Other Videos, he Was Light Years Ahead of Many... I have Been performing Live For 40 Years Plus & I Still Cannot Understand How James Jamerson Was Not - Highly recconized By The Majors Today In The Business of Music Writing- & And Bass Guitar Performance? I Know His Sound Anywahere I Am Listening To Music. You See? He Didn't Only Play Well As A Bassist, He Was Also A Great Music Composer, A Real Funk Brother- Master of That Motown Records Early Sound. I Take My Hat Off To The Late Great James Jemerson- & His Original Band Members - I Mean Those Latenight Musicians That Could Play jazz In the Clubs & Jamm All Night Long...The Sounds Is Still Here... Just Listen...
Well put wmden. Pushed every tune he played on to the limit, dynamics so sweet, he remains untouched, end of discussion.
66 people don't know what's going on.
+NY2UK2VA 69 now what the hell?
Wyatt Nash Yep. 87 now. 😱
112 morons now.
Make that 142 people don't know what's goin on.
Honestly, I think the dislikes are misclicks or mistakes - happens a lot to me when I listen to YT with my phone in my pocket😑
theres jaco, and then theres this. this is how the bass should be on this style of music. James Jamerson will live on forever....
2 records: “I was made to Love Her” and (Gladys Knight’s) “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”: his playing is spectacular. Never gets old.
The genius, No question about it. This iIsolated bass track is revealing of his physical skills which were incomparable. The real thing to me is when all instruments are playing. His timing was incredible. His line carries, the song, does not over power. but fits with the other superb instruments and vocals like a glove. That to me is what a bass was designed to do.
His creativity and instincts are unmatched.
One of the most recorded and heard bass players of all time. And one of the most underrated bass players of all time. He isn't No Les Claypool or Victor Wooten,but this dude still set all the standards that they play to and wish to be like
Right, he’s better
He ALWAYS played with only one finger. And he never changed the strings on his '62 Precision.
Greatest bass player ever.
They should name a bass brand after him!!
Tony Graham You could certainly argue that when Fender started making their American Vintage reissue instruments in 1982, and they picked the year 1962 to model a classic rosewood fretboard Precision Bass off, Jamerson's 1962 "Funk Machine" probably came to mind.
John Entwistle would even say, James Jamerson is one of his great influences. James Jamerson was one of the first actual bass guitarists.
He's just plain good at his craft.
The Innovator of Electric Bass Styling.Brilliant, I love what this man has done to Modern Bass Playing !
The dude played this with one finger while laying on the ground drunk out of his mind.
He's playing on the back beat which makes it sound so sweet..
He's playing the changes but not on the beat..
Jamerson was a GENIUS!
Jamerson called this tune " A masterpiece".
Thank you Sooo much James Jamerson! I don't think you ever really knew how much we were really listening. And thank thank you for making the young Michael Jackson sound so good. RIP MJ
Standing In The Shadow Of Motown is a film all musicians should watch, it's such a shame that such genius has to be tarred with addiction. Of course it doesn't have to be, but in the case of Jamerson it was. When I saw Standing ITSOM I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, dance or sing so I did them all. When I came out of the cinema there were 2 18 year old girls enthusing about the film - so it wasn't just me and nostalgia. We will never see the like again!
What I appreciate about his style is that it's a solo in itself without actually taking over the entire theme.
Impeccable timing!
Unknown to most but a pioneer to American Soul music. Reggae too.
just listening to this makes me feel inadequate
I play bass and always on hearing Jameson makes me feel a fraud.
Wow! I remember it took weeks to try to get all the nuances of this masterpiece when I tried copying it of a record 30 yrs ago.
Thanks so much for posting this.
Mr. Jamerson is the big deal. Mccartney fan here, even The Ox, John Paul Jones and many more has acknowledge that Mr. Jamerson is the father of modern bassplaying...
What I love about Jamersons sound is that real soulful and cheerful sound he expresses in his playing.....and then on top of that his sick grooves.
Master of syncopation.
i cant get over how good this guy was! what an amazing talent, paved the way for so many bass players...awesome.
No better bass player than James.
This is the definition of smooth! Wow he had the tastiest bass lines. The hook!!
From whom all good bassists flow...the original master.
Yuri play bass because James Jamerson The amazing bassist on earth