The Bass Line That Made Grace Jones Cry
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- Опубликовано: 8 май 2023
- #bass #history #analysis #pop #dub #transcription #paulthompson
Digging into Grace Jones' signature hit song from 1981's NIGHTCLUBBING album (Island Records), "Pull Up to the Bumper", it's ICONIC bass line, and how she gave it a second life after hearing it as an instrumental. I'll dig into the amazing bass line as played by the late, great Robbie Shakespeare (of Sly & Robbie) and talk about how important drummer Sly Dunbar and Robbie were to the Compass Point All-Stars during this time. An iconic groove that somehow combines funk, disco, new wave, reggae, and dance all at once!
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Thank you PDBass for the homage to the late great Robbie Shakespeare. He was a Jamaican national treasure. Sly (Dunbar) once said of him: "Playing with a bass player like Robbie is like being a passenger in a Rolls Royce". I'm inclined to agree.
wait, have you played with him too?
"Slave to the Rhythm" = Killer Track too !!!
The 1980s would not have been the same musically had it not been for Sly and Robbie. I got to see them play live once, a Yellowman concert in London’s Brixton Astoria. Amazing, despite the tear gas incident…
Lucky, even with the tear gas.
I loved this album so much...
I was in 11th grade in 1981 and this hit me hard. The song "I've done it again" to close out the album is a masterpiece
Totally agree. An awesome album!!!
grace.
Yes, that album still slaps. Also love her version of Iggy Pop's Nightclubbing. She's a great interpreter.
I think "I've done it again" is my favourite of all Grace Jones songs and definitely her best ever vocal performance. She sings it with so much soul and makes a mockery of those who've said she can't sing.
Rest on sir who played the Bass!
"Pull Up To The Bumper" is timeless. It sounds just as fresh today as it did in 1981, and that bassline player a big part. Grace's vocals really brought out its full potential tho.
No. It sounds exactly like an 80s jam. And it should because it is
Another awesome review of a classic dance floor groove. Sly and Robbie were on top of everything at Island Records and their music stayed on the airways and in the club. The bass line is iconic and unforgettable but as a guitar guy...shout out to that phase shifter drenched riddem guitar part too... 👌🏾
Phase shifter... I had an early rack model from Roland : so sweet, Damn 😉
Oh man, I heard this in the DC clubs back in the day. Went and bought the album and wore it the hell out.
Great song. Those grace Jones album of the 80s were fricken awesome
Grace Jones was mega talented, complimented by great musos and producers. Robbie Shakespere certainly was da bomb!
Thanks for this tribute to Robbie Basspeare, as he's called in Jamaica among other names. Beside the collaborations you mentioned, the Riddim Twins, he and Sly, also graced albums by Bob Dylan, Carly Simon and other superstars, on top of being the backbone to hundreds and hundreds of classic Jamaican tunes.
Their work with Bill Laswell on some of his most visionary projects like Material, is also well worth checking out.
Much missed, but his musical legacy lives forever.
Wow what a bass line, very funky!! ✌️☺️
Private Life, written by Chrissie Hynde, produced by Sly and Robbie, sung by Grace Jones.
F'in EPIC!!!
yeah gets my vote too as the best Grace Jones track eva! The hours as a kid I played air drums to that track.
@@PianoDentistHaha, I learned the air-drums when "Ruby Lee" played. Before finding out that's the All-Stars too!
One of those covers that became definitive
@@lorenzodicapo6305 Definitely so :-)
When I was a kid, I didn't know the double entendre in the lyrics of this song. And also, the radio station V103 in Chicago used to use this sample as background music when they gave their traffic reports in the morning. I had to grow up to put it all together! Brilliant!
I remember first hearing this as a kid. And yeah, you're right. It's still powerful enough to move a dance floor to this day.
Man....
I Didn't Know Robbie
Played Bass on this Song.
Thanks for this Music History.......
Awesome. Love the early Grace Jones albums. Amazing vibes.
Had the honor to see her live last week, fantastic performance at age 75, what a legend.... old and young people in the crowd were in awe. This being said, kudos for your superb channel!
There was a club n NYC, The Garage…..DJ Larry Levan………Grace performed there quite often and this song was the National Anthem! There was also a song titled Slave to the rhythm that was a huge club hit, it had 2-3 remixes that were all outstanding. Sly and Robbie were all over Graces music. Thanks for the memories!
The Compass Allstars on Grace's three albums were incredible..
Robbie did some cool bass lines on some of Herbie Hancock's electro stuff too. Saw Grace Jones at a festival a couple of years ago, and she still has tonnes of that wacky energy. Putting on a good show in her 70s!
amazing bass line and so much fun to play =) I remember an album Sly & Robbie recorded with jazz pianist Monty Alexander,
totally worth to listen to it. Great vid, THX!
I’ve visited the Island records studio, in the Bahamas. It was by far the coolest location for a recording studio that you could ever imagine.
A beautiful tiny island in turquoise water, with a studio that looked like a lighthouse… The Rolling Stones have recorded there. It was absolutely awesome…
Is it still around ? Even after that terrible hurricane that Stroke the Bahamas a few years ago ? I live ~ 1hour flight from there (and ~ 30 minutes from Montsserat, also kown for a Famous Studio) would love to visit it 😉
@@franckmuller-astruc4558 ...sort of ruclips.net/video/47jGbzIlE_M/видео.html
Nice video! All "Nightclubbing" is phenomenal. And "Living My Life" too. Awesome stuff.
been listening to alot of Taxi records lately. :)
love Grace, Sly & Robbie
& Compass Point!
& let's not forget Wally Badarou!
always great vids, Paul.
thx again
Wally B's keyboard parts on the Sly and Robbie projects helped make "Pull Up" more memorable, not to mention Steven's mix.....
Hello pdbass, songs like this and especially Slave To The Rhythm. Made me decide two years ago to start learning to play the bass. And to this day I regret I didn’t start sooner. What a soulful instrument is it. My Mustang has flats on it. So it is even more funky. It has given me so much joy. There still is a heaven. Greetings pal.
Robbie was my favorite electric bassist!
Always seen the record album in the record store from time to time. Cool to check it out thanks to you!
Thanks for doing this track. Robbie Dunbar is a legend …. I’d love to see you break down more reggae bass tracks….fantastic work.
Robbie Shakespeare and Sly Dunbar 😉
Great breakdown of a classic rhythm and groove that was also sampled by rap artists.
your passion for music is infectious (:
Man, I’ve been saying for years that this is one of the tightest bass lines ever.Thanks for posting 👍🏽
Grace Jones she is just BlVCK GOLD !!! absolutely lover and the Bass line its magic rid'dim .Rip peace Robbie Shakespeare.
Another awesome commentary ❤! Sly & Robbie so smooth, the Tom Tom Club gave him a shout out in “The Genius of Love”💕
Great work from Sly and Robbie - any chance of looking into some of the immortal stuff from Robbies' mentor Aston Barrett - with Carlton Barrett on drums of course?
YES to this!! I was thinking the same thing. The Barrett Brothers are right up there with Sly & Robbie IMO. EVERYONE knows their work and playing (even if they don’t know it’s them)!!🙌🏼
@@BlakeColie True, but Carly and Family Man's style wasn't so "international" like Sly and Robbie, although I suppose you can't get any more international than Bob Marley ! Can't wait on PD to do the Barretts FR!
dude, i've just found your videos and they are not only great musical knowledge and break downs, they make me want to pick up my bass! cheers man
Grace Jones is such a treasure. So phenomenally talented. I can only imagine how intense she was to work with.
This album needs a spin for its anniversary.
There is no better program anywhere! Can you please upload a bonus episode where we can watch you play the whole song through? So awesome!!
My Grace Jones favorite is "Slave To The Rhythm" but that bass line is killer. Thanks for bringing this back to the forefront.
Great stuff! I was 9 in 1981 so i didn't really get Grace Jones and my parents listened to mostly classical music....I probably didn't know who she was until she was in James Bond 😆 Great bass line, now i've got something new to learn 🙂
Excellent analysis. The lyrics for this song are quite...metaphorical.
I still listen to the album on a regular basis, immaculate production.
This made my day! Had no clue about the Peanut Butter track, either. Such a great bass part - glad I saw Sly and Robbie live in Dublin when I could.
I love your enthusiasm, research, knowledge, and the way you break it down.
SO glad to see/hear someone praising this song (and album)...hell, even just talking about it in 2023. Grace's music still sounds every bit as fresh and unique today as it did back then.
From a fashion meets art perspective, it was Grace Jones and Dale Bozzio 9n that 1980-1986 window that pushed New Wave fashion over the top (giving fashion inspiration to contemporary artists like Lady Gaga).
Sly & Robbie also produced most of the "backin' tracks" for '90s and '00s Jamaican Dancehall performed by all of the DH Kings & Queens. They were absolutely prolific!
Legendary bassline! Been groovin' to that since day 1
Was waiting for this line to be here ,one of my favourites of all time
My favorite Grace Jones song
what an interesting history this track has. thanks for all the cool stories on your channel!
Paul as a guy from Canada, you have turned me on to so much music I can never thank you enough man
I have no clue why RUclips recommended your channel, but DAMN I LOVE IT! Thank you! ❤
Wow I haven't heard that song since back then,I have to put that song on my playlist.Reminds me of riding the subways back from Coney growing up.🗽♥️
I forgot about this "JAM", I even have the album on cassette. ...got to go and dig it up and play it again.
I love how this channel reminds me of so much good music is out there!
Im so lucky i got to see Ms Jones years ago, im fairly young (28) and I only heard a few of her songs from my Mom, she still hadd ittt
I dig the little history lesson and perspective with each video -- just the right combination of that and technical breakdown (with the transcription) to give you an appreciation for the thing and enough of a start playing it to encourage further exploration.
My favourite Grace Jones song
Great tribute to a fantastic song and top-notch musicians! Grace Jones was/is endlessly fascinating…and she certainly pulled the best talent.
Sly and Robbie are genius! Big fan of their dub and reggae productions. LEGENDS
i opened a nightclub in Oakland called Riddim, thanks to being a massive fan of dub reggae soundsystem culture. I made the mistake of doing business with family, it was sadly short lived.
As a budding bass player, I love the history you put into your channel. I have always loved the story behind the music. Keep up the good work!
🔊 I ♡ the 80's & Grace Jones! Today/tonight... May 19th,2023... 🎉 Happy 75th Birthday Grace! 🎼🌹😎🎤🎹🎂🐒
This is such a great song, thank you so much for covering it.
I LOVE your videos ! You are so insightful and well spoken. Thank you.
Hey man super digging your enthusiasm and savvy this is highly educational ❤
I learn so much from your videos!! Always a treat!
Another reason I’m a proud MM Stingray player 👍🏽
Thank you sir!
This guy makes some fantastically interesting videos on basslines. So clearly explained, the right mix of music history, interesting trivia, and the bassline itself, with the notes! Just perfect.
You did a great job explaining this. You are a master class. love your work. I was fortunate to see Sly and Robbie with an all-star Group. so good.
This was so cool. I listen to Grace Jones almost every day!
Enjoy your vidz thanx!
thank you so much. excellent delivery. you're good at this.
i know now why i always love that number
thanx a lot
Awesome vid. It's wonderful to get the back stories behind the great songs I grew up with in the 1970s and 80s
Love these vids! This bass line was done in one take???? Genius! However, so many of these incredible musicians have passed and this is sad. Sly and Robbie turned me on to so much music…
Thank you 🙏 I like your work a lot 👍🎸🙋🏻♂️
That bass line is funk that gets down into your soul!
loved this song ....really liked Sly and Robbie
Thanks for the closer look.
Great expose of this track. Still in my playlist today! "Fashion Show" I believe from the same album also showcased the bass really well.
Another Great Post. You've so many great tunes and Basslines and You've gotta inundated with request. Coltrane and Jimi Hendrix are among my favorite musicians. Their virtuosity, originality, compositional skills etc. Anyway in Billy Cox, Jimi reunited with his Army buddy and they did work in the Band of Gypsies. I'd like a Breakdown of "Machine Gun" ( Miles' favorite) and or "Freedom" super funky, great tune with a lot of changes.
Robbie Shakespeare is legend and his work with Grace Jones is Iconic. Landmark work. Bri gs me back to the days.
soon as I heard that tune back in the day I went straight out and bought the 45 :-)
brilliant videos from this guy !
🙏🏾 Thank You very much for this video on my idol , and bass legend
I thought it would be “My Jamaican Guy” - that has an awesome groove ;)
It never amazes me how your strings constantly sound fresh. I was just thinking that this morning... 🤣
Thank you for your content
One subtle detail from this bass line is that in the first half of the verse, there aren’t any slides. They kick in on the second half and add just a little more oomph to keep the music that much more interesting.
Well done yet again Paul
Mike! Email me: pauldthompson. I’m coming to London in July! We need to hook up.
Check my website 😉
Sly DRUMbar, Robbie BASSpeare ❤
Didn’t Sly & Robbie help the Tom Tom Club aswell with Genius Of Love song & the Tom Tom Club self titled album….great video again….like always I learn so much 🎸
@PD - This, most underrated of albums, is on all my playlists. My faves: Walking in the Rain. La Vie En Rose. Nipple to the Bottle. RIP Robbie Shakespeare.
Thanks! Short form brilliance-again!
Mark! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Grace Jones name alone means serious business and Robbie Shakespeare’s basslines are as timeless as the definition itself..Sly and Robbie are “Bass-n-Drums”..point blank period!
Best Bass Educator on RUclips!
🙏🏽
Paul, you fooled me. 😁 Keep guessing the feature would be The Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love". But I hear ya when it comes to "Bumper". Excellent stuff here. 👍
R.I.P. ROBBIE, YOU WERE ONE OF THE GREAT ONES!
Grace Jones ♡
Hey pdbass, do you remember the duo LYNX out of England and the song; "You're lying" ??? That one had cool bassline, good album also. ...And Gwen Guthrie's "Padlock" and O'Chi Brown's "Caught in a Lie" bassline even if it was all bass synthesizer. I could make a great list on 80s cool basslines because that music was in my "formative" 20s growing-up lifetime. I had a massive cassette, album/LP, CD collection. The bass synthesizer did kind of "takeover" as the 80s music pressed on. (and I think of the Thompson Twins)
Hey sir love your videos and channel ❤️ hey how did you learn how to play the bass guitar so awesome? Thank you so much