Gimme Gimme Gimme is my favourite bass line of all time. Mike played it funky. I can only dream of ever playing it as good as him. Love Mike, such a talent ❤
I've been listening to ABBA since the 70s and have admired (among other things) their bass lines ever since. Back then, people mainly talked about their catchy melodies and great singers, I don't remember anyone mentioning the bass lines. Some thought it wasn't even cool to like them and they only have revealed decades later that they were secretly ABBA fans.
Try knowing me knowing you. Not just the bass,veronica on RUclips has done the harmony breakdown, so much complexity but it seems so simple and clear ,before autotune when it was all analogue including the vids. ABBA are the goat.
'Voulez Vous" is also a strong one and 'One of Us" too. Btw i love even more the instrumentation of GGG in the Spanish version of 1980.The bass sounds slightly more intense and the killer synth riff is even more emnriched and echoe-y.
Mike had a really nice soul band, Little Mike and the Sweet Soul Music Band, with many great, Swedish musicians where he sang and played bass. There are some videos of them on youtube
Totally agree! I played bass parts on synths; and very successfully I might add. And I was always a huge fan of ABBA arrangements and the bass parts. On so many levels, they often used “oom-pa-pa” progressions fitted to pop style. And it was done so cleverly that the vast majority of people never caught on.
Hoping you'll comment on one of my three favourite ABBA tracks - in both "The Name of the Game" and the left-field "The Visitors" the bass is fine, and in TNotG propels the song along nicely, along with some very tasty production... but in the third track, "Summer Night City", the bass is pretty remarkably inventive and syncopated and I think you'll love it.
The one with the bridge or extension at the end of the song that is longer is even better. The official video in 1979 was just for a commercial that didn't include the extension/bridge where they both sing an octave higher.
I'm 54, been playing bass since about 87... all my favorite bassists are late disco/ early 80s synth pop (like Duran Duran or chic) Fun video, if you're not familiar with Mick Karn, check him out. He's one of the most original players ever, he was a fretless player who claimed to not know music but simply played what he thought sounded right... he was in the band 'Japan' who broke up around 84, this band was a big influence on Duran Duran, especially in their image!
I am going to comment here but thanks to you I first have to go to Spotify and play this song several times. Like I did yesterday. Thanks for posting this. I could never figure out the bass line! BTW: Does your mother know has a pretty cool bass line too.
ABBA; easy on the outside for a quick listen, but with layers of complexity underneath. a lot of so called 'experts' in the 70-80ties didn't recognize that at all
I picked up on the finger picking technique - index for the root and middle & ring fingers for the octave. I've always alternated index and middle fingers my whole life, not matter what (except for raking). I'll still live and die by that, but It can be busy when jumping up and down octaves. I'll have to give this a try.
I saw a British TV show where they used a section of Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight). They slowed the track down slightly which changed the song enough where the bass was able to be clearer. If you have a turntable that has speed control, if you bring it down a notch or two, it enhances it. The US based Greatest Hits Vol 2 album is funky, it plays too fast. It came in handy at the time for a speed control turntable to bring it down to normal.
They also had double set of musicians on tour to keep their sound at top noch. One of the best bass lines is on the song The name of the Game, I never been a bass player but always was a fan of ABBA.
Very astute observations! One of my favorite ABBA bass lines is from My Mama Said on the Waterloo album. For a change of pace check on Pino Palladino playing fret less on the song Talking To The Wall from Joan Armatrading’s album Secret Secrets or Sandy Horne on Walk Across the Water from Spoon’s album Bridges Over Borders.
This is fascinating! I didn’t notice that. I think that this shows the music video was staged as a recording session for this? I’ll have to ask Mike about it! 🤘
@@BassFreedom Will love to hear from him. I'm a bass player too... from India... and been a lifelong ABBA fan. I had managed to connect with Rutger Gunnarsson on Facebook. Very briefly though, since he wasnt very active on social media.
@@kennet7837 this is from Mike’s biography: Mike Watson was born in Sheffield, England and started playing music as a twelve-year-old. He came to Sweden when he was twenty and has since then toured and recorded with everyone from swedish legend Thore Skogman to ABBA. His funky bass lines can be heard on ABBA recordings such as "The Winner Takes It All", "Super Trouper", "Mamma Mia", "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!", "Does Your Mother Know" and more.
its interesting how these lines are not complicated, in the 70's octaves where the basis of all music, ergo disco groves, i have been playing since the early 70's, something wrong if you cant double stop lol, then came slap and ergo history was created, 50 years i have been doing these grooves styles and patterns and still work in these styles when needed, after 50 years i still love this language
--------------------> Canadian singer Damnhait Doyle, did a cover version of this song, but it was done in a much slower and toned down style. ---------------------> Madonna used the riff of this song, on her 2005 hit "Hung Up". ---------------------> ABBA recorded a Spanish version in 1980, which was included on their all-Spanish album "Gracias Por La Musica".The Spanish version is titled: ¡Dame!Dame!Dame!(Amor Esta Noche)
Hands down, "The Name Of The Game" (from my favourite album: "The Album"). But, it has to be the original album "long version"...........not the shortened version on some subsequent compilations.
ABBA bass lines are my favourite. Love playing them as challenges. Especially when I was working on by octaves, 5ths and stretching. What fender jazz bass are you using? I’m also a big fender jazz bass user
I'm not a musician, but I am an ABBA fan. I'll be watching your other explanations of their music. Subscribed. Btw can someone tell me what note it is when Agnetha sings 'sight'
Could be. I guess, music video vs. studio recording, not always the same musicians. That said, I thought the official music video was based on the actual studio recording?
Im a bit drunk when im typing this (im not really a base player, im just dabbling a bit). But i get Iron Maiden vibes from this. Why is that you think?
I've never understood what "the key of" means. Why aren't notes just notes e.g. A4 is 440Hz. My father played alto saxophone in a dance band. He tried to explain this stuff, but sadly, he failed.
Astrologically speaking - noone has to read this that isn´t interested - both Björn and Benny have their Moons in the Moon house /nakshatra / hasta, which gives the person a natural talent for receiving in their hands what the need, by just putting it out there. They needed a singer - sure, one fell in Björn´s hand - his girlfriend - and another one in Benny´s. And when they needed a bassplayer, the very best just showed up. Frida´s nakshatra is the very giving and potentially spiritual UttaraBhadrapada, and I´m quite sure that she played an important role as a muse of the group. ABBA often touches spiritual themes, even though the main lyrics writer Björn is a declared atheist. Agnetha´s nakshatra is the multitasking Vishaka, which tends to make the person want to play many roles, and often all of them. To her being restricted to basically one role in the group took a toll on her. She wanted to be a mother and a composer as well and finally her frustration was what broke up the group, I guess one could say. No blame in that, she really sacrificed her other dreams for many years.
No. Bass, is part of the total. Bass alone would not sell out shows, records. A singer/songwriter with a guitar or piano, can sell out shows. Tons of acts all over the world have done this. The list is enormous of successful singers and a guitar (or piano) alone. A bass player who sings and plays his bass guitar solo, will not draw huge audiences. I don't any singers/songwriters that play bass guitar in sold out arenas. Bass is great. What makes ABBA's bass lines awesome is because of all stems from melodies. It is one of ABBA's constants -- beautiful melodies. Melodies is what captures the heart. Regarding ABBA'a trademark sound, it is the third voice. Unison vocals of Frida and Agnetha is what separates ABBA from everyone else. Benny talked about the girls not long ago, being 90% responsible for ABBA success. He explained: Listen to ABBA cover songs -- everything is fine, EXCEPT nobody can sing the songs like Frida and Agnetha. Covers can nail all the instruments, except the vocals. ABBA has a great understanding that the human vocal is the most intimate and emotional instrument. Man made instruments have degrees of separation between the instrument and human emotion. The human voice is a natural instrument. The voice and emotions has no degrees of separation. In 1969, BB met AA their gf's. They eventually had the girls sing backup on their songs. They still had Rutger on bass, doing his melodic baselines. But BB knew they hit the jackpot because how they girls made their songs sound better. The girls changed everything for BB. People were asking who the girls were on BB records ('Lycka' album). This is before the girls where identified as Frida and Agnetha. Eventually, BB and Stig Anderson/Polar Music knew the girls were the difference maker. In 1972, Anni-Frid (Frida) committed. The foursome were now official. Stig eventually named them ABBA. "The voice is the most beautiful instrument of them all, but it is the most difficult instrument to play ' - Richard Strauss
What’s your favorite ABBA bass line?
Summernight City
Dancing Queen or My Mama Said
@@BassFreedom one of us
As Good As New
Have you ever heard the early gem : MY MAMA SAID?
ABBA has sooooo many good bass lines.
The original unedited version with the instrumental part in between is even more glorious.
ABBA is the GOAT!
ABBA’s production including the bass line is flawless. He
ABBA are simply the best! Thanks for going in-depth with their music! 🥰
I know another one you will like as a bassist: Knowing me knowing you. Its bassline is terrific.
Gimme Gimme Gimme is my favourite bass line of all time. Mike played it funky. I can only dream of ever playing it as good as him. Love Mike, such a talent ❤
I am actually getting together with him in a few weeks! 🤯 I’ll take a picture and share it here for sure 😄
You deserve so many more views! Love your stuff!
Thanks so much 😊🫡🫶
Their songs are so beautifully constructed it's impossible not to like them Their musical Chess has some fantastic tunes too.
Knowing Me Knowing You
Thanks for opening our eyes of how this was made. Ive been listning to it for 45 years :)
Rutger Gunnarsson 'The bass line master' 🇸🇪
I've been listening to ABBA since the 70s and have admired (among other things) their bass lines ever since. Back then, people mainly talked about their catchy melodies and great singers, I don't remember anyone mentioning the bass lines. Some thought it wasn't even cool to like them and they only have revealed decades later that they were secretly ABBA fans.
Pretty crazy all these years later they’re just becoming MORE famous, right?!
Try knowing me knowing you. Not just the bass,veronica on RUclips has done the harmony breakdown, so much complexity but it seems so simple and clear ,before autotune when it was all analogue including the vids. ABBA are the goat.
'Voulez Vous" is also a strong one and 'One of Us" too.
Btw i love even more the instrumentation of GGG in the Spanish version of 1980.The bass sounds slightly more intense and the killer synth riff is even more emnriched and echoe-y.
I did “One Of Us” in my other ABBA Secret Weapon video. Rutger tears it up on that one!🤘
You should look at Knowing Me, Knowing You’s bass line.
Abba wow!
Mike had a really nice soul band, Little Mike and the Sweet Soul Music Band, with many great, Swedish musicians where he sang and played bass. There are some videos of them on youtube
Perfect bass lines, just like every other part of ABBA's production.
good job dear friend!! Thank you for a new post!🎸
Totally agree! I played bass parts on synths; and very successfully I might add. And I was always a huge fan of ABBA arrangements and the bass parts. On so many levels, they often used “oom-pa-pa” progressions fitted to pop style. And it was done so cleverly that the vast majority of people never caught on.
ABBA was known to hire the best musicians in Sweden
Thank you. It's a keeper.
Another really unexpected odd-number-of-bars is in The Beatles’ ”Yesterday”. Seven bars in the verses, and yet it sounds totally natural :-)
I don't play the bass but your posts are awesome!!
@@jakejake7289 Thanks Jake! It’s never too late to start 🤪
Mike and Rutger did create many awesome bass lines but the most epic one did Rutger on the song My Mama Said!!
Hoping you'll comment on one of my three favourite ABBA tracks - in both "The Name of the Game" and the left-field "The Visitors" the bass is fine, and in TNotG propels the song along nicely, along with some very tasty production... but in the third track, "Summer Night City", the bass is pretty remarkably inventive and syncopated and I think you'll love it.
You’re a fantastic teacher! Your demonstrations are so cool! Humbly thank you!
The one with the bridge or extension at the end of the song that is longer is even better. The official video in 1979 was just for a commercial that didn't include the extension/bridge where they both sing an octave higher.
I'm 54, been playing bass since about 87... all my favorite bassists are late disco/ early 80s synth pop (like Duran Duran or chic)
Fun video, if you're not familiar with Mick Karn, check him out. He's one of the most original players ever, he was a fretless player who claimed to not know music but simply played what he thought sounded right... he was in the band 'Japan' who broke up around 84, this band was a big influence on Duran Duran, especially in their image!
I am going to comment here but thanks to you I first have to go to Spotify and play this song several times. Like I did yesterday. Thanks for posting this. I could never figure out the bass line!
BTW: Does your mother know has a pretty cool bass line too.
ABBA; easy on the outside for a quick listen, but with layers of complexity underneath. a lot of so called 'experts' in the 70-80ties didn't recognize that at all
I picked up on the finger picking technique - index for the root and middle & ring fingers for the octave. I've always alternated index and middle fingers my whole life, not matter what (except for raking). I'll still live and die by that, but It can be busy when jumping up and down octaves. I'll have to give this a try.
Love it 🎵🎵💗💗
I saw a British TV show where they used a section of Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight). They slowed the track down slightly which changed the song enough where the bass was able to be clearer. If you have a turntable that has speed control, if you bring it down a notch or two, it enhances it. The US based Greatest Hits Vol 2 album is funky, it plays too fast. It came in handy at the time for a speed control turntable to bring it down to normal.
They also had double set of musicians on tour to keep their sound at top noch. One of the best bass lines is on the song The name of the Game, I never been a bass player but always was a fan of ABBA.
Very astute observations! One of my favorite ABBA bass lines is from My Mama Said on the Waterloo album. For a change of pace check on Pino Palladino playing fret less on the song Talking To The Wall from Joan Armatrading’s album Secret Secrets or Sandy Horne on Walk Across the Water from Spoon’s album Bridges Over Borders.
Merci
While I do know it was Mike Watson who played on this song, we can see Rutger in this video at 1:53.
This is fascinating! I didn’t notice that. I think that this shows the music video was staged as a recording session for this? I’ll have to ask Mike about it! 🤘
@@BassFreedom Will love to hear from him. I'm a bass player too... from India... and been a lifelong ABBA fan. I had managed to connect with Rutger Gunnarsson on Facebook. Very briefly though, since he wasnt very active on social media.
Wikipedia do credit Rutger on bass for this one, but it has been wrong before. Would be great to get confirmation from Watson himself.
@@kennet7837 this is from Mike’s biography:
Mike Watson was born in Sheffield, England and started playing music as a twelve-year-old. He came to Sweden when he was twenty and has since then toured and recorded with everyone from swedish legend Thore Skogman to ABBA. His funky bass lines can be heard on ABBA recordings such as "The Winner Takes It All", "Super Trouper", "Mamma Mia", "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!", "Does Your Mother Know" and more.
@@BassFreedom Thank you!
A proud Swede here :-)
its interesting how these lines are not complicated, in the 70's octaves where the basis of all music, ergo disco groves, i have been playing since the early 70's, something wrong if you cant double stop lol, then came slap and ergo history was created, 50 years i have been doing these grooves styles and patterns and still work in these styles when needed, after 50 years i still love this language
--------------------> Canadian singer Damnhait Doyle, did a cover version of this song, but it was done in a much
slower and toned down style.
---------------------> Madonna used the riff of this song, on her 2005 hit "Hung Up".
---------------------> ABBA recorded a Spanish version in 1980, which was included on their all-Spanish album
"Gracias Por La Musica".The Spanish version is titled: ¡Dame!Dame!Dame!(Amor Esta Noche)
It is Rutger Gunnarsson playing on the video
Hands down, "The Name Of The Game" (from my favourite album: "The Album"). But, it has to be the original album "long version"...........not the shortened version on some subsequent compilations.
I would love a collaboration with Mike Watson!!
It’s coming eventually 🤫🤩😜
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
ABBA bass lines are my favourite. Love playing them as challenges. Especially when I was working on by octaves, 5ths and stretching. What fender jazz bass are you using? I’m also a big fender jazz bass user
7:01: its similar to "fear of the dark" by Iron Maiden
👏👏👏
On the start of this film Rutger Gunnarsson shows his face in front of the guitarist
ABBA is really famous... but I still don't think they get enough credit for what they did.
I'm not a musician, but I am an ABBA fan. I'll be watching your other explanations of their music. Subscribed. Btw can someone tell me what note it is when Agnetha sings 'sight'
the mozarts of today
It’s a naff song and a deep album cut but the bass is amazing: ABBA’s Two for the Price of One.
Im pretty sure I saw Rutger in the music video for this song....
Could be. I guess, music video vs. studio recording, not always the same musicians. That said, I thought the official music video was based on the actual studio recording?
React to Mark King please! If u didn't do it already!
Im a bit drunk when im typing this (im not really a base player, im just dabbling a bit). But i get Iron Maiden vibes from this. Why is that you think?
Benny Andersson is god🥰🤟
I've never understood what "the key of" means. Why aren't notes just notes e.g. A4 is 440Hz.
My father played alto saxophone in a dance band. He tried to explain this stuff, but sadly, he failed.
Didnt Mike W called himself "Little Mike"? 🤔
My Mama Said
Yes, great song that.
Astrologically speaking - noone has to read this that isn´t interested - both Björn and Benny have their Moons in the Moon house /nakshatra / hasta, which gives the person a natural talent for receiving in their hands what the need, by just putting it out there. They needed a singer - sure, one fell in Björn´s hand - his girlfriend - and another one in Benny´s. And when they needed a bassplayer, the very best just showed up.
Frida´s nakshatra is the very giving and potentially spiritual UttaraBhadrapada, and I´m quite sure that she played an important role as a muse of the group. ABBA often touches spiritual themes, even though the main lyrics writer Björn is a declared atheist. Agnetha´s nakshatra is the multitasking Vishaka, which tends to make the person want to play many roles, and often all of them. To her being restricted to basically one role in the group took a toll on her. She wanted to be a mother and a composer as well and finally her frustration was what broke up the group, I guess one could say. No blame in that, she really sacrificed her other dreams for many years.
Rutger gunnersson is hot❤
The bass is absolutely the best parts of abbas songs. Without the bassists it would have been totally generic.
No. Bass, is part of the total.
Bass alone would not sell out shows, records.
A singer/songwriter with a guitar or piano, can sell out shows. Tons of acts all over the world have done this. The list is enormous of successful singers and a guitar (or piano) alone.
A bass player who sings and plays his bass guitar solo, will not draw huge audiences. I don't any singers/songwriters that play bass guitar in sold out arenas.
Bass is great. What makes ABBA's bass lines awesome is because of all stems from melodies. It is one of ABBA's constants -- beautiful melodies.
Melodies is what captures the heart.
Regarding ABBA'a trademark sound, it is the third voice. Unison vocals of Frida and Agnetha is what separates ABBA from everyone else.
Benny talked about the girls not long ago, being 90% responsible for ABBA success. He explained:
Listen to ABBA cover songs -- everything is fine, EXCEPT nobody can sing the songs like Frida and Agnetha. Covers can nail all the instruments, except the vocals.
ABBA has a great understanding that the human vocal is the most intimate and emotional instrument. Man made instruments have degrees of separation between the instrument and human emotion.
The human voice is a natural instrument. The voice and emotions has no degrees of separation.
In 1969, BB met AA their gf's. They eventually had the girls sing backup on their songs. They still had Rutger on bass, doing his melodic baselines. But BB knew they hit the jackpot because how they girls made their songs sound better. The girls changed everything for BB. People were asking who the girls were on BB records ('Lycka' album). This is before the girls where identified as Frida and Agnetha.
Eventually, BB and Stig Anderson/Polar Music knew the girls were the difference maker.
In 1972, Anni-Frid (Frida) committed. The foursome were now official. Stig eventually named them ABBA.
"The voice is the most beautiful instrument of them all, but it is the most difficult instrument to play '
- Richard Strauss
The saddest of all the keys...
Anoying
yOU RUINED ABBA SONS. TO MUCH TALK OVER. LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN
👏👏👏