Is This the Greatest Christmas Bass Line EVER?
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- #bass #basshistory #transcription #analysis #paulthompson
Digging into one of the most unique holiday songs ever recorded, "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses (1981), how it blends vast musical styles and techniques, and breaking down what might be the best bass line played on a Christmas song. I'll also introduce you to the incredible woman that played it--Tracy Wormworth--and tell you why you should be checking her out!
Many thanks to LG and the S-Mountain Podcast for allowing me to use a portion of her excellent interview with Tracy. Check it out here:
open.spotify.c...
Website - www.paulthompso...
Instagram @pdbass74
Twitter @pdbass74
When I first saw the title of this video, I said to myself, "it has to be the bass line from Christmas Wrapping"!
I was one of the people that suggested this song. Thank You. Merry Christmas everyone.
I was just thinking to myself the other day I pdbass does a segment on this. Thank you so much and enjoy the Holidays.
Never heard about her until now. Thanks!
Nother great reference, Tracy Wormworth. Thanks Paul and Happy Holidays!
Tracy is phenomenal. I saw her live with the B-52s. Killer player!
The brass band I play (flute) in (Brass Pro and the Waterfront Revivilst) covers this song every year, and my girl Kimbo on the Bari sax has a lot of fun with this bassline!
I was just listening to I Know What Guys Like. Tracy was killing that bassline
Yes, Tracy W. is an underrecognized genius of the bass. And she is almost always wearing that beautiful smile while performing, letting us know she is truly loving what she does. It's so infectious, you can't help but smile with her! Serious musician, serious talent, and all smiles. Thanks for bringing her to the front row, Paul. Keep up the great work. All the best to you & your family.
Tracy Wormworth is such an underrated bassist! Love her playing.
Great stuff thanks - I bow in homage to brilliance
I was one of those people that requested this. Thank you, Paul. So great to get your take on it. Invaluable analysis like you always do, showing the undeniable threads of musical ideas through players. One trivial item to add about Wormsworth: Her brother played drums in the Jimmy Vivino Band on Conan.
Great bassline. Tina is an icon and hanging out with Marcus don't hurt😊. One can hear the influence of Good times. It's perfect, Soulful , Funky, Grooving , and imaginative. Her Resume is Amazing!!!❤❤
First time I heard it I loved the bass line , so imaginative and as a bass player I had to go home and learn it ,,,,so clever
This is my favorite Christmas song hands down!
Happy Christmas and a great 2024!!!!!!!!
Tracy is one of my favorite bassist of all time,I saw her with Sting and Wayne Shorter with Terri Lynn Carrington on drums and of course with the B-52s,as we like to say back in the day “baby Girl is bad”, and though she didn’t play it on the record,If you saw the Waitresses live, she killed ‘I know what boys like’,just a phenomenal bassist and a sweet person when you meet her.
Tracy Wormworth is awesome! I was lucky enough to see her perform with the B52s a few years ago. Love this bass line!
That's the thing about being a musician and a music lover. You learn something new everyday...never heard of her!
It has gradually, over time, climbed up the ranks to become my favourite Christmas song. The bass is incredible, the false chorus, the dedication to avoiding Christmas cliché. Just all-around great.
pdbass knocks it out of the park again.
Definitely one of the best bass lines in a Christmas pop song, Tracy Wormworth definitely delivers the grooves.
This is a great channel. Bass lessons, history, and shout-outs to legends all in one. Keep up the great work!
this is my favorite christmas song. "you forgot cranberries too". Classic!
It has that Genius of love flavor!! Quirky and catchy! 2 female bas players created 2 of the oddest Bass / tunes tunes ever recorded.
I agree 100%...Tracy is moving it underneath. Merry Christmas Paul!!!
This along with Wham ; Last Christmas are my favorite Christmas songs
Great video! I went on a Waitresses jag a while back and really dug their second album Bruisiology. The bass playing on that is phenomenal. There's some tricky stuff on that album. Never made the connection that Tracy went on to the B-52s. Fantastic bassist.
I know what boys like... is the only song I've ever known so far by The Waitresses..... didn't bother to check their other stuff.... UNTIL NOW!!! As a bass player, I'm still checking out so called hidden gems. Heading to the shed now!! Cheers bro... and a Merry Christmas to you and fam!!
She kills the Bass in that too
This is an awesome video to start the day with!
Thank you for taking the request to explore this, I love this Christmas song. Christmas for me is no longer the same without it and it is a big contrast to the old Classics in my playlist like Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole. It has such a different mood. I wondered about the bassline and you are covering it. Awesome! many thanks! Your channel is so good it would be beautiful if you could start interviewing these bassists you feature. Much gold would come out of that, with you and your guest just chatting, like Rick Beato does, but equally, you do you! You've got your own special helpful magic mojo. Big gratitude!❤️🌹🙏🏼
This video itself was a gift! I only knew the Waitresses for I Know What Boys Like. This song has the same feel, but is better. And now that I pay attention, the baseline is great! Thanks for bringing awareness to her
Thank you for this episode brother. Brings back great memories for this Gen-X kid.
Love this song! Stunning bassline!
Merry Christmas Paul. Dude my gift is well wishes to you and yours. What a way to wrap up the year! See what I did there? I loooooove your channel. As a bass player and music lover since to 60’s, you take me on exhilarating adventures in bass. Thank you 1000x
Certainly one of the best, I would put Donny Hathaway's bass playing on a Fender Rhodes in This Christmas right up there
Is that Rhodes? Sounds like a bass guitar to me, however, sonically that original recording does not do the bass aspect any favors. Regardless I totally agree with you, that track has amazing bass. Check out this- ruclips.net/video/-n3Wy9Fegjw/видео.html
Hemiola! Neat, I can now describe that awesome horn line.
So glad to see this get covered! I love the part right at the fade when she plays Jingle Bells!
Thanks for this one! Another one I love this time of year is the double bass line on "Christmastime is Here" by Vince Guaraldi. Fred Marshall on the bass.
Thanks for the inclusive, informative video. Good work as always. Happy Holidays!
Hey PD! I just love your approach to deciphering amazing bass players and bass lines ! Merry Christmas brother!
Merry Christmas Paul!! 🎄😀👍
As always, great music , great history Paul. Happy Holidays everyone! Blessings 😇
Yes, it is the best Christmas bass line. I’m so so happy that you agree. I love you and I love your channel you’re doing great things keep it up.
Tracy Wormworth! Yes! I attended her wedding and she attended ours! She's SO groovy and a beautiful person!
Yup! Has a nice funky, happy sound! ❤Thanks! Have a safe Holiday season.
I'd completely forgotten this - thanks for the reminder of a track (and a bass line) that completely overshadoows its rap inspiration (though not, perhaps, "Good Times"!).
Never heard of the song, band, OR bassist. Thanks, Professor Paul, for educating me yet again!
Totally ❤
Very cool video, neat to see this info about Tracy Wormworth, thanks!
I never heard this before, I saw her once with the B52's, nice groove. Thanks!
Indeed.
🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿Thanks for this feature
It's that Electric Lady Land magic
I'd never even heard of this song until No Treble shared this video in an email. I didn't hear it until Saturday night when a local band played it at the Musica in Akron where the Waitresses were from. They even had one of the songwriters playing with them. Definitely an awesome experience.
A Christmas miracle!
Great choice. That is a great bass line.
I am not a bassist but love your channel!
Good content man.
Wow I didn't know that song was recorded at Electric Ladyland Studios! Jimi Hendrix's personal studio! Koool!!!
great video and amazing bassplayer that i didnt know...what about a video about mark sandman of morphine and his amazin 2 bass
Excellent profile!
She’s dope
I love her!
Paul: Happy Holidays from South Texas. Love the great work you do on your channel!
Groovy! Merry Christmas!
I remember the Waitresses song "I know what boys like" from back in the day, but I found that song some what annoying. This Christmas track was pretty interesting though. I will have to go back and listen to the rest of what they did. Another great video PD, thanks so much for posting.
RIP, Mars Williams 💐
If you like this song, you need to look up the rest of the Waitresses' songs and the other things Chris Butler has done (including Tin Huey) - fantastic, bizarre, complex music with ingenious lyrics.
Thanks!
THANK YOU!! 🙏🏽
Another Jamaica Queens alum! Represent!✊
LOL! I remember this track! Or at least Kurtis Blow...
I'd like you to cover the Phil Upchurch bassline on Little Milton's song, "all around the world" also known as "Grits ain't groceries!"
My favorite Christmas bassline is Stu Hamm's version of 'Sleigh Ride.'
"Good Times" in turn influenced by "Love Is the Drug" by Roxy Music.
I thought the original bass player was a founding member who left so Tracy joined,then it became a big hit,I might be wrong
That was “I Know What Girls Like”
She played this one.
@@pdbass ah,I knew there was a different bass player at some point in the early days,awesome bass line though
I was driving down the road listening to some songs and one song came on and my daughter said why don’t you play the bass line to that song. I thought how is that possible cause I don’t have a bass only a guitar. And sense I really don’t have an ear to pick up notes and chords by just listening my question is how?? How or where can I get bass lines to play on guitar is it even possible?
Another great xmas bass line is Donny Hathaway's Wurlitzer on This Christmas.
News to me.
Never heard this before.
30 years with the B52s? I wonder what happened to Sara Lee after Love Shack
The absolute greatest Christmas Bass song is Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer by the Temptations ! Best Bass line EVER ! 😮😮😮😮❤❤.
Alright, I know this song from House Music mixes, I know it sounds crazy, but it was in there
Are you the actor who plays Ali in the Netflix George Forman movie?
Interesting but I’m disappointed that I didn’t get a breakdown of Christmas Rappin
The Kurtis Blow bassline was stolen by Queen for Another One Bites the Dust
War. What is it good for?
the SHERRY show theme song stole a piece of this song...!
Saw her live on that tour with Sting you showed footage from, and she was great. She did a duet with Kenny Kirkland-who she was dating at the time and who introduced her to Sting and led to her getting that gig-that was simply gorgeous.
Tracy out here hanging out with Marcus, playing with Paula, Lena Horne, and having a hot single that was (what would at that point be considered) Pop-punk, a-la' Blondie or the Go-Go's.....proving once again that "genre" is a concept that only exists for NON music makers. If you're a player, either you're playing, or you're not!
Tracey, what's your thoughts on this "throwaway" Xmas song you guys did? You do realize it's part of the official Xmas playlist for every retail department store up and down the East Coast, right?
Top job Paul. You’re looking well, which is great to see too. Have a great Christmas and thanks for continuing to make great videos.
Great! That is such a tricky bass line; Tracy Wormworth created a classic.
Great bass line man, definitely gotta check out more of her library of songs. Merry Christmas Paul and thanks for your contributions to the Bass Community!!!
Brilliant, didn't know it was a female bassist on it - classic Christmas song. Merry Christmas!
So many early rap/hip-hop tracks, or when bands such as Blondie, Queen and even Pink Floyd were trying to emulate the sound, used Rapper's Delight as their template. So their basslines are essentially Chic's Good Times in feel and groove:
Tracy Wormworth was AWESOME and everyone should listen to the album "Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?"
Yeah, I've always loved this one, pumping out of my car radio speakers every holiday season as I go shopping. Lots of different attempts at the bass line by youtubers, but none have the same feel. Someone on reddit (IIRC) posted a pdf'ed tab version that Bass Player magazine had done, and I've downloaded that. But the hard part is injecting that swing into it. You can tell Tracey's a pro with a real musical pedigree, as you say here. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.
Fuck yes! The only xmas tune I enjoy year round. Love those bars of 7 in the stanzas 🙂
Finally!! I've loved this bassline since I actually understood musc, I've never found anyone else so far paying it the attention that it deserves!
Seasons' greetings maestro
Thank you for these accessiblely informative and instructive video modules.
🎄🎅🏿🌴🏏📻
My FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG Growing up in Harlem, entering Jr High School with a feeling of everything changing. Disco was waning and I saw The Waitresses' video on MTV. When I saw this Black Girl on the Bass. I was like... WHO IS THAT! At 11 years old, she blew my mind! And I knew, I was not just made up of Soul Music❤❤❤. There was so much more. MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄
Tracey kills it just like she does in I Know What Boys Want
Great story. Getting inspiration from another brilliant bassist of the day. Even the album cover artwork looked like Chic's 1981 "Take It Off" cover. I was unfamiliar with Tracy until you just introduced her to me. Thank you. How could I miss her?! Now that I know her sound...she is everywhere. Happy Holidays. But you know....Kurtis Blow's "Christmas Rapping" is still pretty funky too.