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The bassline that Paul McCartney said that is his favorite one
The Beatles are the most successful band of all time with an estimated amount of more than 600 million records sold worldwide. Most part of the famous tracks from their discography were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, what makes many people forget how influential and incredible the bass parts played by McCartney are, since he is mainly recalled as an amazing songwriter first.
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He became over the years a huge inspiration for countless bass player all over world and many famous ones like Geddy Lee and Gene Simmons. Although many fans couldn’t pick only one McCartney bassline as their favorite one, the man himself revealed which one is the one he likes the most.
The bassline that Paul McCartney said that is his favorite one
The Beatles only existed for 10 years and released 13 studio albums which had countless hits that are still being discovered by younger generations. Their music is still fresh and alive, and there is no better example than the huge crowds that McCartney still has at his concerts all over the world.
Back in 2017, the musician did a session of Questions and Answers for Japanese fans and revealed which was his favorite bassline (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). “I think probably my favorite bassline is ‘Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite’. Because it’s complicated. It’s kind of a difficult bassline. What is really difficult, it’s just to sing it and play the bass at the same time. Because your head goes that way and your fingers go that way.”
“It’s really a sort of strange combination to do it. But it’s a melodic bassline and I like it. So that’s the answer to your question, probably ‘Mr. Kite’,” Paul McCartney said.
“Being For The Benefite Of Mr. Kite” was first featured on The Beatles famous eight studio album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” released in 1967. The song was primarly written by John Lennon but credited also for McCartney.
Most part of the lyricis were taken from a 19th-century circus poster for Pablo Fanque’s Circus Royal that would appear at Rochdale at the time. Curiously, besides recording the bass, McCartney also was the one responsible for the guitar parts in that song.
Lennon is credited for the vocals, hammond organ, tape loops and harmonica. While George Harrison is credited for the harmonica, tambourine, harmony vocal and shaker.
Paul that if he knew he would play the song live he would have made a less complicted bassline
The Beatles never played the song live in concert and Paul McCartney is the only one who did on his solo career. He debuted that song at his concerts during the last decade. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2013 he talked about that bassline. He even joked that if he knew that someday he would play the track live he would have made a less complicated bassline.
“I mean, something like ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!’ is hard to do. Ask a bass player who sings. It’s contrapuntal, man! It really is. I’ve got to sing a melody that’s going to one place. Then I’ve got to play this bassline that’s going to other places. It’s a concentration thing. But that’s half the fun of the show. I’m still practicing, still trying to figure it out, particularly on the new numbers. It’s like, ‘How does this one go again?” Paul McCartney said.
The Beatle was then asked why he decided to add the song to the set after all those decades. He answered: “’Mr. Kite’ is such a crazy, oddball song that I thought it would freshen up the set. Plus the fact that I’d never done it.”
Paul McCartney continued:
“None of us in the Beatles ever did that song [in concert]. And I have great memories of writing it with John. I read, occasionally, people say, ‘Oh, John wrote that one.’ I say, ‘Wait a minute. What was that afternoon I spent with him, then, looking at this poster?'” Paul McCartney said.
According to the musician, Lennon had the poster of the circus on his living room at home and that made them have the idea to write the lyrics. He also revealed that he made the bassline at that time after the song was recorded.
“‘Mr. Kite,’ when we recorded it, we laid down the track as a group. Then I put the bass on afterwards, as I often did in those days. So that gave me the opportunity to really think about the bassline and make it melodic. But, of course, if I’d have thought, like, ‘Tomorrow you’re going to have to play this live,’ I don’t think I’d have made it so complicated!” Paul McCartney said.
