The Beatles: Rock Band - bass guitar

If Paul McCartney is not the greatest bass player of the rock era (and that's impossible to say since the answer will be based on personal opinion) then I would argue that he is more than likely the most influential. McCartney's inventive, melodic bass lines gave the songs of the Beatles a distinct sound and feel all their own. Many artists adopted the sound he got out of his iconic Hofner and used the bass guitar more to help create melodies than simply provide a backbeat. Hey, I am an unabashed McCartney fan. To me, he is one of the most talented musicians (the man can play an incredible number of instruments and play them very well) of the rock era. Together with John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, he created a legacy of music that will live on way longer than I can even imagine. The last Beatles album came out nearly 40 years ago and there are scores of teenagers that are very eager to dive in to The Beatles: Rock Band.

Picking my favorite McCartney bass lines out of the Beatles catalogs is very difficult for me. There are so many that stand out and are integral to the song that it will be way too easy to miss some that are just plain cool. But I am gonna attempt it anyway. As has been the rule in these TB:RB threads, I will repeat the disclaimer that I am in no way saying that all of these songs will be in the actual game, but these are the songs I would love to play:

1. I Saw Her Standing There - a rollicking, throbbing bass line in a great rock-n-roll song. McCartney admits that he lifted this from a Chuck Berry song, but it still rocks.
2. Day Tripper - follows the guitar riff, which is one of my all time faves.
3. Rain - a great, trippy bass line for a great, trippy song.
4. Penny Lane - from the very first note, the bass line climbs all around the tune and adds the bounce that makes the song so memorable.
5. With A Little Help From My Friends - basically the entire Sgt. Pepper album is a primer on how to play thrilling, melodic bass. This song is the first example.
6. Getting Better - another Sgt. Pepper tune. This one will be hella fun to play.
   
7. Hey Bulldog - a lesser-known Beatles tune with some agile bass playing to go along with some thumping bass as well.
8. Come Together - McCartney's bass line helps flesh out Lennon's Abbey Road opener.
9. Here Comes The Sun - Harrison's lovely song has a really nice bass line throughout.
   
10. Abbey Road side 2 medley, from You Never Give Me Your Money through The End - just some lovely playing throughout this tour de force.

Out of those 10 songs, at least 5 of them will be in the game: I Saw Her Standing There and Day Tripper will ship with the game, while the entire Abbey Road album will be available for download. That's a heckuva good start. Here's hoping the rest of them make it through somehow as well. Next will be the songs I want to play drums on. Make no mistake: Ringo may not have been flashy but he was incredibly steady and provided a great backbeat for the other lads. He was an essential part of The Beatles. But more on that later.