Bass Transcriptions

"Don't Keep Me Wonderin'" is the second song on The Allman Brother's second album, "Idlewild South". The song kicks off with a dual slide guitar/harmonica lick, followed by a funky blues-like rhythm part laid down by Dickey Betts. Duane enters with a great slide lick, and the whole band locks together as the vocals enter: classic Allman Brothers. Be sure to check out this Berry Oakley bass transcription.

The Allman Brother's 1973 album "Brothers and Sisters" was the first album to feature neither Duane Allman nor Berry Oakley, both of whom had died tragically in motorcycle accidents over the previous two years. The inspiration for this composition came from Dickey Betts' daughter Jessica, and the bass line was played by Lamar Williams.

"Melissa" was added to the Allman Brother's third studio album "Eat a Peach" as a tribute to Duane Allman. Duane had passed away during the recording of "Eat a Peach", and the band needed more material to fill out the album. Gregg has said that he always thought it was too soft for the Allman Brothers, but knew his brother loved the song and wanted to include it as a tribute to him. Berry Oakley plays bass on this track.

"Midnight Rider" was the second single from the Allman Brother's second album "Idlewild South". Gregg Allman has said that the song came to him almost whole in a flash of inspiration, that he had a rough draft down after only an hour and fifteen minutes. Berry Oakley plays bass on this track.

This song certainly doesn't need an introduction as it is nearly synonymous with the Allman Brothers. “Statesboro Blues” was written by Piedmont blues guitarist/singer Blind Willie McTell, who first recorded the song in 1928. However, the ABB version is based on blues singer/guitarist Taj Mahal. It was supposedly this recording that inspired Duane to learn to play slide guitar.

The story goes that brother Gregg had given Duane the album for his birthday, simultaneously giving him a bottle of Coricidan, a cold medication, as Duane was sick at the time. Inspired by the recording, Duane emptied the pills from the bottle and, wearing it on the ring finger of his fretting hand, taught himself to play slide guitar. Berry Oakley plays bass on this track from "Live at Fillmore East".

"Wasted Words" is the first track from The Allman Brother's 1973 album "Brothers and Sisters". As mentioned above, "Brothers and Sisters" was the first album to feature neither Duane Allman nor Berry Oakley. Bass line played by Lamar Williams.

"Come Together", the lead song on The Beatles'" Abbey Road" album, was conceived by John Lennon as a political rallying cry for the writer, psychologist, and pro-drugs activist Timothy Leary. The song was composed for Timothy Leary's campaign to stand against Ronald Reagan as governor of California. His slogan was "Come together, join the party". 

Paul McCartney wrote "Paperback Writer" after reading a Daily Mail report about an aspiring author, and composed it on the way to Lennon's house in Weybridge. Supposedly, the song was an attempt by McCartney to write a song based on a single chord.

"Casey Jones" is a Hunter/Garcia composition that was released on the Dead's 1970 album "Workingman's Dead". Robert Hunter stated in a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone that "Casey Jones" didn't start out as a song, instead it suddenly popped into his mind: "driving that train, high on cocaine, Casey Jones, you better watch your speed." Hunter said that he wrote that down and moved on to whatever else he was doing. It wasn’t until some time later he came across it and thought, "That's the germ of a pretty good song”. 

“Ripple” appeared on the 1970 album “American Beauty”. Robert Hunter wrote this song that year in London on the same afternoon he wrote “Brokedown Palace” and “To Lay Me Down”. David Grisman was plays mandolin on this track as well as "Friend of the Devil".

“Sugar Magnolia” was written by Robert Hunter and Bob Weir, and appeared on their 1970 album “American Beauty”. Remember that Phil Lesh chooses to use a pick when he plays, again showing the uniqueness of his style.

"Down with Disease" was the second track from Phish's 1994 album "Hoist". A music video was created for the song, directed by bassist Mike Gordon, that showed the members of the band scuba diving through an aquarium. The video was partially shot during the song's debut live performance on December 31, 1993, at the band’s New Year's Eve concert at the Worcester Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts.

"Stash" was released on Phish’s 1992 album “A Picture of Nectar”. At the time the song was written, Trey was listening to many of the jazz greats of the mid-20th century, as well as exploring new ways of musical communication through the study of theory-based concepts such as tension and release. Mike Gordon's syncopated 16th note bass line is a great study in groove.

“Sir Duke” comes from Stevie Wonder’s 1976 album “Songs in the Key of Life”. The song was written as a tribute to the late Duke Ellington, who had died in 1974. Nathan Watts played bass on this track.