John Deacon is probably the one person responsible for me picking up the bass. He's a legend. But you missed one: You're My Best Friend from '75 A Night At The Opera. He's absolutely flying all over the fretboard in that one - and he wrote the song! Go check it out. That line is sublime. EDIT: And the Breakthru bass you can't identify was made for John by Roger Giffin, so it's probably a one-off. I *love* the headstock on that thing.
I even covered it for my 2nd channel several years ago: ua-cam.com/video/QGvdoRWFcmE/v-deo.htmlsi=igXPEyg09s8lBpRy It was one of the bigger challenges for me, actually. And that major 10th he ends on is JUST. SO. BEAUTIFUL.
@@Bassdriver Aww man. that is as sweet as a button!! You absolutely nailed it my friend. I have to say, I smiled the whole way through saying......Yeeaahh!! Totally killer playing!! 🤘☘🤘
I'm my opinion, john represented everything a bass player should be. Every line supported and complemented every song perfectly, breathing when necessary and flying at the right moments. Just genius
Millionaire waltz right out of the gate?!? I freaking love you guys! And Dragon Attack has been my go-to sound check riff since I was a kid! Well done gents!
Deacy was a legend. He 1) was incredibly, almost debilitatingly English, 2) was an absolute beast on the P bass in every regard, 3) was a killer songwriter and even though he preferred writing love songs and dance music, his songwriting kept the band going during times when they were barely speaking to one another, 4) was an electrical engineering student when the band started and built a custom treble booster for Brian May that he used for decades and has struggled to find a replacement for now that Deacy's no longer playing with the band, 5) had the humility and self-respect to bow out of public life when Freddie died and broke his heart. He's just an old bloke now puttering about in the garden shed and I couldn't be happier for him.
John's synergy with Freddie was incredible. They were musically in absolute lock-step... and also great friends. But the way John Deacon responds to Freddie Mercury's compositions and playing is incredible. Deacon actually seems more restrained on songs he's written himself, he just flies around the fretboard on Freddie's numbers! An absolute delight, inspiration and joy to listen to and a bugger to play!!!
My favourite bass player. He always did what fitted the song best. He didn’t overplay. But could play complicated stuff if needed. Tasteful, that’s the word. And very melodic. Some nice inversion notes under the chords too. He just knew instinctively what would compliment any given song, simple or complex, fast or slow, he just knew what would work in any situation. Terribly underrated.
This! Always played the right notes; his choices were superb. Melody, rhythm, groove, silence. I'm a bassist and only after some years of being a massive queen fan did I realise that some of his best bass lines are the ones you don't notice (until you listen for them), as they just fit perfectly in the music. Possibly the most underrated bassist in rock. Great to see him getting some praise here.
Deacon was always one of my favorites. He's a bass players bass player. His bass performance on "The Show Must Go On" is one of my favorites. He was the perfect complementary bass player always playing what made the song better.
I loved watching this. It really highlighted what a brilliant bass guitarist John Deacon is. He always appeared quiet and shy, and never got the credit he deserves for being a great song writer, a wonderful bass player and an incredibly important part of Queen. John for me is one of the greatest bass players of all time, a great musician who helped make Queen, in my mind the finest band ever. All four of them were extremely talented, and I am so pleased I was able to see them live, and I never tire of listening to them. God bless Freddy, Brian, Roger and John. A huge part of my life and always will be. ❤
Yes, Deacon is a massively underrated bassist, and I'm happy you're giving him his due recognition, but you guys always make me smile with your unbound enthusiasm. Thank you for always keeping my love for the bass alive.
John Deacon is probably my favourite bassist of all time, every bassline he plays becomes integral to the song, without ever stealing the limelight - even the ones where the bass is front and centre, like Under Pressure and Another one Bites The Dust. Please do more Deacon deep dives, really worth it. I imagine pull any Queen song and take a look, there'll be something great in the bass somewhere.
Bicycle Races in the verses is phenomenal. It's so classically playful, like John Deacon took his P bass on a spring time picnic and fed it strawberries.
Some deep cuts worth checking out as a bass player: - Sail Away Sweet Sister (a really touching bass line, if you can call it that. Has a wonderful instrumental outro. So melodic, so Deacon) - Liar (c'mon, it has a bass solo. Not very hard, but an incredible moment in the song. Also, did you know John used a Rickenbacker on the original record for this one?) - Father To Son (has some wonderful parts and runs. If you want to practise certain patterns, this is a good contender) - Don't Try Suicide (it has slap! John didn't do that very much, so check it out) - Get Down Make Love (not only the song itself is dirty, so is the bass line. It has some nasty slapping and popping) - The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke (John and melodical bass lines go hand in hand. This is a prime example. What are you even doing? Practise this one, you'll love it!) - Bicycle Race (not really a deep cut, but that guitar solo is nice and all, but did you even pay attention to the insane bass line?) In short: John Deacon is a bass hero.
Yeah, I understand that you kind of have to mention "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Under Pressure" in a John Deacon video. But they wouldn't even be in top 10 Queen bass lines.
Yes all good songs you mentioned.. Was It All Worth It as some great runs in the verses. Machines (or back to humans) good bass/synth undertones same with Invisible Man . Long Away some great melodic playing and Radio Ga Ga as so much going on throughout especially the intro and outro.. But my personal fav is I'm Going Slightly Mad! SO chaotic and probably using a fretless 5 string too.
Yes the bass solo on the "Liar" track form the very 1st Queen album ... it has that nice overdriven bass sound certainly at the end of the solo (it might be the time Deacy played an Orange amp ? but I'm not sure at all 🙂)
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@@IggyYTubeyour correct about John's usage of his Orange amp
Deacon is a freakin' GENIUS. There's no other way to put it. It appears to be so 'simple', but when you dig in to it, you're always amazed at his "choices", like I call them recently. Chord changes that leave you with whirly eyes, like "what the heck was THAT?". Be it seventie's rather baroque Queen or post-The Game, it's always a mind-blowing thing...
Recently asked to join a classic rock and country band. One of their feature songs, "Crazy Thing Called Love." Worked on their song list, and one the first take played John Deacons masterpiece. Blew them away. I'm having fun on my old Jazz bass with this song. Oh yes. I'm from Oklahoma and 75 years old
I was lucky enough to see Queen play live twice. The first time was a concert that was opened by Kansas. The other time, Queen didn't have an opening act. When an incredible band, and Freddie was the most incredible front-man ever. Something a lot of people don't know about John Deacon is that he was an electrical engineer, and he actually designed some of Brian May's equipment that gives him his unique sound, and he still uses today, like the "Deacy" amp, which took amplifier gurus more than a dozen years to duplicate.
Yes to more John Deacon! Check out "You and I," which he wrote. "The Hitman," he arranged the track. Really showcases his knowledge of when and where to play support vs lead bass. "Great King Rat," pure precision, and teaching Steve Harris how to gallop. "Don't Try So Hard," another great lesson on bass counter melody. And you can't forget those glorious fretless slides on "Fat Bottomed Girls". Hell, any John Deacon is worth a look!
John Deacon is up there with Sting and Paul McCartney amongst the greatest songwriters/bass players, altough being the only one not being a singer. Such a great musician! P.s. guys, you really thought the Eb hard rock riff in BoRhap was from Brian May? Everyone knows it was Freddie's, BM must have said it a million times.
I know bass players are often overlooked but when you hear people raving about Queen it's always about the other members, though given his personality that probably suited him. He was incredible, inventive, melodic, always in the pocket and playing for the song. His playing really puncuates their stuff, and playing as a three piece he really filled the gaps in perfectly. As a musician he always impressed me more than Brian or Roger. He is a magnificent player.
The bass line on “A Kind of Magic” is so so so good. Also, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” is the song that made me want to learn how to play bass. I had been playing guitar for a couple years and was getting into Queen, then when I heard that bass line I was like “I need to learn how to do that!” It’s so much fun to play.
I was a guitarist who was voluntold to sub in for the bass player in my dad's band. He got me a 78 mustang with tapes. Being a massive James Taylor, Beatles, and Brian May fan, I decided to learn based on Leeland, John Deacon and Paul. I immediately had the shock of a lifetime, discovering that this wasn't the easy version of guitar.
My favorite songwritter in Queen ... after Freddie but really really close. Spread your wings, Need your loving tonight, Dragon Attack, Back Chat and sooo many. Cheers Mr Deacon.
John Deacon, who I first saw play live in 1974 was an absolute genius as a bass player. He was also an outstanding guitar player, pianist and even played drums as well. The mystery bass from Breakthru was a custom made Roger Griffin in natural wood. It was played on an album somewhere On Bites the Dust John played everything except the drums and The Queen Songs website says the it was recorded on the Stingray. John was big mates with Bernie Edwards and Nile Rodgers and he can be heard playing on this in the Nile Rodgers style if you listen. He was a very good guitarist. That Stingray first appeared in 1976 at the Hyde Park concert. I didn't know what it was at the time but it sounded like thunder coming over Hyde Park.......so I saved up an bought one for £300....which I still have. He also played a Wal, and Various Fenders and a Kramer at one point. He also had a Warwick Buzzard which I believe John Entwistle gave him. Both Brian and Roger said that John was very quick to know what to play and where and how to play it. That is a key skill for a bass player and why his bass lines are so well known. Strangely he doesn't get very much credit for it.....but of course he gets 25% of the cash.....that was the deal. I think you missed some fabulous stuff out. 1. The Fairy Fella's Masterstroke 2. Flick of the Wrist 3. Sleeping on the Sidewalk (recorded in one take by Brian John and Roger) 4. Save Me....(lovely to play) 5. Sail Away Sweet Sister I could go on and on but where would I stop....also worth a mention are Jealousy, You're my Best Friend and Invisible Man....all brilliant
Such a musical, sensitive, and supportive bass player. His stuff is really cool. He puts in these beautiful melodic lines, totally on point with note length, and never gets in the way of anybody else. Flies totally under the radar, he's that good. And then if you're a bass player - you listen to a Queen song and you're like 'Wow! Listen to that! It's amazing!'
I could recommend loads of songs for you to look at, but here are some that stand out to me: The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke - sublime. Killer Queen - bounces along beautifully. Now I'm Here - One of a few examples of Deacy playing twin lines. On this one bass plays chromatically up on one bass, while the other plays the relevant roots, so alternate notes double, while the others play a root / Maj 3 interval during the "Whatever came of you and me" section. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - trad jazz at it's best. Brought in a double bass for just one run down. '39 - Brian thought Deacy was joking when he said he'd learn double bass just for this song. Love Of My Life - One of Freddie's best songs. The bass line doesn't drop below the 12th fret and is one of his most beautiful. It's Late and These Are The Days Of Our Lives - both use great examples of 10th and 11th double stops. Sail Away Sweet Sister - as someone else said, that outro is awesome. I'm Going Slightly Mad - He stuck to the brief on this one, it is mad. Let Me In Your Heart Again - a lesser known song which shows his skill in staying up high yet not allowing the bottom end of the song drop out. Thank God It's Christmas - skip to 2 minutes in and see how long he stays on that low E, creating and releasing tension. No-one else is that brave. Finally, don't forget that most of the rhythm guitar on the Sheer Heart Attack album is also Deacy, as Brian was in hospital while they recorded most of it. Similarly the rhythm guitars on things like Another One Bites The Dust, I Want To Break Free and Staying Power we largely him too. He had a very funky style which Brian couldn't match.
John had been jamming with Chic before Bernard Edwards showed up to the jam. At some point, Chic came up with Good Times and John went to Queen with "Another One Bites the Dust". I heard Nile Rodgers in an NPR interview where he said "Nah - he was there, man!"
Millionaire Waltz made me pick up the Bass Guitar... John Deacon crafted some of the most beautiful Bass lines IMO. Also one of my favourites: "These are the days of our lives". Thanks for this Video! Love it.
yes, more john deacon please, one of the most underrated bass players of all time. He has such an unique style of playing. When you really listen to what he's doing most of the time it's not something I would ever come up with or ever thought would be possible playing. Many songs come to mind such as Liar, get down make love and the show must go on, or the little piece he plays under Brian May's guitar solo, it lifts the piece up to so much more than it would've been without it. I know it's just a small thing but that kind of playing is just pure brilliance to me and will forever make John Deacon as one of my favorite bass players.
Finally! He is one of the most underrated players of all time. He always knew what to play and didn't play the same thing twice, and god what a sound... Just listen to the Bass on "The Miracle" and "Somebody to love". For me, that's Deacy at his best
I've annoyed so many of my friends for decades about how insane everyone in Queen were. "John Deacon? Really?" Heck yes! This is a great video. Sub'd and will be back - thank you!
I’m soooo happy you opened with Millionaires Waltz!!! It’s one of my favourite Queen - and bass - tracks! Finding and learning this in my early twenties taught me so much about arpeggios and melodic playing.
Yes! More John Deacon, please! John may not have been the GOAT, but he is the perfect example of what a bass player should be. He always played only and exactly what served the song, with mad chops, and was forever in the pocket.
Awesome video. My favorite bass part by John is the lick from These Are The Days of Our Lives/Mother Love, the way he slides to the higher notes, so subtle.
Another great video. Your love of the Bass and appreciation of geniuses like Deacon is infectious. A huge pickup for a beginner stuck on getting their fingers around the same two bars for days
Great reaction guys!! For me, Deacon is very much underrated...he's not talked about nearly as much as he should be! He has such a groovy, funky, vibing style. Never overblown, always in service of the song! LOVE his contributions to Queen & music in general. Cheers!
"Misfire" from "Sheer Heart Attack". It's a John Deacon composition and he also played guitar on it. I just saw Brian May talking about this the other day (on YT): John Deacon used the "Deacy" amp and played the guitar harmonies in that song as well. The bass on the outro is classic John Deacon.
The bass in Breakthru is a custom Roger Griffin bass. And yes, we need a Part II. Deacon's bass lines in, "You're My Best Friend" and "The Invisible Man" are sick!
Deacon is so interesting to learn: his lines vary so widely, and he casually dances across the entire fretboard when it fits the song. One of my happiest moments as a new bassist was when I finally got "Bohemian Rhapsody" down. Of course, you should cover more Deacon: he's a great bassist, and Queen is one of the greatest rock bands ever.
Great exploration of Deacon's bass work and influences. One of my favorite bass players. Always enjoyed his musicality and rhythm. Thanks for the post.
Deacon is amazing ~ brilliant bassist. He could be melodic or hold down the groove. A bassist from the pop world that I hope you guys showcase is Bruce Thomas from Elvis Costello and the attractions. His work on the Imperial Bedroom album alone puts him on my Mount Rushmore of bassists.
Bohemian rhapsody was one of if not the first song that I learned to play the whole way through almost 4 years ago, and I still love playing it to this day! John Deacon has got to be one of the best bass players of the rock era hands down 🤘
I truly appreciate your recognition of John Deacon as a phenomenal bassist. His work alongside drummer Roger Taylor laid the groundwork, without which Freddie Mercury or Brian May might not ever could have seen their musical dreams to fruition.
JD. 30 years ago. The reason I play bass….We are the champions. You’ve heard it a thousand times but listen to the bass line. It’s totally crazy. Fretless line on radio gaga. Awesome. A kind of magic…Jameson before I knew who he was. Deacy is the very definition of a great pop bass player.
Came here to say the same, definitely a Roger Giffin bass @devinebass - Roger is alive and well and moved from Palmer's Green to Oregon many years ago.
This is such, such, such an awesome episode. And I hate to admit, despite being a mad Queen fan since the age of 6, I've never actually learned any of their tunes on bass! Consider me inspired!! Thank you guys, keep on rocking!! ❤
The great John Deacon blew my mind when I first heard Queen in my teen years. Thank you for this episode!!! There's another Queen song I really love because of John's wonderful, melodic bass lines - You're My Best Friend. Maybe you can break it down in a future episode 😊
It was about time you made a video praising the unique talent of the one and only John “Deek” Deacon! He is, undoubtfully one of the greatest bass players of all times. Deacon has carved his name on stone with one of the most known bass intros ever: Under Pressure. Not to mention Another One Bites The Dust and many more… Hands down and hats off to John Deacon! Thanks, Scott & Ian for another cool video!
You know what song really makes Deacon shine? "Thank God It's Christmas". It's unremarkable in the notes, but it's so tight. It's so naked to the ear that you could never make a mistake on it, and he nails it. He's part of the holy trinity to me (alongside Phil Lynott and Norman Watt-Roy). He's brilliant.
John Deacon is the reason I started playing bass. Would love to see you cover him more: and please include “The Night Comes Down” from their first album. It’s on my desert island mix.
Also this song is the only one featuring him playing a Rickenbacker. When he joined Queen, he was playing a Ric, but during the sessions for the debut album he had trouble recording it and switched to P-basses. All other songs on the album were recorded with a P.
Man, any cut from "News of the World" is killing...just a genius record. Check out "All Dead, All Dead", "Fight from the Inside" for some deeper cuts. "Bicycle Race" is another favorite, classic Deacon counter melody stuff. Great musician, loves me some Deacon!
You're My Best Friend is a phenomenal almost hidden bass line. And I have a special place in my heart for the fretless Precision magic of These Are The Days of Our Lives. I try to play along with that at least once a week 😃
My first time seeing your channel. I'm not a musician, just a Gen Joneser who spent a good part of my teen years anchored to the stereo, wearing Koss headphones with a 6' foot cord. The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke off of Queen ll (1974) is a must if you're talking about John Deacon. Freddie wrote the song about the Richard Dadd painting in The National Gallery. Even though Freddie wrote it, Deacon is the star. A masterpiece. Really. Even if you don't use it for a video, you need to give it a listen. You won't be sorry.
Learned bass on a P (PJ actually), and that's the sound I've always looked for in my 25 years of playing. Thank you for making me appreciate John D even more.
Love any John Deacon related vid! Fun fact, the synth bass in most of "Breakthru" was provided by the producer David Richards, but John Deacon does play in the post-chorus on his bass guitar. He even gets a bass solo just before the key change.
Many years ago, I wrote for a live Radio show, Weekend Wogan, on BBC Radio 2. The orchestra for the show, led by the immensely talented Elio Pace, provided the backing for the musical guests. Elio's bass-player and friend, was, and still is, the great Neil Fairclough and I used to talk bass with him every time I saw him. His bass hero was John Deacon. One weekend show, Brian May was the guest, and before the show, Brian asked if anyone knew any Queen songs. Neil said, 'all of them'. After the show, Brian asked Neil, Elio and the backing singers if they could do a charity show with him and Roger Taylor, and of course, they jumped at the chance. The next time I saw Elio, was when he was touring with his show, 'The Billy Joel Songbook', (which, by the way, is excellent), Neil was missing and they had a dep player. After the show, I saw Elio, and asked the obvious question, he said, 'He had another gig - Madison Square Gardens with Queen'. Neil has been Queen's bass-player ever since. Neil's a really nice man, and a truly great player. It's wonderful when someone who is a super-fan gets their dream job.
We definitely need more John's videos, he's one of my favourite bass players. Please check out: Bring Back That Leroy Brown (it's just crazy) Get Down, Make Love Dead On Time
Great job guys, i love that you covered John as a topic for discussion. When it comes to the greats a lot of names are mentioned but Deacon is often overlooked. Glad you gave him his just dues. A song that i love John’s playing in is The Fairy Feller’s Master Stroke off of the Queen II album. Deaky (as he is affectionately known) is dancing all over the fretboard on that one. Kudos guys and rock on 🤘
There were a handful of bands and bass players where the bass stands out, but is supporting yet being awesome. John Deacon was certainly one for me. You can hear the bass sing the lines but there's also an amazing band playing these songs where one song is so different from the next.
definitely could do another ep on John Deacon, You're My Best Friend, Invisible Man and Killer Queen are all incredible bass lines! Also please do Phil Lynott!
Great idea analyzing these songs. You should definetly do more Deaky basslines. The Show Must Go On, Bicycle Race and Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy to name a few...
John Deacon is probably the one person responsible for me picking up the bass. He's a legend. But you missed one: You're My Best Friend from '75 A Night At The Opera. He's absolutely flying all over the fretboard in that one - and he wrote the song! Go check it out. That line is sublime.
EDIT: And the Breakthru bass you can't identify was made for John by Roger Giffin, so it's probably a one-off. I *love* the headstock on that thing.
I even covered it for my 2nd channel several years ago:
ua-cam.com/video/QGvdoRWFcmE/v-deo.htmlsi=igXPEyg09s8lBpRy
It was one of the bigger challenges for me, actually. And that major 10th he ends on is JUST. SO. BEAUTIFUL.
Really? I thought it was an aria
@@Bassdriver Aww man. that is as sweet as a button!! You absolutely nailed it my friend. I have to say, I smiled the whole way through saying......Yeeaahh!! Totally killer playing!! 🤘☘🤘
Decon also played the Wurlitzer piano on Best Friend. Darn good keyboardist as well.
@@seanmcgeeney4570 thank you so much!
I'm my opinion, john represented everything a bass player should be. Every line supported and complemented every song perfectly, breathing when necessary and flying at the right moments. Just genius
Yes, please do more of John Deacon. He's my favorite bass player.
same
❤me tooooo
The video for breakthrough was filmed in my hometown and I took the day off and went down and watched it for the whole day. It was awesome!
you’re so goated for that
@@virginiab684 Nene Valley Railway I believe. Not far from me.
Oh come on! To have been there and witness THAT... wow, just wow.
Millionaire waltz right out of the gate?!? I freaking love you guys! And Dragon Attack has been my go-to sound check riff since I was a kid! Well done gents!
🧡🧡🧡
Deacy was a legend. He 1) was incredibly, almost debilitatingly English, 2) was an absolute beast on the P bass in every regard, 3) was a killer songwriter and even though he preferred writing love songs and dance music, his songwriting kept the band going during times when they were barely speaking to one another, 4) was an electrical engineering student when the band started and built a custom treble booster for Brian May that he used for decades and has struggled to find a replacement for now that Deacy's no longer playing with the band, 5) had the humility and self-respect to bow out of public life when Freddie died and broke his heart. He's just an old bloke now puttering about in the garden shed and I couldn't be happier for him.
Dont know if its mentioned elsewhere here but he also played the funk guitar part on Dust.
WAS?!…IS!! 😜
@@davepayne164Dust? Can you give some more detail on this please?
@@findJLF I believe he played rhythm guitar on all his songs, also acoustic on Who Needs You
John's synergy with Freddie was incredible. They were musically in absolute lock-step... and also great friends. But the way John Deacon responds to Freddie Mercury's compositions and playing is incredible. Deacon actually seems more restrained on songs he's written himself, he just flies around the fretboard on Freddie's numbers! An absolute delight, inspiration and joy to listen to and a bugger to play!!!
My favourite bass player. He always did what fitted the song best. He didn’t overplay. But could play complicated stuff if needed. Tasteful, that’s the word. And very melodic. Some nice inversion notes under the chords too. He just knew instinctively what would compliment any given song, simple or complex, fast or slow, he just knew what would work in any situation. Terribly underrated.
This! Always played the right notes; his choices were superb. Melody, rhythm, groove, silence. I'm a bassist and only after some years of being a massive queen fan did I realise that some of his best bass lines are the ones you don't notice (until you listen for them), as they just fit perfectly in the music.
Possibly the most underrated bassist in rock. Great to see him getting some praise here.
Deacon was always one of my favorites. He's a bass players bass player. His bass performance on "The Show Must Go On" is one of my favorites. He was the perfect complementary bass player always playing what made the song better.
I loved watching this. It really highlighted what a brilliant bass guitarist John Deacon is. He always appeared quiet and shy, and never got the credit he deserves for being a great song writer, a wonderful bass player and an incredibly important part of Queen. John for me is one of the greatest bass players of all time, a great musician who helped make Queen, in my mind the finest band ever. All four of them were extremely talented, and I am so pleased I was able to see them live, and I never tire of listening to them. God bless Freddy, Brian, Roger and John. A huge part of my life and always will be. ❤
Yes, Deacon is a massively underrated bassist, and I'm happy you're giving him his due recognition, but you guys always make me smile with your unbound enthusiasm. Thank you for always keeping my love for the bass alive.
John Deacon is probably my favourite bassist of all time, every bassline he plays becomes integral to the song, without ever stealing the limelight - even the ones where the bass is front and centre, like Under Pressure and Another one Bites The Dust.
Please do more Deacon deep dives, really worth it. I imagine pull any Queen song and take a look, there'll be something great in the bass somewhere.
John is the most underrated bass player! Thank you for this
Bicycle Races in the verses is phenomenal. It's so classically playful, like John Deacon took his P bass on a spring time picnic and fed it strawberries.
Some deep cuts worth checking out as a bass player:
- Sail Away Sweet Sister (a really touching bass line, if you can call it that. Has a wonderful instrumental outro. So melodic, so Deacon)
- Liar (c'mon, it has a bass solo. Not very hard, but an incredible moment in the song. Also, did you know John used a Rickenbacker on the original record for this one?)
- Father To Son (has some wonderful parts and runs. If you want to practise certain patterns, this is a good contender)
- Don't Try Suicide (it has slap! John didn't do that very much, so check it out)
- Get Down Make Love (not only the song itself is dirty, so is the bass line. It has some nasty slapping and popping)
- The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke (John and melodical bass lines go hand in hand. This is a prime example. What are you even doing? Practise this one, you'll love it!)
- Bicycle Race (not really a deep cut, but that guitar solo is nice and all, but did you even pay attention to the insane bass line?)
In short: John Deacon is a bass hero.
Yeah, I understand that you kind of have to mention "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Under Pressure" in a John Deacon video. But they wouldn't even be in top 10 Queen bass lines.
And don't forget Bring Back That Leroy Brown, with the old-school doghouse string bass.
Yes all good songs you mentioned.. Was It All Worth It as some great runs in the verses. Machines (or back to humans) good bass/synth undertones same with Invisible Man . Long Away some great melodic playing and Radio Ga Ga as so much going on throughout especially the intro and outro.. But my personal fav is I'm Going Slightly Mad! SO chaotic and probably using a fretless 5 string too.
Yes the bass solo on the "Liar" track form the very 1st Queen album ... it has that nice overdriven bass sound certainly at the end of the solo (it might be the time Deacy played an Orange amp ? but I'm not sure at all 🙂)
@@IggyYTubeyour correct about John's usage of his Orange amp
Deacon is a freakin' GENIUS. There's no other way to put it. It appears to be so 'simple', but when you dig in to it, you're always amazed at his "choices", like I call them recently. Chord changes that leave you with whirly eyes, like "what the heck was THAT?". Be it seventie's rather baroque Queen or post-The Game, it's always a mind-blowing thing...
Recently asked to join a classic rock and country band. One of their feature songs, "Crazy Thing Called Love." Worked on their song list, and one the first take played John Deacons masterpiece. Blew them away. I'm having fun on my old Jazz bass with this song. Oh yes. I'm from Oklahoma and 75 years old
I was lucky enough to see Queen play live twice. The first time was a concert that was opened by Kansas. The other time, Queen didn't have an opening act. When an incredible band, and Freddie was the most incredible front-man ever. Something a lot of people don't know about John Deacon is that he was an electrical engineer, and he actually designed some of Brian May's equipment that gives him his unique sound, and he still uses today, like the "Deacy" amp, which took amplifier gurus more than a dozen years to duplicate.
I saw them way back when, first US tour I think it was, when Kansas opened for them. One of the best concerts ever.
Deacon is the reason I got into playing the bass. Absolutely love his parts on Ogre Battle, Liar, and Invisible Man =]
Same here. The way he always sought to complement what was going on is unique.
And don't forget about The Fairy Tellers Master Stroke bass line))
Yes to more John Deacon!
Check out "You and I," which he wrote.
"The Hitman," he arranged the track. Really showcases his knowledge of when and where to play support vs lead bass.
"Great King Rat," pure precision, and teaching Steve Harris how to gallop.
"Don't Try So Hard," another great lesson on bass counter melody.
And you can't forget those glorious fretless slides on "Fat Bottomed Girls".
Hell, any John Deacon is worth a look!
yas yes yes !
Being from Leicester, John has to be one of the most influential people ever for me! Such an honor to be from his home city 😂❤❤
3:08 the studio version of dragon attack got a bass solo as well, love it
I came here to say this! Love that bass solo.
John Deacon is up there with Sting and Paul McCartney amongst the greatest songwriters/bass players, altough being the only one not being a singer. Such a great musician!
P.s. guys, you really thought the Eb hard rock riff in BoRhap was from Brian May? Everyone knows it was Freddie's, BM must have said it a million times.
I know bass players are often overlooked but when you hear people raving about Queen it's always about the other members, though given his personality that probably suited him. He was incredible, inventive, melodic, always in the pocket and playing for the song. His playing really puncuates their stuff, and playing as a three piece he really filled the gaps in perfectly. As a musician he always impressed me more than Brian or Roger. He is a magnificent player.
The bass line on “A Kind of Magic” is so so so good.
Also, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” is the song that made me want to learn how to play bass. I had been playing guitar for a couple years and was getting into Queen, then when I heard that bass line I was like “I need to learn how to do that!” It’s so much fun to play.
“Put a smile on my face”… I’m grinning from ear to ear. Excellent work guys 👏🏼
I was a guitarist who was voluntold to sub in for the bass player in my dad's band. He got me a 78 mustang with tapes. Being a massive James Taylor, Beatles, and Brian May fan, I decided to learn based on Leeland, John Deacon and Paul.
I immediately had the shock of a lifetime, discovering that this wasn't the easy version of guitar.
I'm not a bass player, but I'm such a Deacy fan. Millionaire Waltz is awesome; one of the songs that makes me want to be a bass player.
My favorite songwritter in Queen ... after Freddie but really really close. Spread your wings, Need your loving tonight, Dragon Attack, Back Chat and sooo many. Cheers Mr Deacon.
How great to share the enjoyment of two excellent performers !
John Deacon, who I first saw play live in 1974 was an absolute genius as a bass player. He was also an outstanding guitar player, pianist and even played drums as well.
The mystery bass from Breakthru was a custom made Roger Griffin in natural wood. It was played on an album somewhere
On Bites the Dust John played everything except the drums and The Queen Songs website says the it was recorded on the Stingray. John was big mates with Bernie Edwards and Nile Rodgers and he can be heard playing on this in the Nile Rodgers style if you listen. He was a very good guitarist.
That Stingray first appeared in 1976 at the Hyde Park concert. I didn't know what it was at the time but it sounded like thunder coming over Hyde Park.......so I saved up an bought one for £300....which I still have.
He also played a Wal, and Various Fenders and a Kramer at one point. He also had a Warwick Buzzard which I believe John Entwistle gave him.
Both Brian and Roger said that John was very quick to know what to play and where and how to play it. That is a key skill for a bass player and why his bass lines are so well known. Strangely he doesn't get very much credit for it.....but of course he gets 25% of the cash.....that was the deal.
I think you missed some fabulous stuff out.
1. The Fairy Fella's Masterstroke
2. Flick of the Wrist
3. Sleeping on the Sidewalk (recorded in one take by Brian John and Roger)
4. Save Me....(lovely to play)
5. Sail Away Sweet Sister
I could go on and on but where would I stop....also worth a mention are Jealousy, You're my Best Friend and Invisible Man....all brilliant
Such a musical, sensitive, and supportive bass player. His stuff is really cool. He puts in these beautiful melodic lines, totally on point with note length, and never gets in the way of anybody else. Flies totally under the radar, he's that good. And then if you're a bass player - you listen to a Queen song and you're like 'Wow! Listen to that! It's amazing!'
"Invisible man" is another great Queen bass line. & SBL crew are on fire again, great video.
I could recommend loads of songs for you to look at, but here are some that stand out to me:
The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke - sublime.
Killer Queen - bounces along beautifully.
Now I'm Here - One of a few examples of Deacy playing twin lines. On this one bass plays chromatically up on one bass, while the other plays the relevant roots, so alternate notes double, while the others play a root / Maj 3 interval during the "Whatever came of you and me" section.
Bring Back That Leroy Brown - trad jazz at it's best. Brought in a double bass for just one run down.
'39 - Brian thought Deacy was joking when he said he'd learn double bass just for this song.
Love Of My Life - One of Freddie's best songs. The bass line doesn't drop below the 12th fret and is one of his most beautiful.
It's Late and These Are The Days Of Our Lives - both use great examples of 10th and 11th double stops.
Sail Away Sweet Sister - as someone else said, that outro is awesome.
I'm Going Slightly Mad - He stuck to the brief on this one, it is mad.
Let Me In Your Heart Again - a lesser known song which shows his skill in staying up high yet not allowing the bottom end of the song drop out.
Thank God It's Christmas - skip to 2 minutes in and see how long he stays on that low E, creating and releasing tension. No-one else is that brave.
Finally, don't forget that most of the rhythm guitar on the Sheer Heart Attack album is also Deacy, as Brian was in hospital while they recorded most of it. Similarly the rhythm guitars on things like Another One Bites The Dust, I Want To Break Free and Staying Power we largely him too. He had a very funky style which Brian couldn't match.
Allow me to subscribe to your list.
I'm feeling the love for John 😊😊. And share it.
What do you make of Spread Your Wings. It's up in my top 3 of Queen songs. I love the story John tells thru his lyrics - what about his bass playing?
Great selection, including some deep cuts!
Deacon's work on the Millionaire Watz is GREAT! That intro MAKES that song.
John had been jamming with Chic before Bernard Edwards showed up to the jam. At some point, Chic came up with Good Times and John went to Queen with "Another One Bites the Dust". I heard Nile Rodgers in an NPR interview where he said "Nah - he was there, man!"
Crazy Little Thing Called Love is an homage to rockabilly and definitely a great bass line
Millionaire Waltz made me pick up the Bass Guitar... John Deacon crafted some of the most beautiful Bass lines IMO. Also one of my favourites: "These are the days of our lives". Thanks for this Video! Love it.
yes, more john deacon please, one of the most underrated bass players of all time. He has such an unique style of playing. When you really listen to what he's doing most of the time it's not something I would ever come up with or ever thought would be possible playing. Many songs come to mind such as Liar, get down make love and the show must go on, or the little piece he plays under Brian May's guitar solo, it lifts the piece up to so much more than it would've been without it. I know it's just a small thing but that kind of playing is just pure brilliance to me and will forever make John Deacon as one of my favorite bass players.
Finally! He is one of the most underrated players of all time. He always knew what to play and didn't play the same thing twice, and god what a sound... Just listen to the Bass on "The Miracle" and "Somebody to love". For me, that's Deacy at his best
I need Allison in my personal life. That personality just lifts you up. His wife,kids and friends are so lucky to have him.
I've annoyed so many of my friends for decades about how insane everyone in Queen were. "John Deacon? Really?" Heck yes! This is a great video. Sub'd and will be back - thank you!
I’m soooo happy you opened with Millionaires Waltz!!! It’s one of my favourite Queen - and bass - tracks! Finding and learning this in my early twenties taught me so much about arpeggios and melodic playing.
Yes! More John Deacon, please! John may not have been the GOAT, but he is the perfect example of what a bass player should be. He always played only and exactly what served the song, with mad chops, and was forever in the pocket.
Don't Stop Me Now - one of my favourites
Best Friend is an epic bass line. Great job guys. Ian is such a talented find, Scott!
Awesome video. My favorite bass part by John is the lick from These Are The Days of Our Lives/Mother Love, the way he slides to the higher notes, so subtle.
Another great video. Your love of the Bass and appreciation of geniuses like Deacon is infectious. A huge pickup for a beginner stuck on getting their fingers around the same two bars for days
Great reaction guys!! For me, Deacon is very much underrated...he's not talked about nearly as much as he should be! He has such a groovy, funky, vibing style. Never overblown, always in service of the song! LOVE his contributions to Queen & music in general.
Cheers!
👍👍👍
"Misfire" from "Sheer Heart Attack". It's a John Deacon composition and he also played guitar on it. I just saw Brian May talking about this the other day (on YT): John Deacon used the "Deacy" amp and played the guitar harmonies in that song as well. The bass on the outro is classic John Deacon.
I’ve always loved the bass line on Mustapha
Yes! My sentiments exactly! Please do this...
I LOVE John's bass playing and have for many years! Great precision tone and abundant ideas.
I'm glad that you guys have done an episode on John Deacon.
The bass in Breakthru is a custom Roger Griffin bass. And yes, we need a Part II. Deacon's bass lines in, "You're My Best Friend" and "The Invisible Man" are sick!
Deacon is so interesting to learn: his lines vary so widely, and he casually dances across the entire fretboard when it fits the song. One of my happiest moments as a new bassist was when I finally got "Bohemian Rhapsody" down. Of course, you should cover more Deacon: he's a great bassist, and Queen is one of the greatest rock bands ever.
Great exploration of Deacon's bass work and influences. One of my favorite bass players. Always enjoyed his musicality and rhythm. Thanks for the post.
Deacon is amazing ~ brilliant bassist. He could be melodic or hold down the groove. A bassist from the pop world that I hope you guys showcase is Bruce Thomas from Elvis Costello and the attractions. His work on the Imperial Bedroom album alone puts him on my Mount Rushmore of bassists.
Bohemian rhapsody was one of if not the first song that I learned to play the whole way through almost 4 years ago, and I still love playing it to this day! John Deacon has got to be one of the best bass players of the rock era hands down 🤘
I truly appreciate your recognition of John Deacon as a phenomenal bassist. His work alongside drummer Roger Taylor laid the groundwork, without which Freddie Mercury or Brian May might not ever could have seen their musical dreams to fruition.
The bass here used in the Breakthrough video, was a custom built Roger Giffin instrument
2nd This! This comment is way too low lol but yes it’s a Giffin Bass!
Its a Wal MK II
@carlschock6747 it has a similar look, but it's definitely John's custom made Giffin Bass
JD. 30 years ago. The reason I play bass….We are the champions. You’ve heard it a thousand times but listen to the bass line. It’s totally crazy. Fretless line on radio gaga. Awesome. A kind of magic…Jameson before I knew who he was. Deacy is the very definition of a great pop bass player.
The funny thing, Radio Ga Ga was recorded on a fretted, but has that fretless feel (like a lot of his parts)
The bass seen on the train is a custom bass made for John by Roger Giffin.
I thought it was a Manson ?
It’s definitely a Giffin
Came here to say the same, definitely a Roger Giffin bass @devinebass - Roger is alive and well and moved from Palmer's Green to Oregon many years ago.
This is such, such, such an awesome episode. And I hate to admit, despite being a mad Queen fan since the age of 6, I've never actually learned any of their tunes on bass! Consider me inspired!! Thank you guys, keep on rocking!! ❤
Have fun learning these!!
The great John Deacon blew my mind when I first heard Queen in my teen years. Thank you for this episode!!!
There's another Queen song I really love because of John's wonderful, melodic bass lines - You're My Best Friend. Maybe you can break it down in a future episode 😊
It was about time you made a video praising the unique talent of the one and only John “Deek” Deacon!
He is, undoubtfully one of the greatest bass players of all times. Deacon has carved his name on stone with one of the most known bass intros ever: Under Pressure. Not to mention Another One Bites The Dust and many more…
Hands down and hats off to John Deacon!
Thanks, Scott & Ian for another cool video!
You know what song really makes Deacon shine? "Thank God It's Christmas". It's unremarkable in the notes, but it's so tight. It's so naked to the ear that you could never make a mistake on it, and he nails it. He's part of the holy trinity to me (alongside Phil Lynott and Norman Watt-Roy). He's brilliant.
Love you guys. Your energy; the laughs; and such a passionate knowledge of music and bass espy.
Appreciate the warm words!!
John Deacon is the reason I started playing bass. Would love to see you cover him more: and please include “The Night Comes Down” from their first album. It’s on my desert island mix.
Also this song is the only one featuring him playing a Rickenbacker.
When he joined Queen, he was playing a Ric, but during the sessions for the debut album he had trouble recording it and switched to P-basses. All other songs on the album were recorded with a P.
I didn’t know this. Thank you for posting it.
Thank you so much for this video and for giving John Deacon some love. I've been crazy for this band since I was a little kid. 1974.
Panowie to co zrobiliście jest cudem. Szacunek za pracę
Zdecydowanie tak 👍
Man, any cut from "News of the World" is killing...just a genius record. Check out "All Dead, All Dead", "Fight from the Inside" for some deeper cuts. "Bicycle Race" is another favorite, classic Deacon counter melody stuff. Great musician, loves me some Deacon!
You're My Best Friend is a phenomenal almost hidden bass line. And I have a special place in my heart for the fretless Precision magic of These Are The Days of Our Lives. I try to play along with that at least once a week 😃
I believe he didn't play fretless on records, except for double bass on '39
My first time seeing your channel. I'm not a musician, just a Gen Joneser who spent a good part of my teen years anchored to the stereo, wearing Koss headphones with a 6' foot cord.
The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke off of Queen ll (1974) is a must if you're talking about John Deacon. Freddie wrote the song about the Richard Dadd painting in The National Gallery. Even though Freddie wrote it, Deacon is the star.
A masterpiece. Really. Even if you don't use it for a video, you need to give it a listen. You won't be sorry.
Learned bass on a P (PJ actually), and that's the sound I've always looked for in my 25 years of playing.
Thank you for making me appreciate John D even more.
I don't know if I'd call it a "deep cut" but "You're my best friend" is one of my favorites. It's an absolute Master Piece
Love any John Deacon related vid!
Fun fact, the synth bass in most of "Breakthru" was provided by the producer David Richards, but John Deacon does play in the post-chorus on his bass guitar. He even gets a bass solo just before the key change.
Many years ago, I wrote for a live Radio show, Weekend Wogan, on BBC Radio 2. The orchestra for the show, led by the immensely talented Elio Pace, provided the backing for the musical guests. Elio's bass-player and friend, was, and still is, the great Neil Fairclough and I used to talk bass with him every time I saw him. His bass hero was John Deacon. One weekend show, Brian May was the guest, and before the show, Brian asked if anyone knew any Queen songs. Neil said, 'all of them'. After the show, Brian asked Neil, Elio and the backing singers if they could do a charity show with him and Roger Taylor, and of course, they jumped at the chance. The next time I saw Elio, was when he was touring with his show, 'The Billy Joel Songbook', (which, by the way, is excellent), Neil was missing and they had a dep player. After the show, I saw Elio, and asked the obvious question, he said, 'He had another gig - Madison Square Gardens with Queen'. Neil has been Queen's bass-player ever since. Neil's a really nice man, and a truly great player. It's wonderful when someone who is a super-fan gets their dream job.
Millionaire Waltz is one of my favorite songs of all time.
We definitely need more John's videos, he's one of my favourite bass players. Please check out:
Bring Back That Leroy Brown (it's just crazy)
Get Down, Make Love
Dead On Time
John Deacon was a big influence on my playing. As someone else said, a bassist bass player. Ian, love the sound of that Stingray
Great job guys, i love that you covered John as a topic for discussion. When it comes to the greats a lot of names are mentioned but Deacon is often overlooked. Glad you gave him his just dues. A song that i love John’s playing in is The Fairy Feller’s Master Stroke off of the Queen II album. Deaky (as he is affectionately known) is dancing all over the fretboard on that one. Kudos guys and rock on 🤘
I would love it if you could swing an interview with John. You would be legends!
hes retired from the music industry entirely, the chance of it would be on the same level as getting one from freddie mercury
'You're My Best Friend" one of his best.
I agree. Played it at a wedding. Super fun bassline.
@andylindemann4356 The old story is that he wrote it about his wife
Fantastic to see such joy in the music. Love it.
"You're my best friend"'s bass lines are phenomenal as well, and I think it was written by JDeacon too
Please please please! We need more John Deacon!!!!!
FINALLY!! Best rock bass player
There were a handful of bands and bass players where the bass stands out, but is supporting yet being awesome. John Deacon was certainly one for me. You can hear the bass sing the lines but there's also an amazing band playing these songs where one song is so different from the next.
This was a great video. Much love to you John, wherever you are.
This is a fun breakdown! And obviously the 'and here's how it's done' bits are completely AWESOME!!!!
Helpful, enriching and fun, very fun! You guys are great! This was really inspiring. Thanks a lot 👏🏼
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definitely could do another ep on John Deacon, You're My Best Friend, Invisible Man and Killer Queen are all incredible bass lines! Also please do Phil Lynott!
Enjoyed this episode so much… laughed so hard with you. Such joy! ❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent video! I've always loved the basslines of John Deacon. Listen to Queen albums 1 and 2. Great stuff there also!!!
John Deacon is my all time favorite bass player since I was a kid learning to play bass .
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Long time member here you guys are the greatest thank you
Appreciate the warm words!
Great idea analyzing these songs. You should definetly do more Deaky basslines. The Show Must Go On, Bicycle Race and Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy to name a few...
You should check out the bassline for Good Old-fashioned loverboy. It is such a fun bassline!
The bass line in Killer Queen is amazing too...
“…extraordinarily nice…”!
Ideas for the second Deacon video: My Baby Does Me, Rain Must Fall, I Want To Break Free, Friends Will Be Friends, Miracle (outro)