The Top 5 Tiran Porter Bass Lines (w/ The Doobie Brothers)
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- čas přidán 27. 06. 2024
- #bass #basshistory #popbass #rockbass #tutorial #analysis #transcription #doobies #paulthompson
Do you know the Doobie Brothers?! How about classic songs like "Long Train Runnin'" and "What A Fool Believes"? Well, meet the incredible bassist that laid down those iconic tracks along with a ton of other popular Doobie songs. I've been a fan of Tiran since I was young and have been wanting to feature him on this channel for some time. Let's dig into his best bass lines from his first tenure with the Doobies (1972-1980) and what makes them so special!
Special thanks to my buddy @toddhamby for the inspiration to do this one! If you search "Tiran Porter" on CZcams, you will most certainly find him playing amazing versions of Tiran's lines!
00:00 Intro
00:52 #5
02:28 #4
03:29 #3
04:27 #2
05:42 Honorable Mention #1
06:11 Honorable Mention #2
06:44 Honorable Mention #3
07:32 #1
08:48 Influence and Outro
Website: www.paulthompson.us
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For years I have felt that his parts were so incredibly underappreciated and that he really was the secret sauce in the Doobies' recipe.
I remember an interview from years ago with Jeff Baxter where he said Tiran’s bass playing blew his mind
I saw that too. Made me glad that a great like Baxter thought what I was thinking.
YES! Finally someone is saying it! Tiran Porter is one of the best bass players ever and rarely gets talked about. I also grew up on the Doobies. The Captain and Me, Takin’ It To The Streets and Minute By Minute all showcase Tiran’s brilliance. Funky and melodic and he knew when not to play. His playing very much did hold the Doobies music together and made it uniquely beautiful! Thank you for this video. It feels so good to know someone else shares my admiration of this amazingly overlooked musician!
I felt the same way about Tiran Porter. He showed us that its okay to play pop music and still groove. My favorite is "It Keeps You Runnin'." His interplay with Michael McDonald is classic.
You do great service to bassdom by showing Tiran some much overdue love. Absolultely brilliant basswork!
Agreed! 100%👑😁
I third this comment. I've always thought his bass playing was top notch and think he needs to be in the conversation of best, or at least most influential, bass players
Yes, he always pulls out a gem from deep down inside the bag of bass goodness and does an amazing job of breaking them down.
For Someone Special is my favorite but I Love all of his baselines. Great player and the key to their sound
100%
Most definitely. Usually play that tune several times. His voice, the music, beautiful
Tiran wrote that for Tom Johnson around the time he became unwell and left the Doobies, I never knew that until I watched a documentary few years ago
Tiran’s Bass work was a definite departure from the norm because of the rising popularity of slap Bass during the height of the Doobie’s ascension. He was well aware of what he was great at and he stayed true to it. That is a great life lesson in general, even more so for a musician. Kudos to the great Mr. Porter! Bravo to you for the wonderful tribute!
I taught myself bass by learning every song on "What Were Once Vices are now Habits" note for note. Huge influence on my playing. So happy to see I'm not the only Tiran Porter fan!
Ha, me too! My mother had all the old Doobie albums and Vices was my favorite, I played along with those over and over.
That album is way to underrated! All the songs are great, but my favorite has to be Down In The Track.
A great album to learn from too, it’s always been one of my fab favs, used to play Road Angel back in mid 1970’s along with the usual Long Train Running & China Grove, you had to know the later for any auditions back then lol
The solo bass line in the middle of Wheel of Fortune still blows me away….over 40 years later. Always thought Tiran was underrated and one of the best out there.
same here, one of my favorite basslines -- so damn funky
Nice to see Mr Porter getting some attention! Always loved his playing.
I always love that the bass line from Black Water actually somehow sounds like a river.
I've always loved Tiran's bass playing, especially awesome in "Listen to the music " his backing vocals are just as awesome! The Doobies were the greatest with him! To me he was never with those guy's, he was one of those guys!
Yes. His vocals hold up their sound as well as his bass playing.
I just learned about Tiran Porter from this video (a 90's kid). What amazes me is the spaces: when NOT to play as well as when to play. I believe that's a very underlooked aspect in music. The silence brings anticipation and excitement, and exudes taste. Sometimes you don't want to hear an instrument all the time in a song; you want to miss it. Porter has a deep understanding of his instrument, as well as obvious talent. Will check him out right away 👏
My favorite bass lines is from "For Someone Special". He sets the mood in the intro with syncopated patterns, driving the whole song from there to the end. To me is the most ingenious bass line of any rock song, rivaling Miles' intro in "So What".
He's a major talent! His solo album is amazing! It made me realize just how much of the Doobie Brothers sound was attributable to him.
Your a beast. The bass Rick Beato!
man this is amazing
I am 16 years old, and I am learning to play the bass and the Doobie Brothers are my favorite band
I appreciate this video, I love Tiran's way of playing so I really enjoyed the video
He was very important to their sound..Miss him in the lineup.
Tiran Porter was one of the big reasons for the Doobie Brothers' success. His sound and grooves were very unique. And with Michael McDonald's vocals, the band was destined to be awesome.
Always thought this guy was under-recognized. A solid, solid bassman. Favorite groove of his, for me, has to be on It Keeps You Runnin' (...Minute By Minute second fav.) It was very smart for the producer of those Doobie records to produce Tiran 'out front.' I think that's part of why most times when I'm humming a Doobie Brothers song, I find myself humming the bass line. Thanks for the video.
Yes!!!!!!!! One of the most GREAT but underrated Bassist of All Time, "BRAVO" And 🎩 Hat's off to you Tiran Porter!!!!!!!, and my favorite bass line by him is Another Park Another Sunday!!!!!!!
Another Park Another Sunday
Jesus Is Just Alright
It Keeps You Running
Minute by Minute
Wheels of Fortune
My top 5. It’s really amazing how Tiran evolved as the members and and direction of the band changed. Bass Royalty
"Another Park..." is one of my favorites. Hands down.
Tiran Porter’s bass solo on Wheels Of Fortune is the bomb. He really spanks it!
Wow what an amazing job Paul!! Mr. Porter is one of my biggest inspirations ever. Right up there with Chuck Rainey, John Paul Jones, and Bernard Edwards. From the moment I saw them on the two episodes of What’s Happening. Also, in time that it was common the fact that he and the Doobies were breaking down rock racial barriers is dear to me as well. Thanks again as always for a fantastic tribute to someone that is a huge influence to all us bassist. And thanks for the shoutout
Same influences for me. JPJ was "my" guy early on...then Ti Porter.
Rainey! Bernard, too.
Omg Rerun and the piracy episodes is also when I first noticed this brother.
Great series Dude. Thanks for acknowledging all the bassists you cover. They are just as much a part of music history as the folks who are commonly celebrated.
I think you're right. I'm not a bass player and I have to be honest - bass players and drummers are often the names I've noticed least when I look at band members. I didn't even know Tiran Porter's name. Shame on me! But PDBass's videos are really making me understand how much the bass has been at the essence of the music I've been listening to all my life. These videos are terrific.
Thank you so much for giving Tiran Porter his due. Eyes of Silver is my favorite.
The man is so underrated!! The man carries every song, but the fact that Wheels of Fortune isn't on this list hurts lol
Very very very under rated and never talked about bass player
'For Someone Special' still remains one of my favorite Tiran songs while with the Doobie Brothers. ❤
My ALL TIME favorite bassist...
One of my favourite bass lines is For Someone Special, from Takin' it to the Streets, which I believe is also a Porter.composition
I absolutely love his bass lines in “It keeps you running”. With that song I became a forever fan!
Another underrated Bass player was Lamar Williams, who replaced Berry Oakley in the Allman Brothers Band. He came in at a sad and bad time for the band ...I have a 2-CD from the ABB label, "Live at Nassau Coliseum 51/73" and he really shines! Highly recommend. Between him, Oakley, Jamie Jamerson and Paul McCartney, I was inspired to get my first Bass as a kid. Lamar Williams....
Check out more of Lamar in Sea Level.
So true. Agree. Lamar with ABB and later Sea Level. Love him.
I nicknamed all my guitars. I call my bass Lamar. He was quite a character!
He is one hell of a bass player but I don't see anyone mentioning the fact that his backing vocals was a great contribution to the doobies sound
My favorite Tiran Porter bassline is Neal’s Fandango!
Great job, as always. My favorite Tiran Porter bassline is Long Train Runnin.' Ironically, I knew how to play three of your top 5 from him, because they are my top five. I am adding "What a Fool Believes to my learning list, as I didn't realize how great it was, as it was so in tune with Michael McDonald's left hand. I like you was so inspired as a kid seeing Trian up there with the group, as it helped solidify them as my favorite group of the 70's and very early 80's!
Seeing 8th Avenue Shuffle get #1 makes absolute sense. That lick in the second verse is the epitome of smooth. Tiran deserves more attention than he gets as a bass player.
My particular fav from Tiran is his playing on the cut "For Someone Special" off the "Takin' It To The Streets" album. Hypnotic!
A Doobie fan from the beginning, I re-discovered the insane bass work Tiran created. He is in the top three bassists of all time. Thank you Tiran.
Tirans bass playing is great but also..... his stage energy and vocals really put him up there. He plays great, looks great as well.
He is a legend. I also loved the era when Skylark toured with the band... such energy!
Now I know the “science” behind my love for these songs….and Michael McDonald’s vocal & piano lead. I also recognized Tiran from appearances on TV with the Doobies. 👍🏽
The Doobie Brothers locked me in when I saw them on Don Kirchner's Rock Concert! A big part of that was because of their harmonies, but a bigger part was the presence of an amazingly talented bassist, Tiran Porter. I've seen them live a few times with and without Tiran. Without was awesome, but just not the same. I love the fact that he is so down to Earth and presents himself so professionally. My favorite Tiran Porter bass line? Easy..... any track he plays on!
Tiran is so inspiring! I totally agree re: the cuts off of the Minute by Minute LP, that whole album kicks ass His vocals were also a huge part of the Doobie Brothers sound.
“It Keeps You Running”. I love that groove.
My favorite song of theirs, It Keeps You Runnin', has an awesome bassline. He is their unsung hero. Thanks for this.
Great to see Tiran getting some props! Such a musical player. I grew up learning 'pre McDonald" Doobies songs. Generally EVERY song has a memorable bass-line. Maybe my favorite playing by him is on "Wheels of Fortune". Has it all: syncopation - a walking section- then that "Anthony Jackson-ish" phase shifted groove.- so strong they gave us eight bars of just that bass line and drums!
First song that came to mind.
Tiran could most definitely bring the game, but "Takin' it to the Streets" demonstrates just how important it is to know when to just stay out of the way. That relentless left hand of Michael's dominates the verses, and Tiran did what all great musicians must do; serve the song!
Yes. Learning that song taught me how to 'play space.'
Tiran does a nice note on the second verse of the Doobies "Listen To The Music" on The Midnight Special. Thanks for highlighting Tiran Porter.
Thank you so much for this latest episode. It brought tears to my eyes when you mentioned about tiran at the end. He almost never gets a mention. I always encounter vicious debates about which doobie period was the better which tends to get personal! I liked both periods but I tend to lean heavily towards the Michael period simply because it satisfied me more musically speaking. Minute by minute is my fav!
Right on! Regardless of which period of The Doobies one favors, Tiran was there to establish the groove in his ingenious manner.
My favorite Tiran Porter bass guitar line is Takin it to the streets. 2022 still listening 🎶.
Great call… I never noticed Tyran’s part because they all are so much a seamless but necessary part of every song. Got to relisten to all these favorites. Thank you ! Great analysis !
The first song I ever learned completely was Long Train Running. Later on I got to meet Pat S. and the band about 25 years ago. Very cool to meet them and even hang out with Pat for lunch. I learned a lot from Tiran's lines, but also picked up from Willie Weeks too.
Saw them live in the 70's one of the best live shows ever
Jeff Skunk Baxter guitarist from the Doobie Bros mentioned how great a player Tiran was and how underated as a musician he was in an interview I listened to
Tiran, you’ll always have a place in our bass playing hearts. ✌️☺️
Tiran was somebody that made me concentrate more on loving the bass and pushing myself harder instead of me just being cranky when I'd fuck up. I'd sit on the floor and listen to his bass lines and fall in love with the music I was playing along with him and the Doobies. He was like a hidden gem that we brushed the dust off and fell in love with. He made me a better player and a better man.
Listen to the Music and Long Train Running are my favorite Tiran Porter bass masterpieces.
Thank you for sharing those very personal thoughts at the end of the video. It’s really cool that he touched and inspire you in such a big way. That’s actually how I felt about about Tom Johnston when I was coming of age. Looking forward to more of your analysis’
Huge influence on me becoming a bass player! His groove is awesome!
So grateful to happen upon this fitting tribute to an amazing player who deserves all the props!
Some real great tracks like " Eyes of Silver ", "Another Park Another Sunday"... and WHAT can you say about the brilliant "Jesus Is Just Alright"? Tiran's driving groove just pushes thag great song fully into the Stratosphere. SO GOOD
As noted elsewhere, "For Someone Special" always gets me. Bass, vocals, and meaning.
Thank you for putting this together. One of my favorite Bassists and more people need to know about his greatness.
Thanks for featuring one of the most underrated bass players of all time… He always struck me as playing very “guitar-like”, but never mind that… The stone-cold bass groove was always there!
Minute by Minute and What fools believe are my favorites. Now after your dissertation, I will listen to the other songs more closely . Thank you for this video.
Neal's Fandango. My band, The county Line Band 1977-1982 covered many of the Doobies Bros songs playing the North East College/Club Circuit. Tiran's Driving Bass in Neal's Fandango would lift the energy of the crowd to a frenzy every time we played it.
Excellent synopsis on Tiran Porter. Also, the point about having the bass up front like vocals is spot on. I have always believed the bass should be right out there - not in the background. Tiran remains in my Top 5 bassists of all time for his nimble stylings and tone.
BIG Tiran fan here. Listen to the Music. His bass groove is like another song in a song. The feel just makes you happy.
Thanks for this!
PS put some flats on that P Bass! 70’s style picked flatwound bass is cool. Peter Cetera is another favorite of that era.
👍Thanks for posting the outstanding bass work of Tiran, the recognition is long overdue🎼🎸
Paul, you really did your homework with this list, thank you. Another honorable mention song, for me, would be Another Park Another Sunday.
My favourite Tiran Porter bass lines are from "For Someone Special" ( did he write that song for Tom Johnston when Tommy's health was not good and he had to take some time out from the band?), "Neal's Fandango" and "Wheel Of Fortune" ( first track, side one on "Takin' It To The Streets". The album credits drummer Richie Hayward (RIP) of Little Feat playing alongside Tiran on that track). Peace.
Mr. Porter had an incredible talent for creating complex bass lines in his mind and interjecting them seamlessly into any music. I cannot imagine hearing any one of the songs you listed with a different bass line. There are a lot of bass players during that era that I admire but I honestly don't think any of these songs would have enjoyed as much success as they did without him laying down the foundation. Thanks for an awesome post, sir.
This bass player with the doobies is a total legend on his instrument, love that whole taking it to the streets vibe . Great bassist no doubt about it at all
One of my favorite Tiran Porter baselines that I was hoping you'd share in this video is from There's a light, which is also off the the Living On The Fault Line album. This is a ballad+like tune that we didn't here from the Doobies much, but I feel it shows diversity and also how Porter and Michael McDonald could still create a great groove in a whole other setting. And Tiran Porter was able to give it a little funk in some places too.
Thank you for this! Love the Doobies, love Tiran. I’d have to say that while all these are good, the Tiran line(s) that get me up and going are the ones in Wheels of Fortune, the opening track from the TITTS LLP. There’s more too. You’ve challenged me to jam even more Doobies this weekend than I normally do and pay particular attention to Tiran’s bass lines. I will report back! :-)
Man, I struggled to learn Long Train Running for a while, it is deceptive, but it is such a great groove.
I Loved all the Doobie's music, and in my humble opinion, he was the best bass player they ever had.
Thanks for sharing! I just want you to know that I've always loved the Doobie Bros. and Tiran Porter also! Great music unites humanity as one Family! We're so Blessed to be part of this Human Song!
I learned bass pretty much by listening to Tiran. Of course, that got me into trouble when rock bass playing started closing up in the late 70's.
I cannot begin to express how good this video is and how grateful I am to you for giving this man his due!
FINALLY! Tiran Porter gets credit for the Doobie's sound! I've always been a big fan of his and really miss him in the Doobie's line up. Great video and really nice concept for a channel. I loved the fact that he was the black man in a white rock band. It created a very special anchor for the group and emphasized how we can all live together and make something great! Your description of yourself as a youngster seeing him in that band really resonated with me. I played bass in a Temptations-type group in Minneapolis in the early 1970's, the only white boy in the band. I learned so much and had so much fun.
Was unaware of this cat, thanks for bringing him much needed shine.
Love The Doobie Brothers. And knew everything you played there. And there are so many more.
Outstanding video Mr. Thompson. As a drummer, one of my go to CDs to keep my chops up, is "The Very Best of the Doobie Brothers". No wonder it's fun to play to-Tiran Porter's bass lines help drive those tunes. Thanks for doing this. Like your Steelers helmet as well.
Love to see some recognition for such a great bassist. My favourite bassline of his is It Keeps You Runnin' (but Rio, Losin' End, and Carry Me Away sure come close).
Chinatown from the Livin’ on the Fault Line album is another good one where Tiran takes the band through a few tempo changes. Gotta love Tiran!!
Great choices, although I had forgotten some; I have most of the Doobs from the CD era as my vinyl wore out long ago. Thanks, heaps for this! And Tiran is still kickin' too! BTW I still like Takin' It To The Streets as the most-fun Doobs bass line I got to play.
Such a great video. Thank you! Long Train Runnin'....definitely a sneaky tune. To play the line? Not to hard. To make it groove? You better focus.
Finally!! Some love for Tiran!! 🙏🏻👍🏻👍🏻
The outro on Without You is some fantastic playing from him.
YES! Great video. Tiran is one of the most underrated bassist of the early 70's. Saw them several times before the Michael McDonald days. Tiran was doing so much more that root/fifth. Tone was also amazing. Also underrated from this era was Joe Puerta of Ambrosia. Keep up the good work.
You could not have said it better. Tiran is still to this day an inspiration to me. Thank you so much for really laying down the groove.
I really appreciate your post here about Tiran.. I was lucky to see the
Doobbies. I have some of his transcriptions and love his lines. Thanks again.
Seeing Tiran playing bass with the Doobies was like seeing the black drummer for Three Dog Night, MIND BLOWING!!! I was in the first grade fall of 1960 in North Carolina. For me music was split by race. When The Righteous Brothers were singing and then The Young Rascals, I started looking at musician differently.
Tiran is so totally under rated. He is really one of the greats on the instrument in my mind, and a big influence. He's a real bass player, who obviously loves the color, function and timber of bass. Strong rhythms and a very melodic player as well.
Tiran is one of the most underrated bass players ever. He had a huge vocabulary and consummate tastefulness and I’ve learned as much from him as I got from Geddy, or John Paul or anyone else. Thank you for calling him out!
In 1981 I was just out of high school and working as a gofer sweeping floors, wiping things at an antique store in Los Gatos California. One day Tiran came into the shop. As a gigging guitar player at the time and Doobies fan (local heroes) you bet I knew who it was. He and his lady were buying something and I was sweeping the floor around them and sheepishly said “Um, are you Tiran Porter?” and he was very nice and said yes, that’s me. I was pretty star struck and didn’t say a whole lot but man, that made my day. I still remember it vividly. (Tho one of the shop ladies said “Oh Kevin do we have a celebrity here?” and I felt awful for that. She goes “Ooo I met Elvis’ drummer once!” and I just melted away at that comment. 😂
I never thought to analyse Doobie Brothers records for basslines - until now that is! The point you made about Tiran "serving the music" applies equally to all instruments / voices; some people do the music justice while others drown it in over technical self indulgence. Greetings from London btw.
Thanks for giving Tiran some love.
Loved your videos even before I noticed the Steelers helmet. Now I'm truly hooked. Tiran was tremendous. had a great chat with him about 8 years ago. He called me out of the blue because he read and liked One Way Out, my book on the Allman Brothers. Tiran is a Berry Oakley freak.
Tiran is so under appreciated. Echoes Of Love.
Long train running is still a classic I played with many bands over the last 40 years. And the chorus of Listen to the music is one of my favorite Doobie Brothers bass lines.
Wheels of Fortune, Eighth Avenue Shuffle, Rio, Taking It to the Street, Another Park Another Sunday, Listen to the Music, China Grove, Long Train Running, Ukiah, The Captain and Me….The list just goes on and on. Tiran is the man!