As a bass player, I am amazed that the bass is what was played by his bassist(Scott Thunes) after being called in the middle of the night after a rehearsal to come back in and put some bass down. Here’s a favored bass-centric version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1bJo52lNsA
Frank’s comments:
“The bass line was written later?
The bass line was never written. It was the last thing that was added to the track. The track didn’t even have a bass part; it was just guitar and drums. And when Scott Thunes came in to do it, it was at a point where I thought if we left the guitar up high enough in the mix it would probably be thick enough where we wouldn’t even need a bass. But the engineer, Bob Stone, said, “Aw, go ahead and put on a bass line.” We were just about ready to go out and do a tour, and I brought Scott up to the studio one night after rehearsal. It took about an hour and a half, the same way as with Arthur Barrow on “No Not Now”—I said, “Play this: Boop, boop, boop,” and he did it. He was playing the bass through a Vox amp, and that’s what gives it that particular sound.”
http://www.donlope.net/fz/notes/Ship_Arriving_Too_Late_To_Save_A_Drowning_Witch.html
I thought if we left the guitar up high enough in the mix it would probably be thick enough where we wouldn’t even need a bass.””
He’s right. I discovered this year’s ago. If you don’t Eq the guts out of an electric six string there is bass to spare in there. Not all rythm parts allow it but if the rythm guy gets the top 3 strings droning while he articulates with the treble 3 you will swear up and down that you hear a bass guitar being played. zYoull hear passing notes and bits of melody etc. “behind” the rhythm guitar.