“Hey, you play bass right?”
“Umm… yeah a bit…”
"Cool, play me something!"
“[collapse on the floor in the fetal position]”
OR you play a riff that you know will be magically cool-sounding and recognizable even by itself.
What’s your go-to?
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Money
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Groove is in the heart
or
Higher Ground (Flea’s version)
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The riff from another one bites the dust. Seven Nation army. The intro to for whom the bell tolls (ok I’m still working on that one but it will be on the list once I get it).
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I like to whip out some of the bass segments from Orion. Usually pretty recognizable. And if not recognized, still sounds lovely on it’s own. Win-Win.
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Feel Good Inc by the Gorillaz if I’m trying to play something someone will recognize.
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The Chain, Fleetwood Mac
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Come Together, Sunshine Of Your Love, Money, Godzilla (BOC), or Down On The Corner
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Good question! Fetal position sounds tempting in these situations 
I’d probably start off easy with “Walking on the Moon” (Police), and then I might play the main riff from “Stratus” (Billy Cobham), just because I recently recorded that cover (but the riff gets boring quickly all by itself). And, finally, perhaps the riff from “Strasboug St. Denis” (Roy Hargrove).
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Carousel - Blink 182
Schism - Tool
But honestly. No one has ever asked.
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Cars
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“Come Together” - The Beatles
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Timely, this just happened on Saturday.
My eternal issue with this is that I cannot for the life of me remember things I haven’t played recently, esp when someone asks this damn question.
But, pulled out my Mark Sandman tribute 2-string bass and did the riff from “Honey White”. That I can remember and it is unique.
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Billie Jean!
lol j/k of course.
I would probably go with either Joy Division’s Disorder, Sisters of Mercy’s Lucretia My Reflection or Husker Du’s Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely for my friend group. Plus I remember them as I practice them all, which is a bonus to say the least
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Actually all of Floodlands is awesome for basslines. Especially Driven Like the Snow.
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this is brilliant
So is this, great (as in very effective and perfect for the song) bassline actually
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That was 2 years ago and I can ‘hear’ how hard I’m counting in my head!
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Love this version:
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That would be “Empty” by Garbage. Also a great earworm that keeps me awake at night “Eeeeempptyyyyyyyyyy!”
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“Don’t stop believin’” - I play it proudly as soon as someone enters my home, they don’t have to ask for it. Than I play songs I try to remember but can’t and than I collapse on the floor in the fetal position.
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