a few more candidates
My list below starts with song name, followed by artist and bass player in ().
"And Your Bird Can Sing" - Beatles (Paul McCartney)
"Got to Get You Into My Life" - Beatles (Paul McCartney)
"Octopus's Garden" - Beatles (Paul McCartney)
"Dreaming from the Waist" - Who (John Entwistle)
"Heaven and Hell" - Who (John Entwistle)
"Calodonia Mission" - Band (Rick Danko)
"King Harvest" (Has Surely Come)" - Band (Rick Danko)
"Stage Fright" - Band (Rick Danko)
"Police and Thieves" - Clash (Paul Simonen)
"(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - Clash (Paul Simonen)
"Hitsville UK" - Clash (Paul Simonen)
IMHO, Paul McCartney and Rick Danko played melodic and memorable bass on almost every Beatles and Band song, and did so without showboating or upstaging the song. I consider McCartney to be the most melodic rock bassist, the great James Jamerson notwithstanding. I specifically cited the superficially superficial song "Octopus's Garden" to show how well McCartney served the song, regardless of its significance. Both are/were excellent musicians and vocalists whose contributions and talents were not limited to the bass. McCartney in particular contributed lead guitar to several Beatles songs, notably "Taxman", which was somewhat ironically written and sung by George Harrison, the Beatles's nominal lead guitar player.
PG
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