Clear Blue And Unconditional Skies

TLC “Waterfalls”

I am confident that if you put on TLC’s “Waterfalls” and focused all of your attention on LeMarquis Jefferson’s bass line, you will fall in love. But what would you fall in love with?
 
Maybe you’d fall in love with the character of the bass part and anthropomorphize it a bit: a suave, slick, highly expressive and unpredictable character at the center of the song, seemingly flirting with all the more rigidly defined parts surrounding it. I imagine the bass line as this charismatic and curious figure in conversation with everything else in the song – the beat, those horns, that ultra-juicy wah guitar, the TLC girls themselves. Listen to how the bass seems to slink up to some parts, or back away to give others some space, like when Left Eye starts to rap. This bass line is a funky gentleman.
 
Maybe you’d fall for Jefferson himself, and whatever it is about his mind, body, and soul that manifested this performance in the studio. His bass line was reportedly improvised in the studio, so we’re truly listening to someone stepping into an already brilliant pop composition and infusing it with his personality. Who is this guy? How did he come to be so articulate with this instrument? What is he trying to communicate here? He seems to be operating on pure instinct here and it’s beautiful.
 
Maybe you’ll tap into the vibe of the bass part and fall in love with someone in your real life, emboldened by its loose grace, assured sensuality, and playful spirit. It could unlock your body, brighten your soul, and make the whole world feel more alive to you. It could make you feel a vibrant sort of love that draws others to you.

Could be all three.

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