Candi Staton’s 1976 disco smash hit features fantastic bass playing by Scott Edwards, who underpins the song with soulful, syncopated 16th-note grooves.
The song was penned specifically for Staton by songwriter David Crawford after a conversation in which she revealed to him that she was having trouble leaving an abusive relationship. The heartache translated into critical and commercial success, with ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ peaking at number 2 in the UK singles chart (behind The Real Thing – ‘You To Me Are Everything’).
Candi Staton – ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ bass transcription
Although Scott Edwards might not be a household name he should definitley be on your radar, and you’ve probably heard his playing more than you realise. Scott’s first big gig came in 1970 when he became Michael Henderson’s replacement in Stevie Wonder’s band, and he appeared on three albums with Wonder (Innervisions, Original Musicquarium, and Talking Book). Following his tenure with Stevie, Scott became an in-demand session player, laying the foundations for a number of big hits, including:
- Donna Summer: ‘Bad Girls’, ‘Hot Stuff’
- Gloria Gaynor: ‘I Will Survive’
- Glen Cambell: ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’
- Hall & Oates: ‘Sara Smile’, ‘Rich Girl’, ‘She’s Gone’
That’s right, ‘I Will Survive’, ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’, and ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ are all the same bassist.
Struggling with 16th-note reading?
If you’re having difficulty with any of the rhythms in ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ it’s worth checking out my free Rhythm Reading Bootcamp videos – Season 2 covers all you need to know about 16th-note reading:
You can also grab a copy of the Rhythm Reading Bootcamp ebook from the Free Bass Transcriptions shop.