James Jamerson - “I Was Made To Love Her”
Stevie Wonder — I Was Made to Love Her (1967)
Bass: James Jamerson
“I Was Made to Love Her” captures James Jamerson in a moment of pure rhythmic joy—bright, driving, melodic, and endlessly inventive. This is a younger Stevie Wonder bringing explosive energy to the track, and Jamerson meets that energy head-on with a bassline that feels alive at every moment. Nothing about this line sits still. It’s full of lift, shape, and motion, propelling the band with the kind of kinetic excitement that defined the best of the Motown era.
Jamerson doesn’t simply support the groove—he elevates it. His lines circle around Stevie’s vocal, thread through the rhythmic hits, and glide between harmonic points with a natural ease that makes the entire arrangement feel like it’s being pulled forward by the bass. This is one of his most joyful and buoyant performances, and it shows how deeply he understood the emotional core of the song.
The Line
The bassline unfolds as a continuous stream of melodic ideas. Jamerson uses quick passing tones, pentatonic lifts, blues inflections, and beautifully shaped cell-like phrases that give the groove movement and personality. Every bar feels like it leads directly into the next—there’s a sense of flow that gives the song its trademark bounce.
Jamerson uses the melody of the song as a kind of emotional compass, weaving counterlines that echo Stevie’s phrasing while still carving out a narrative of their own. The line is playful, lyrical, and full of youthful spark. Even the busier phrases feel grounded, because Jamerson is always directing the harmony forward.
This is melodic bass playing that serves the groove first and the song always.
Pocket & Time
The time feel is bright, energetic, and pushing ahead in the way only a Motown classic can. Jamerson sits right on the front edge of the beat, giving the music drive without ever rushing. His articulation is tight, his subdivisions are clear, and his forward lean keeps the tune full of life.
This track moves at a quick pace, and Jamerson manages to inject a remarkable amount of rhythmic detail without ever compromising the pulse. The groove feels like it’s smiling—energetic, youthful, and uncontainable.
This is what “forward pocket” really sounds like.
Tone & Touch
Jamerson’s tone is round and buoyant, with enough brightness in the front of the note to give each attack definition. His touch is assertive but not forceful. The notes pop out of the mix with clarity, then settle into a warm sustain that blends perfectly with the band.
You can hear the confidence in every articulation. His fingers give the line a lively presence, and the natural compression of his tone helps his rapid passages connect without smearing. It’s tone that fits the joy of the song—bright, warm, and full of life.
Harmonic Movement
Harmonically, Jamerson is in full storytelling mode. He outlines the changes with authority while adding chromatic approaches and embellishments that guide the listener from one chord to the next. His lines resolve with a satisfying inevitability, yet the journey he takes to get there is full of color and personality.
The harmonic motion here mirrors the emotional content of the tune—lifting upward, pushing outward, always moving. It’s functional harmony made expressive.
Interaction With the Band
Jamerson’s interplay with Stevie Wonder is a highlight of the track. He mirrors, answers, and supports Stevie’s vocal phrases with a kind of instinctive responsiveness. The tambourine, drums, and guitars create a fast-moving rhythmic surface, and Jamerson weaves through all of it with agility and clarity.
He never fights for space; he moves through it. The band’s energy is amplified by the bass, and Jamerson’s lines create the exact kind of lift Stevie’s performance thrives on.
This is ensemble interaction at its most joyful and natural.
What This Teaches Modern Bassists
“I Was Made to Love Her” is a study in high-energy, melodic bass playing that never sacrifices groove. Jamerson shows how motion, clarity, and intention can come together to create a bassline that fuels the entire arrangement.
This transcription teaches how to play with drive without sounding rushed, how to be busy without cluttering the groove, and how to shape lines that both serve and elevate the song.
Working Pro principle:
Motion becomes groove when it has purpose.
Jamerson shows that fast, active bass lines don’t work because they’re busy—they work because they’re directed. Every note has intention. Every phrase has lift.
Shed Like A Pro
Hear every detail. Feel every nuance.
This isolated bass track gives you full access to the clarity, articulation, and pocket of the original performance—without the rest of the band masking the subtleties. Shed with the exact phrasing, dynamics, note length, and feel that define master-level bass playing.
Step into the band. Fill the chair.
This minus-bass version of the original recording places you directly in the bassist’s role—same mix, same energy, same interaction, with the entire ensemble responding to your time, feel, and sound.