JUNE 10

Slow Down

Written by: Larry Williams
Recorded: 1, 4 June 1964
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith

Released: 19 June 1964 (UK), 20 July 1964 (US)

Available on:
Past Masters
Live At The BBC

Personnel

John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney: bass
George Harrison: lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums
George Martin: piano

First appearing on The Beatles’ Long Tall Sally EP, ‘Slow Down’ was a cover version of Larry Williams’ 1958 song, and was originally the b-side to his hit single ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’.

‘Slow Down’ had been a part of The Beatles’ live repertoire between 1960 and 1962, and they had stopped playing it prior to its revival during the A Hard Day’s Night sessions.

In the US, the song was released as a single in August 1964, with ‘Matchbox’ as the b-side. It was also included on the Something New album.

A version of ‘Slow Down’, recorded on 16 July 1963 at the BBC Paris Theatre, London, was included on Live At The BBC. Taped for the Pop Go The Beatles programme, it was the group’s only BBC recording of a Larry Williams song.

In the studio

‘Slow Down’ was taped swiftly in six takes in the afternoon of 1 June 1964. The rhythm track of take three was the best, and onto this was overdubbed a double-tracked Lennon vocals.

George Martin added a piano part three days later. None of the performers appear to have taken it too seriously, with vocal fluffs (most noticeably during the line “But now you’ve got a boyfriend down the street”), a somewhat workmanlike guitar solo and generally sloppy playing.

But that’s the essence of rock ‘n’ roll, and John Lennon’s vocal has enough brio to make the result worth searching out by Beatles fans.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HbsyDHxca7Y?si=czC-6pmWEoUJ0zih" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>