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 one of two BBC recordings of a Larry Williams song (a version of ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’ was completed on 26 May 1965).

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.

Lyrics

Well, come on pretty baby, won’t you walk with me?
Come on, pretty baby, won’t you talk with me?
Come on pretty baby, give me one more chance
Try to save our romance

Slow down
Baby, now you’re moving way too fast
You gotta gimme little loving gimme little loving
Ow! If you want our love to last

Well, I used to walk you home, baby, after school
Carry your books home, too
But now you’ve got a boyfriend down the street
Baby what you trying to do?

You better slow down
Baby, now you’re moving way too fast
You gotta gimme little loving, gimme little loving
Brrr! If you want our love to last

Well you know that I love you, tell the world I do
Come on, pretty baby, why can’t you be true?
I need your loving baby, oh so bad
The best little woman I ever had

Slow down
Baby, now you’re moving way too fast
You gotta gimme little loving, gimme little loving
Ow! If you want our love to last


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