Doyle Bramhall II (born 24 December 1968) is a guitarist and vocalist in hi… Read Full Bio ↴Doyle Bramhall II (born 24 December 1968) is a guitarist and vocalist in his band Smokestack and was also the second guitarist in Eric Clapton's band from 2004 to 2009. He is the son of singer, songwriter and drummer Doyle Bramhall, who was raised with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan.

At age 16, Doyle Bramhall II toured with Jimmie Vaughan's band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, as second guitarist. In 1992 Doyle formed Arc Angels with Charlie Sexton and Stevie Ray Vaughan's rhythm section of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton (also known as Double Trouble). Doyle became Eric Clapton's second guitarist in 2004 after Andy Fairweather-Low backed out of the tour. He left Clapton's band in 2009 to reform Arc Angels.

"Doyle Bramhall II was raised in a home filled with the blues and rock and roll sounds that are indigenous to his birthplace - Austin, Texas. His father, Doyle Bramhall Senior, was the drummer for blues legend Lightning Hopkins and a regular collaborator with Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
When Doyle was 16 years old, he toured as second guitarist with Jimmy Vaughan's band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Shortly thereafter he and fellow Texan, Charlie Sexton, co-founded the rock band Arc Angels. Doyle and Charlie enlisted the rhythm section from Stevie Ray Vaughan's backing band, Double Trouble, to complete the lineup. The group enjoyed critical acclaim and commercial success.
Following the release of "Jellycream," Doyle's 1999 RCA debut recording, he received phone calls from both Roger Waters and Eric Clapton. Doyle ended up joining Roger Waters for a summer tour while Clapton, along with fellow blues great B.B. King, chose two of Doyle's songs - "Marry You" and "I Wanna Be" - for their collaborative recording entitled "Riding With The King." Upon completion of the "Riding..." project, Doyle, his wife - Susannah Melvoin, and Clapton co-wrote and performed "Superman Inside" for Clapton's album, "Reptile." Doyle's playing is also heavily featured on the album.
The latest offering from Doyle Bramhall II, entitled - "Welcome" - is the purest sampling of Doyle's talents to date. Doyle entered the studio with Smokestack, the band he put together a couple of years ago, and co-producers Benmont Tench and Jim Scott to record the 12 - song set. Joining Doyle in Smokestack is J.J. Johnson on drums and bassist Chris Bruce. Susannah Melvoin contributed background vocals, Benmont Tench pulled keyboard duty and Craig Ross played second guitar.
The album, "Welcome" showcases the diversity of Bramhall's talent; from his songwriting to his intense, soulful vocals and virtuoso guitar playing. Doyle's gravity explosion can be readily heard on such tracks as the driving "Green Light Girl" and the uptempo "Soul Shaker." His dedication to the blues can be felt on tracks like "Life," "So You Want It To Rain" and "Send Some Love."
Doyle and his band are set to open for Eric Clapton on the first leg of a worldwide tour this year".
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Ain't Goin' Down Slow
Doyle Bramhall II Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ain't going down slow
Ain't going down slow

Here comes the rain not far away, far away
I'll go insane and slip away, slip away
'Cause I'm tired, I'm tired and I ain't going down too slow

I am insane, I've gone insane, gone insane

I'm in my haze here I'll stay, think I'll stay
'Cause I'm tired, I'm tired, and I ain't going down too slow

Ain't going down slow
Ain't going down slow

Darkness will prevail over me, over me
I need to find the rest of me, rest of me
Rain's gone away, far away, far away
Find my window pane and slip away, slip away
'Cause I'm tired, I'm tired and I ain't ging down
Yes I'm tired, I'm tired and I ain't going down

Well I'm tired, tired, tired,
I'm tired, tired, tired,
And I ain't going down slow

Ain't going down slow
Ain't going down slow

Overall Meaning

The song "Ain't Goin' Down Slow" by Doyle Bramhall II is a blues-rock track that captures the essence of desperation, struggle, and mental turmoil. The lyrics mainly deal with the singer's deteriorating mental state and his attempt to maintain his sanity despite his circumstances. The repeated line "Ain't going down slow" is a declaration of his determination to keep fighting and not giving up, even when everything seems to be against him.

The singer mentions rain in the opening line, which represents the problems and difficulties that he faces in his life. He talks about slipping away and staying in his haze, suggesting that he has lost his grip on reality and is struggling to cope with his problems. The chorus emphasizes his determination to fight against the odds and not give up to the challenges that he is facing.

The lyric "Darkness will prevail over me, over me" demonstrates the constant battles with negativity and the negative mindset that the singer has. Moreover, he longs to find his windowpane and slip away, indicating he wants to escape his problems, which might be deeply rooted in his mind.

Doyle Bramhall II's "Ain't Goin' Down Slow" portrays mental trauma and how it can be a real challenge to overcome, and the singer's choice to keep fighting depicts an essential lesson for people going through difficult times.

Line by Line Meaning

Ain't going down slow
I won't let myself be defeated easily

Here comes the rain not far away, far away
Trouble is approaching and it's getting closer

I'll go insane and slip away, slip away
I'll lose my mind and escape reality

'Cause I'm tired, I'm tired and I ain't going down too slow
I am exhausted but I refuse to give up easily

I am insane, I've gone insane, gone insane
I have lost touch with reality and I'm not coming back

I'm in my haze here I'll stay, think I'll stay
I'm stuck in this state of mind and I'm comfortable with it

'Cause I'm tired, I'm tired, and I ain't going down too slow
I am worn out but I won't surrender easily

Darkness will prevail over me, over me
I am succumbing to despair

I need to find the rest of me, rest of me
I need to rediscover myself

Rain's gone away, far away, far away
The danger is gone but it's still not completely safe

Find my window pane and slip away, slip away
I'll escape through my window and leave this place behind