Lenoir's guitar-playing father introduced him to the music of Blind Lemon Jefferson, whose music became a major influence. During the early 1940s, Lenoir worked with blues artists Sonny Boy Williamson II and Elmore James in New Orleans. Lenoir would eventually find musical influence in Arthur Crudup and Lightnin' Hopkins.
In 1949, he moved to Chicago and Big Bill Broonzy helped introduce him to the local blues community. He began to perform at local nightclubs with musicians such as Memphis Minnie, Big Maceo Merriweather, and Muddy Waters, and became an important part of the city's blues scene. He began recording in 1951 the J.O.B. and Chess Records labels. His recording of "Korea Blues" was licensed to and released by Chess, as having been performed by 'J. B. and his Bayou Boys'. His band included pianist Sunnyland Slim, guitarist Leroy Foster, and drummer Alfred Wallace.
During the 1950s Lenoir recorded on various record labels in the Chicago area including J.O.B., Chess, Parrot, and Checker. His more successful songs included "Let's Roll", "The Mojo" featuring saxophonist J. T. Brown, and the controversial "Eisenhower Blues" which his record company, Parrot, forced him to re-record as "Tax Paying Blues."
Lenoir was known in the 1950s for his showmanship - in particular his zebra-patterned costumes - and his high-pitched vocals. He became an influential electric guitarist and songwriter, and his penchant for social commentary distinguished him from many other bluesmen of the time. His most commercially successful and enduring release was "Mamma Talk To Your Daughter", recorded for Parrot in 1954 which reached #11 on the Billboard R&B chart and was later recorded by many other blues and rock musicians. In the later 1950s (recording on the Checker label), he wrote several more blues standards including; "Don't Dog Your Woman", and "Don't Touch My Head!!!" (1956).
In 1963, Lenoir recorded for USA Records as 'J. B. Lenoir and his African Hunch Rhythm', developing an interest in African percussion. However, he struggled to work as a professional musician and for a time took menial jobs, including working in the kitchen at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Lenoir was rediscovered by Willie Dixon, who recorded him with drummer Fred Below on the albums Alabama Blues and Down In Mississippi (inspired by the Civil Rights and Free Speech movements). Lenoir toured Europe, and performed in 1965 with the American Folk Blues Festival in the United Kingdom.
Lenoir's work had direct political content relating to racism and the Vietnam War.
"Alabama Blues"
“I never will go back to Alabama, that is not the place for me,
I never will go back to Alabama, that is not the place for me,
You know they killed my sister and my brother,
And the whole world let them peoples go down there free.”
He died on April 29, 1967 in Urbana, Illinois, aged 38, from a heart attack related to injuries he suffered in a car accident three weeks earlier.
His death was lamented by John Mayall in the songs, "I'm Gonna Fight for You, J.B." and "Death of J. B. Lenoir".
The 2003 documentary film The Soul of a Man, directed by Wim Wenders as the second instalment of Martin Scorsese's series The Blues, explored Lenoir's career, together with those of Skip James and Blind Willie Johnson.
In 2011, Lenoir was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.
Although his name is sometimes mispronounced like the French "lan WAH", Lenoir himself pronounced his name a "la NOR". The initials "J.B." had no specific meaning; his given name was simply "J.B."
Slow Down
J.B. Lenoir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
let me step on board
I wanna ride your train
just before I go
you bout the sweetest
little girl
I believe I ever seen
it would mean so much to me
slow down, slow down
let me step on board
I wanna ride your train
just before I go
i'm a stranger, i'm a stranger
and I will not be here long
if you would let me ride your train
i don't think it will not be long
slow down, slow down
let me step on board
I wanna ride your train
just before I go
J.B. Lenoir's song Slow Down is a soulful blues classic that speaks to the desire for connection and companionship. The lyrics are addressed to a woman, whom the singer characterizes as the "sweetest little girl" he has ever seen. He asks her to slow down her train and let him "step on board," suggesting that he wants to be a part of her life before he has to go. The train could be a metaphor for the woman's life or the passage of time, and the singer expresses a sense of urgency to be with her before it's too late.
The lyrics also convey a sense of loneliness and emotional vulnerability. The singer describes himself as a stranger who will not be around for long, but he still longs for a connection with this woman. He believes that having her by his side would mean "so much to me" and offers to ride her train "just before I go." The repetition of the chorus emphasizes his desire for her to slow down and let him catch up, even if it's just for a little while.
Overall, Slow Down is a poignant expression of the human need for connection and companionship in a world that moves too fast. It speaks to the desire for human connection, and the longing to be with someone special, even if it's just for a little while.
Line by Line Meaning
slow down, slow down
Please decrease your speed and take things slower.
let me step on board
Allow me to join you on this journey.
I wanna ride your train
I want to experience life through your perspective.
just before I go
Before I depart or before it's too late to take this opportunity.
you bout the sweetest
You are one of the most charming and lovely individuals.
little girl
Despite the use of the term 'little girl', it is not meant in any derogatory or condescending manner.
I believe I ever seen
Out of everyone I have encountered.
and if I had you by my side
If we could be together and share our lives.
it would mean so much to me
It would hold a great deal of significance to me personally.
i'm a stranger, i'm a stranger
I am someone unfamiliar to you and your world.
and I will not be here long
I won't be around for too much longer.
if you would let me ride your train
If you permit me to join you on your journey.
i don't think it will not be long
I believe it won't be a lengthy endeavor.
Contributed by Maya M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.