In 1957, Buchanan made his recording debut, playing the solo on Dale Hawkins' "My Babe" for Chicago's Chess Records. Three years later, Buchanan headed north to Canada, where he took charge of the guitar role in Ronnie Hawkins' band (a group later to gain fame as The Band). The group's guitar player, Robbie Robertson, studied guitar under Buchanan, and took over the lead guitar spot when Buchanan left the group.
The early 60's found Buchanan performing numerous gigs as a sideman with multiple rock bands, and cutting a number of sessions as guitarist with musicians such as Freddy Cannon and Merle Kilgore.
Buchanan's 1962 recording with drummer Bobby Gregg, "Potato Peeler", first introduced the trademark Buchanan pinch harmonics. An effort to cash in on the British Invasion caught Buchanan with The British Walkers. In the mid-'60's, Buchanan settled down in the Washington, DC area, playing as a sideman before starting his own groups. One of these groups was called The Snakestretchers, an allusion to Buchanan's disdain for the vagaries of the band experience. The Snakestretchers became a semi-permanent combo for Buchanan starting in this period, with whom he made his first acclaimed recording as a front man, Roy Buchanan & the Snakestretchers. Danny Gatton was another respected Telecaster master who lived in Washington, D.C. at that time. Both musicians gained reputations as under-appreciated guitarists.
In 1971, riding on word-of-mouth reputation that included praise from John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Merle Haggard, and an alleged invitation to join the Rolling Stones, Buchanan gained national notoriety as the result of an hour-long Public broadcasting television documentary. Entitled "The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World", the show rejuvenated a contract with Polydor and began a decade of national and international touring. He recorded five albums for Polydor (one went gold) and three for Atlantic Records (one gold), while playing most major rock concert halls and festivals. Finally, Buchanan quit recording in 1981, vowing never to enter a studio again unless he could record his own music his own way.
Four years later, Buchanan was coaxed back into the studio by Alligator Records. His first album for Alligator, When a Guitar Plays The Blues, was released in the spring of 1985. It was the first time he was given total artistic freedom in the studio. It was also his first true blues album. Fans quickly responded, and the album entered Billboard's pop charts and remained on the charts for 13 weeks. Music critics, as well as fans, applauded Roy's efforts with favorable reviews.
His second Alligator LP, Dancing on the Edge, was released in the fall of 1986. The album, featuring three songs with special guest, rock'n'soul vocalist Delbert McClinton, won the College Media Journal Award for Best Blues Album of 1986.
He released the twelfth LP of his career and his third for Alligator, Hot Wires, in 1987. In addition to Donald Kinsey (formerly with Albert King and Bob Marley), keyboardist Stan Szelest, and Larry Exum (bass) and Morris Jennings (drums), this album includes guest vocals by veteran soul singer Johnny Sayles and blues singer Kanika Kress.
Buchanan died August 14, 1988 in the Fairfax County, Virginia jail while being held after an arrest for public drunkeness. His death was ruled a suicide, although that finding has been disputed by friends and family.
Slow Down
Roy Buchanan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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, well you move way too fast, baby
You gotta gimme little lovin', gimme little lovin'
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 got a boyfriend down the street
Baby what you're tryin' to do?
You better slow down, baby, now you're movin' way too fast
You gotta gimme little lovin', gimme little lovin'
Yeah, if you want our love to last
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, yeah you're movin' way too fast
You gotta gimme little lovin', gimme little lovin'
If you want our love to last
The song "Slow Down" by Roy Buchanan tells the story of a man pleading with his lover to slow down in their relationship. The man is reminiscing about how he used to walk his lover home from school and carry her books, but now she has a boyfriend down the street. He wants her to give him another chance to save their romance because he feels like she's moving too fast and they need to slow down if they want their love to last.
The repetition of the first three lines of the song ("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") emphasize the man's desperation for his lover's attention and affection. He feels like he needs to reconnect with her and save their relationship before it's too late.
The phrase "You gotta gimme little lovin', gimme little lovin'" represents the man's desire for his lover to show him some affection and put effort into their relationship. He wants her to slow down and take the time to nurture their love so that it can last.
Overall, "Slow Down" is a plea for a lover to slow down and focus on their relationship. It expresses the desire for love to be nurtured and tended to in order to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on pretty baby, won't you walk with me?
Please walk with me, my love.
Come on, pretty baby, won't you talk with me?
Please talk with me, my love.
Come on pretty baby, give me one more chance
Please give me another chance to correct things, my love.
Try to save our romance!
Let's try to save our love story, my love.
Slow down, well you move way too fast, baby
Please slow down, you are moving too fast, my love.
You gotta gimme little lovin', gimme little lovin'
You need to show me some love and affection, my love.
If you want our love to last
To keep our love alive, my love.
Well, I used to walk you home, baby, after school
I used to accompany you to your home after school, my love.
Carry your books home, too
I even used to carry your books, my love.
But now you got a boyfriend down the street
But now you have a boyfriend who lives nearby, my love.
Baby what you're tryin' to do?
What are you trying to do, my love?
You better slow down, baby, now you're movin' way too fast
You need to slow down, you are moving too fast now, my love.
Yeah, if you want our love to last
If you want our love to endure, my love.
Well come on pretty baby, won't you walk with me?
Please come and walk with me, my love.
Come on, pretty baby, won't you talk with me?
Please come and talk with me, my love.
Come on pretty baby, give me one more chance
Please give me another chance, my love.
Try to save our romance!
Let's try to save our love story, my love.
Slow down, yeah you're movin' way too fast
Please slow down, you are moving too fast, my love.
You gotta gimme little lovin', gimme little lovin'
You need to show me some love and affection, my love.
If you want our love to last
To keep our love alive, my love.
Writer(s): Williams, Brooks, Blazy
Contributed by Asher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
harvey1954
I love his version better than the Beatles or Larry Williams. However, the live in Japan is best. This sounds close to it.