Henderson Gibson – Lead Vocals (died 2013)
Ton… Read Full Bio ↴Shabby Tiger were:
Henderson Gibson – Lead Vocals (died 2013)
Toni Baker – Keyboards/Vocals
Dave Almond – Lead Guitar/Vocals
Mike Ryan – Bass/Vocals
The band started in 1970 playing the Northern club circuit & quickly went on to play some major venues in London, where they were spotted by Ben Findon who signed them to RCA records.
In the same “stable”, were The Dooleys, Billy Ocean & later, the Nolans.
Their first single, “Slow Down” reached the top of the charts in Scandinavia, Holland, Belgium & Germany but failed to chart in the UK probably due to lack of plays on Radio One at the time, who seemed to have the monopoly on whether a record would be listed or not.
There were numerous TV appearances on programmes like “Lift Off” and other pop shows of the time, whereas in Europe, the band did “Top Pop” the Dutch chart show nearly every week for about 2 months appearing with artistes as varied as “ELO” “Pete Wingfield” “Sweet” “The Chanter Sisters” “Hello” & “Thin Lizzie”.
The band’s subsequent singles reached high positions once again in Europe, but still failed to reach any position in the UK charts again.
After numerous successful tours of Scandinavia playing alongside “Sweet” “Darts” “Thin Lizzie” etc the band finally gave up trying to get that elusive hit in the UK & finally disbanded in 1976 leaving 5 singles and one album to their credit
Lead singer “Hendy” sadly passed away March 2013 after contracting lung cancer.
Slow Down
Shabby Tiger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You look so good
You really turn me on
Hey, girl
You're temptation
But with your long hair
And your soft brown eyes
So exciting
I must hold on, keep in line
You're too young, you can't be mine
Slow down
Yeah, we gotta slow down
When you move I get this feelin'
Can't stop and I'm appealing
Slow down
Yeah, we gotta slow down
I want you a bit too much
It's so hot, I can't touch you now
Oh, baby
I know it's wrong
Music playin'
Bodies swayin'
Feel my heartbeat
In a love heat
Like a bird of fire
Risin' higher
Oh, we must stay cool, keep it tight
I'm so weak and I can't fight
Slow down
Yeah, we gotta slow down
When you move I get this feelin'
Can't stop and I'm appealing
Slow down
Yeah, we gotta slow down
I want you a bit too much
It's so hot, I can't touch you now
Oh, baby
I can't stop us
No, no
No, no, no
Slow down
Yeah, we gotta slow down
When you move I get this feelin'
Can't stop and I'm appealing
Slow down
Yeah, we gotta slow down
I want you a bit too much
It's so hot, I can't touch
Slow down
Yeah, we gotta slow down
When you move I get this feelin'
The song "Slow Down" by Shabby Tiger is all about the struggle to resist temptation. The lead singer is clearly enamored with a younger woman, admiring her long hair and soft brown eyes, but ultimately recognizes that he must hold back because of their age difference. The lyrics are filled with metaphors related to fire and heat, conveying the intense passion that the singer feels for this woman. He compares their attraction to a "bird of fire" rising higher and higher, but ultimately must keep his cool and "stay tight" to avoid giving in to his desires.
Throughout the song, the singer pleads with himself and with the woman to slow down and resist the urge to give in to their attraction. He acknowledges that it is wrong, and the music itself seems to reflect this inner turmoil, with a slow and steady tempo reflecting the need to exercise caution and restraint.
Overall, "Slow Down" is a cautionary tale about the danger of following our desires without thinking them through. It's a reminder to take things slow, to resist temptation, and to be mindful of the consequences of our actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, baby
Addressing the girl, expressing strong emotions
You look so good
Talking about how attractive and charming the girl looks
You really turn me on
Admitting the girl is arousing and alluring
Hey, girl
Another way of addressing the girl
You're temptation
Imagining the girl as a lure or a seductress
But with your long hair
Mentioning a physical trait that adds to the girl's beauty
And your soft brown eyes
Describing another trait that makes the girl charming
You're so inviting
Conveying how attractive the girl's demeanor is
So exciting
Expressing the emotions that the girl evokes
I must hold on, keep in line
Trying to control own emotions and actions
You're too young, you can't be mine
Acknowledging the social norms and standards
Slow down
Suggesting to reduce the pace of the relationship
Yeah, we gotta slow down
Reiterating and emphasizing the need to take it slow
When you move I get this feelin'
Describing how the girl's movements affect the singer
Can't stop and I'm appealing
Portraying own helplessness in the face of the girl's allure
I want you a bit too much
Admitting own desires but also suggesting self-control
It's so hot, I can't touch you now
Referring to the passion and the heat between them but also to the need to restrain
Oh, baby
Addressing the girl, expressing own guilt and remorse
I know it's wrong
Explicitly acknowledging that the relationship is not appropriate
Music playin'
Describing the context and the setting
Bodies swayin'
Emphasizing the physical attraction between them
Feel my heartbeat
Indicating the intensity of own emotions and passion
In a love heat
Expressing the idea that they are experiencing something akin to love
Like a bird of fire
Using a metaphor to indicate the intensity of the feelings and the attraction
Risin' higher
Conveying the idea that the passion and the desire are increasing
Oh, we must stay cool, keep it tight
Acknowledging the need to maintain control, despite the strong emotions
I'm so weak and I can't fight
Admitting that it is difficult to resist the temptation and the desire
No, no
Expressing own self-doubt and hesitation
No, no, no
Repeating and emphasizing own conflicted emotions
Contributed by Jonathan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@LosGoud
Met hele grote dank aan de persoon die dit indertijd op een Philips VCR recorder heeft opgenomen!!
@that70sgirl90
I had never heard of them.
Good song... yeah, we gotta slow down... we're just moving way too fast!
Happy Wednesday... thank you for sharing! 💖
@marciagasparvieira9593
UAUUUUUUUUU SHOWWWWWW TOPPPPPPPPP LINDA MÚSICA 🎧🎶🎵🎼🎶🎵🎼🎵🎶🎼🎵🎶🎼👏👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍👍♥️
@robhanhart2730
Love the music of that era, Slade, Sweet and all the others...
@Maria63756
Great band and music ❤ greetings from South Africa 🇿🇦
@TihetrisWeathersby
Shabby Tiger was such a unique band, Love their music
@ploddebokse
Wat gaaf dat er eindelijk een originele opname van geplaatst is. Echt geweldig.
@simonmason8582
Remember this on Dutch radio in 1974 - amazing to find this on video!
@jackschreuders9122
Nog steeds......lekker nummerrrrrrrr!
@kimbozw1808
this was a breaker under the UK charts in March 1975. Went Top 10 in Netherlands and Denmark and No. 20 in Sweden in 1975. A remixed version without the heavy breathing vocals came out in 1977 and reached No. 19 in Sweden, Top 10 in Rhodesia and Top 3 in South Africa. The rest of the world seemingly remained immune to the charms of the group. South Africa gave the group a second Top 5 hit, LOVELY LADY, in 1977.