In a long career, he worked with Otis Rush, Al Benson, Little Sonny Cooper, David “Honeyboy” Edwards, Baby Boy Warren, Guitar Slim, Freddie King, Jimmy Reed, Morris Pejoe, Bobo Jenkins and Jim McCarty. One of Warren’s better known recordings was “Baby Likes to Boogie”.
Warren was born in Stamps, Arkansas, but moved with his family at the age of thirteen to Lake Village, Arkansas. He was taught by Caleb King to play the guitar, and played in his own blues ensemble around the Mississippi Delta. His band’s singer, Guitar Slim was, in turn, taught guitar playing techniques by Warren, and they toured around Louisiana in the latter half of the 1940s.
Warren relocated to Chicago by the early 1950s and joined Otis Rush‘s band. He later played alongside Freddie King and Jimmy Reed, plus he also backed Morris Pejoe, when Pejoe recorded tracks for Chess Records.
Warren formed the House Rockers back in Arkansas in 1959, and by the early 1970s had moved to Detroit to work and record with Bobo Jenkins. From 1974 to 1976 he was also a featured performer, along with Baby Boy Warren (no relation), with the Progressive Blues Band, a popular blues band that played in many of Detroit’s best blues venues. When Baby Boy died in 1977, Wille D. Warren took up the band’s frontman duties.
In 1977, Warren finally recorded his debut solo album, which was released on Jenkins’ Big Star label. In addition, Warren turned songwriter, penning the lyrics to two songs (“Door Lock Blues” and “Detroit Jump”) that Jenkins himself recorded for his own Detroit All Purpose Blues album. Warren’s own work then appeared on a small number of compilation albums. His live album, Live, for the No Cover Productions label, was not released until after Warren’s death. His then backing band, Mystery Train, included his old friend Jim McCarty.
Warren died in Detroit, in December 2000, at the age of 76. He left one son, Willie Hairston, of Detroit, Michigan.
Goin' Down Slow
Willie D. Warren Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know I hate it when you put your hand inside my head (Warren sings "stick")
And switch all my priorities around
Why don't you go pick on someone your own size instead?
Go on without me, I'll just slow you down
Go on without me, I'll just slow you down
Maybe you should buy another vowel
You're jumping to conclusions so I can't keep up with you
Go on without me, I'll just slow you down
I'll just hold you up
When I fall behind
I'll just throw your schedule off
So you get going if you're so inclined
You know I hate it when you put your hand inside my head
And switch all my priorities around
You think you're pretty tricky but you're simply overbred
Go on without me, I'll just slow you down
Go on
Go on
Go on
Go on
In Warren Zevon's song "Goin' Down Slow," the lyrics are conveying a message of resistance towards someone who always tries to control the singer’s actions, decisions or thoughts. The opening line of the song, where the singer talks about how he hates it when someone puts his hand inside his head and switches his priorities, is a metaphor for how this controlling person has been manipulating and distracting him from his original goals. The repeated line "Go on without me, I'll just slow you down" is a message that the singer has had enough of this person's hold on him and that the controller should move on without him since he doesn’t want to be held back anymore by this person. The line "I'll just hold you up when I fall behind" is conveying how even though the singer may be struggling to keep up with this person, he still has the ability to hold him up when he falls behind.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I hate it when you put your hand inside my head
I don't like it when you manipulate my thoughts and decisions.
And switch all my priorities around
You confuse me and make me lose focus on what's important.
Why don't you go pick on someone your own size instead?
Why don't you bother someone else who can handle your behavior?
Go on without me, I'll just slow you down
I'll only hold you back, so you better continue without me.
You always say you know me somehow I don't think you do
You claim to understand me, but I don't think you really do.
Maybe you should buy another vowel
Perhaps you need to reevaluate your understanding and knowledge.
You're jumping to conclusions so I can't keep up with you
You assume things too quickly, and it's hard for me to keep up with you.
I'll just hold you up
I'll only slow you down.
When I fall behind
When I can't keep up with you.
I'll just throw your schedule off
I'll disrupt your plans and prevent you from being productive.
So you get going if you're so inclined
So you can continue on your way if you want to.
You think you're pretty tricky but you're simply overbred
You believe you're clever, but you're just arrogant and conceited.
Go on without me, I'll just slow you down
I'll only hold you back.
Go on
Continue on your way.
Go on
Don't let me stop you.
Go on
Just keep moving.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: WARREN WILLIAM ZEVON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind