Songs you like to play real slow?

[FrankHudson]

I too am not capable of impressive playing speeds, never was, and less so now.

I recall an old Dave Ray quote, when he was complimented on playing his stuff faster than Leadbelly and the other songster/ blues players he mined for his repertoire. His reply was that he was still trying to figure out how to play them as slow as they did.

One trick is to take any "hey, let's party" song and slow and quiet it down. In many cases, elements of desperation and mixed emotions will emerge. See Aztec Camera's version of "Jump" for an example:



Years ago I used to do version of David Bowie's "Let's Dance" using the same trick. Loved how brought out the elements I think were intended in the song's bridge. I thought I was very clever! Then a bit later I heard M Ward had done the same thing, and he sings it better than I do.




Anyway, anyone looking for a distinctive cover to add to their set lists should try this trick on some too-well-known song.

[woodbox]

Interesting thread, and thanks to all who have posted so far.

Being primarily a Top 40/bar band/dance band drummer most my playing life,
I've been locked into playing it like the radio.
That has transferred over to my acoustic guitar duo and trio renditions as well.

But when it's just me, I often slow things down.. breathe between phrases to let the words settle and simmer.
As mentioned above, "Lodi" is one I've slowed, even to a sad conversational tempo.
Not a lot slower, but enough to let the remorse and regret have some space.
I'll even leave a word or three off at the end of a line...
" Oh Lord, I'm stuck .... aa--gain. "
I do it more like "My Heros Have Always been Cowboys".. not quite THAT slow, but leaning that way.

I'm gonna try "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" now that it's been brought up.

One more:
I really liked what Pearl Jam did with "The Last Kiss" about 20 years ago.
The J Frank Reynolds version from the 60's always seemed incongruent.
Tragic lyrics paired with an upbeat almost carnival type music.
"I had a car wreck and I'm so sad, but the pop music isn't."
Never made sense to me, even as a kid.

Phil Ochs kinda did the same thing with "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends".
Tragic lyrics paired with a honky tonk piano and a banjo,
but it worked very well.
I had read somewhere he did that very deliberately to highlight the disparity, the absurdity.
In that case, I think it was very effective, a brilliant execution.

Again, thanks for a cool thread.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by Haasome

I like this version of “Just Dropped In”, a Mickey Newbury song that was famously covered by Kenny Rogers. I started playing this again - slow - after hearing it played as a lead-in for the HBO show True Detective.

Nice.

Rather interesting guitar that he is playing as well.

[rmgjsps]

Originally Posted by Imbler

LOL! Literally.

If you play "Minute Waltz" in 120 seconds, does that make it the "Two Minute Waltz?"

[Mycroft]

[QUOTE=Riverwolf;5980488]
I came across this video and now have reworked my version of CCR's
"Have you ever seen the rain?"

Yeah, that does not suck. I had to listen to it 3 times...

[DrewStrummer]

We play Everlong (foo fighter) soft and slow... same with The World I know, by Collective Soul.

[Misifus]

Anyone familiar with the original version of “Handyman” could appreciate what James Taylor did with his slowed down version.

[SoCalSurf]

Originally Posted by DrewStrummer

We play Everlong (foo fighter) soft and slow... same with The World I know, by Collective Soul.

I would love to hear your version of these.

I have been playing around with a slower, darker version of Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again." The song sounds just as great slowed down as it does as the original everybody-sing-along, upbeat version.

[takamineGD93]

Originally Posted by Ten

I love this slowed down version of Jolene: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CMrfM711vXI

I also like playing Nine Pound Hammer slow sometimes, but hey, Townes Van Zandt did it slow and that pretty much makes it ok in my book.

I just love that slow version of joleen. And what a voice. It's flawless singing even slowed down.

I play "my backpages" cind of slow. A bird version in dylan tempo maybe

[guitar george]

How about speeding one up for a change? Love singing and playing this song more in line with the Joan Baez version.

[Johnny K]

My favorite song to play slow is Brother Can You Spare A Dime. The slow pace adds an extra kick to the gut. This is a very depressing song.

[muscmp]

god save the queen by the sex pistols and holiday in cambodia by the dead kennedys.

play music!

[Pitar]

I can't play slow. It hurts my motor to play covers at the correct BPM. I mostly write up-tempo instrumentals that satisfy the way I like to play.

[moore-fiend]

Originally Posted by mdhttr

Have been playing Glen Campbell's "Galveston" slow ever since I heard this:

Never heard that before....I like it better slow!!

MF

[puggy]

We have a local guitar jamming group that usually finishes up each session with a 12 bar blues improv in "E" when I found the lyrics to Johnny Be Good, all raunchy and"dirtied" up fits perfectly over the rhythm.

We usually blues out the first two verses then slowly wind up the speed for a full R and R finish and outro.

Great finish to the evening.