Slow Down World

Slow Down World
Studio album by Donovan
Released May 1976
Recorded August 1975 - March 1976; A&M Studios, Los Angeles
Genre Folk
Length 39:21
Label Epic
Producer Donovan Leitch
Donovan chronology
7-Tease
(1974)		 Slow Down World
(1976)		 Donovan
(1977)

Slow Down World is the thirteenth studio album (fifteenth overall) by British singer/songwriter Donovan, released in the US (Epic PE 33945) in May 1976 and the UK (Epic SEPC 86011) on 4 June 1976.

History

Over his past few album releases, Donovan had hired a succession of popular record producers in hopes of chart success: Mickie Most for Cosmic Wheels, Andrew Loog Oldham for Essence to Essence and Norbert Putnam for 7-Tease. The success of these albums was mild at best, and indicated a shift in Donovan's popularity away from the superstardom of the 1960s and towards a distinctly smaller fan base. For his next album, Donovan decided to embrace this fan base by taking on the producer duties himself and writing a set of songs that were directly at odds with the popular sounds of the time. While Slow Down World does contain some upbeat numbers, many of the songs feature tired and resigned lyrics.

Two of the songs on Slow Down World were written by Donovan's longtime friend Derroll Adams. Adams was the influence behind "Epistle to Derroll" from Donovan's 1968 album A Gift from a Flower to a Garden. Donovan's hit "There is a Mountain" has similar lyrics to "The Mountain", one of the Derroll Adams songs covered here.

Slow Down World reached #174 on the US charts, matching the success of Essence to Essence but not reaching the success of Donovan's last album, 7-Tease. More importantly, Slow Down World marked the last album of his Epic Records contract. Without access to the label's promotion mechanisms, he never again achieved chart success or the same level of record sales.

Reissues

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Robert Christgau(C-) link

Track listing

All tracks by Donovan Leitch, except where noted.

Original album

Side one

  1. "Dark-Eyed Blue Jean Angel" - 3:50
  2. "Cryin' Shame" - 4:29
  3. "The Mountain" (Derroll Adams) - 3:32
  4. "Children of the World" - 3:22
  5. "My Love Is True (Love Song)" (Adams) - 3:41

Side two

  1. "A Well Known Has-Been" - 7:25
  2. "Black Widow" - 5:44
  3. "Slow Down World" - 4:22
  4. "Liberation Rag" - 2:56

Personnel

References

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