"Slow Down" is a 24-bar blues written and performed by Larry Williams. Released as a single in 1958, it was a rhythm and blues hit that influenced the growing Rock & Roll movement of the time. It was released as a 7" single (45RPM). The A-Side was "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" and the B-Side was "Slow Down", which were both covered by The Beatles in 1965 and 1964, respectively.

The song was recorded for Specialty Records on January 6, 1958. The personnel included:

The Beatles covered the song early in their career and eventually recorded a version and released it on their Long Tall Sally EP single in the UK. Not long after, the song was released in the U.S. on its own, as the B-side of 1964's "Matchbox" single (also a 12-bar blues, from the Long Tall Sally EP), reaching #25 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also included in the 1988 Past Masters compilation. The song likewise appeared on the Capitol album "Something New". A performance specifically recorded for broadcast by the BBC was released on the album Live at the BBC in 1994.

Ian MacDonald criticised the performance as "one of the Beatles' least successful rock-and-roll covers", lacking "bottom, drive and basic cohesion" and stated that "The guitar solo is embarrassing and the sound balance a shambles". He also pointed out the edit at 1:14 whereupon the piano momentarily disappears and McCartney's bass becomes inaudible. Starr can likewise be heard to lose time during the song.

Note: Some sources however, including Ian MacDonald's Revolution in the Head, describe that John Lennon played the lead guitar solo.

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