I’m a songwriter, and one thing I need to write more of is slow numbers. I tend to write mid-tempo songs the most, up-tempo songs the most after that.
So help me study up. What are some great slow numbers of the past 16 years? Which represent the best of the songwriting craft?
I’ll give you one to start. I greatly enjoy “You and Me” by Lifehouse:
Actually, that might be a mid-tempo-er. Still good tho!
What about “Love is a losing game” by Amy Winehouse?
“Cologne” by Ben Folds
“The Chalet Lines” by Belle & Sebastian
Banks (Jillian Rose Banks) did some really addictive down tempo stuff in 2013.
Her hit was Waiting Game, a sparse haunting song (with a really killer video):
BANKS - WAITING GAME (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
It is also got bought to feature in the 2013 Victoria’s Secret Holiday commercial (NSFW):
You might also find inspiration in:
BANKS - Drowning (Official Music Video)
BANKS - WARM WATER (OFFICIAL VIDEO) (slightly faster tempo)
Here is a really great song from Schiller’s Future album that was released just a couple of weeks ago. It was produced by Schiller and the lyrics were written (and performed) by Los Angeles singer-songwriter Keta Jo McCue.
Again, a haunting and eerie background with a sharp contrast to the love-song nature of the lyrics. I find it absolutely mesmerizing.
Schiller feat. Keta - The Wait is Over
The tempo does pick up in a couple a sections in the middle, but it’s not too fast and is downright slow by Schiller standards.
Sorry, I hit reply too soon. Don’t mean to be a pest.
But here is another song from the same Schiller album, lyrics by Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil. Beautiful lyrics. It starts out with a rather pensive tone and then soars, returning back to earth for the outro.
Kind of generic, but pleasant. What’s killer is Union Station… although the beauty isn’t really captured…
Zero 7 (SIA) “Distractions” (this is live in studio…hey, Sia is visible! GREAT version…
Bush "Out of This World"
Sufjan Stevens “sister”
Kris Delmhorst “Hummingbird”
Kris Delmhorst “Words Fail You”
Sufjan Stevens “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” A beautiful, gentle melody all about one of the world’s creepiest serial killers. And this is the music video for it, which I’d never seen before…
Laura Cantrell “bees” Song breaks my heart for some reason…
Air “You Make it Easy” Kind of bossa nova vibe
Quite possibly the pinnacle of recent break up/ self loathing songs.
Really, almost anything by Alela Diane, but here’s a few of the best (in my opinion).
Georgia Dagaki Poso Poli.
Also by Georgia Dagaki, Sketos Ego.
Eleftheria Arvanitaki, O IpnosSeTilikse.
Jackie Evancho,Your Love.
I think 1613 is pretty slow. It just sort of plods. Now, 572 - Zowee!
StG
Well, since none of you heathens have seen fit to mention Leon Bridges, I’ll shout it out for the hometown!
Coming Home
River (Live, so slow and mellow there’s no percussion)
Smooth Saliin’ -probably my favorite (hey, below 120 bpm is slow for me)
And in a similar, but probably more well-known vein, the Alabama Shakes:
Really, the Alabama Shakes are purely amazing. Brittany Howard might be my songwriting hero.
And well, if you can handle some (ok, pretty unusual) country. Try Sturgill Simpson’s Turtles All the Way Down on for size.
Vanessa Paradis: Joe Le Taxi - not the usual version!
First one that came to my mind: The Afghan Whigs - Algiers; not sure if that isn’t veering somewhere mid-tempo-ish, though.
Definitely slow: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away
Antony and the Johnsons - can’t decide between Cripple and the Starfish and Hope there’s Someone.
Last one: the Mountain Goats - Maybe Sprout Wings
I wanted to thank everyone for their contributions! I will be listening to everything and back to reveal favorites I find. TY!!!