Detour Ahead

"Detour Ahead" is a jazz standard written by Herb Ellis,^[1] Johnny Frigo,^[2] and Lou Carter.^[3][4][5] It was composed in 1947 with the first recording done by Woody Herman and his orchestra with vocals by Mary Ann McCall in 1949.^[6] The song uses an automobile trip as a metaphor for a treacherous, doomed romantic relationship. The lyrics warn of emotional danger, advising a lover to "wake up" and "slow down" before facing heartbreak. It compares the progression of a relationship to driving, where a seemingly "smooth road" can abruptly become dangerous. It identifies "danger signs" and "soft shoulders" in the romance, urging the listener to recognize they are headed in the wrong direction before it's too late and warns the listener to "turn back" to avoid smashing their heart, referring to the person in the relationship as a "gullible clown" for ignoring the warning signs. The song portrays a mature, albeit sad, realization of a relationship’s failure. Since its release, it has been covered by various jazz musicians, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sophie Milman, Bill Evans, and Billie Holiday (which is considered to be the most definitive version of the song).^[7]