"Lay Down" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Strawbs | ||||
from the album Bursting at the Seams | ||||
B-side | "Backside" | |||
Released | October 13, 1972 | |||
Genre | Progressive folk, progressive rock | |||
Length | 4:31 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Songwriter(s) | Dave Cousins | |||
Producer(s) | Strawbs | |||
Strawbs singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Official audio | ||||
"Lay Down" on YouTube |
"Lay Down" is a single by the Strawbs which reached No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart in October 1972 - their first hit. [1] It was included on their 1973 album Bursting at the Seams .
The lyrics are loosely based on the 23rd Psalm in the Old Testament and the song was widely considered to be writer Dave Cousins's most commercial and radio-friendly offering to date. Indeed, some aficionados accused Cousins and the band of "selling out", especially as the band later appeared on Top of the Pops dressed in glittery "glam rock" outfits and wearing make-up (with drummer Richard Hudson unusually placed at the front of the stage).
The single was described, in the original A&M Records Press Release, as ".. the Strawbs first real attempt to crack open the singles market." [2] It featured strong rock guitar riffs from the band's new guitarist Dave Lambert. The album version features an additional guitar solo, making it about thirty seconds longer than the single. The song unusually also features mellotron choir parts.
The song was brought to the public's attention again in 2007 when it featured on the BBC television series "Life on Mars". It was, however, unaccountably absent from the DVD boxset soundtrack.
The B-side "Backside" is attributed to "Ciggy Barlust and the Whales from Venus", an obvious allusion to David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars".
It was actually a Strawbs composition credited to all members of the band at that time.
The song was re-recorded (with different personnel) for the 2003 Strawbs album Blue Angel and also the 1979 Dave Cousins and Brian Willoughby album Old School Songs .
Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | October 13, 1972 | A&M | 7" single | AMS7035 | |
Denmark | 1973 | Sonet | 7" single | T 7265 | |
United States and Canada | 1974 | A&M | 7" single | AM 1451 | B-side "The Winter and the Summer" |
Netherlands | A&M | 7" single | 12396 AT | ||
Germany | 1973 | A&M | 7" single | 12396 AT | |
Spain | 1973 | A&M/Hispavox | 7" single | HS 897 | B-side "Mañana (Tomorrow)" |
New Zealand | 1973 | A&M | 7" single | AMK 4927 | B-side "The Flower and the Young Man" |
Japan | 1973 | A&M | 7" single | AM 186 | B-side "The Winter and the Summer" |
Israel | 1972 | A&M | 7" single | AMS 7035 | |
Portugal | 1972 | A&M | 7" single | 006 94136 |
The Strawbs are an English rock band founded in 1964 as the Strawberry Hill Boys. The band started out as a bluegrass group, but eventually moved on to other styles such as folk rock and progressive rock.
Grave New World is the fourth studio album by English band Strawbs, their fifth overall. It was the first album to be released after the departure of Rick Wakeman, who was replaced by Blue Weaver, late of Amen Corner.
Bursting at the Seams is the fifth studio album by English band Strawbs, released on 26 January 1973 by A&M Records. It was the first album to be released after the departure of founder member Tony Hooper and the recruitment of Dave Lambert. It contains their two most successful singles and peaked at No. 2 in the UK Album Chart and No. 65 in Canada.
Hero and Heroine is the seventh studio album by English band Strawbs.
"Benedictus" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1972 album Grave New World.
"Part of the Union" is a song by English band Strawbs, featured on their 1973 album Bursting at the Seams and was the band's most successful single, peaking at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. It also reached No. 10 in the Irish Singles Chart.
"Here It Comes" is a song by the English band Strawbs. It did not appear on any of their studio albums, but it was included on two compilation albums: Strawbs by Choice and Halcyon Days. Written by bandleader Dave Cousins, "Here It Comes" shows definite pop influences and a more commercial view to song-writing, a trait that would extend to the next single, "Lay Down".
Blue Angel is the 15th studio album by English band Strawbs. It was the first Strawbs album in 12 years to contain new material and featured several different line-ups of musicians from past Strawbs eras. Welsh folk-singer Mary Hopkin featured on many tracks, continuing a working partnership established by Dave Cousins and Brian Willoughby on their album The Bridge, from which several of the tracks on this album are drawn.
The Best of Strawbs is a compilation album of songs by Strawbs, with one track from the Dave Cousins solo album Two Weeks Last Summer.
"Shine on Silver Sun" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1974 album Hero and Heroine. It is written by Dave Cousins and was intended as a "come-back" single after the post-"Part of the Union" band split. The single was a minor success peaking at number 34 in the UK Singles Chart.
The Very Best of the Strawbs: Halcyon Days is a compilation album by English band Strawbs. Although credited to Strawbs it does contain three Hudson Ford tracks and a Dave Cousins solo track. The album was released as a 2-CD set in the UK and US. The US release has a slightly different title and a different track listing.
"Hero and Heroine" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1974 album of the same name. It is written by Dave Cousins. The song is in a similar vein to an earlier track "Witchwood" but with rather more obvious allegory.
"Autumn" is a three-part song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1974 album Hero and Heroine. The final part "The Winter Long" was released as a single in 1974 under the title "Hold on to Me ".
"Queen of Dreams" is a song performed by English band Strawbs and written by Dave Cousins. The track first appeared on the 1972 Grave New World album.
"New World" is a song by English band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins. The track first appeared on the Grave New World album.
"The Flower and the Young Man" is a song by English band Strawbs written by Dave Cousins. The track first appeared on the Grave New World album.
"Lemon Pie" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1974 album Ghosts.
"I Only Want My Love to Grow in You" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1976 album Deep Cuts.
"Charmer" is a song by English band Strawbs featured on their 1976 album Deep Cuts.
Lay Down with the Strawbs is a live album by English band Strawbs. It was recorded at Robin 2 in Bilston and features the "Hero and Heroine line-up" of the band with a guest appearance of former member John Ford.