Lay Down (Strawbs song)
"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
The lyrics are loosely based on the
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 was brought to the public's attention again in 2007 when it featured on the BBC television series "
B-Side
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.
Other recordings
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.
Personnel
- Dave Cousins – lead vocals, electric guitar
- Dave Lambert – lead guitar, backing vocals
- John Ford – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Blue Weaver – mellotron[3]
- Richard Hudson – drums, backing vocals
Release history
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 |
Notes
- ^ "Strawbs". officialcharts.com.
- ^ "STRAWBS ALBUMS". www.strawbsweb.co.uk.
- ^ Awde, Nick 2008, p225-226
References
- "Lay Down" at Strawbsweb
- Sleeve notes to CD 540 936-2 (A&M) Bursting at the Seams
- Awde, Nick. Mellotron: The Machine and Musicians That Revolutionised Rock, Desert Hearts, 2008. ISBN 978-1-898948-02-5