Rooted in the Orange County community of Huntington Beach, California, founding band members Jared Watson and guitarist / vocalist Dustin Bushnell met in 1996 while in high school, embarking on a friendship based on music, as well as their shared passion for surfing, skating and the endless party of the laid-back SoCal lifestyle.
Early on, they spent many late nights jamming in Bushnell’s soundproof garage with a four-track recorder, writing unique acoustic hip-hop songs that featured reggae inflections. Inspired by the rock and reggae sounds of Bob Marley, Sublime, 311 and The Beastie Boys, the band’s music evolved into their distinct Dirty Heads style.
To complete the Dirty Heads’ sound, the duo added percussionist Jon Olazabal and drummer Matt Ochoa, both talented, experienced musicians. With a set of solid material, the Dirty Heads were further motivated to take their craft to the next level, and they began building a loyal fan base throughout the west coast, while performing acoustically at local bars and small music venues. As they started playing in neighboring Los Angeles, the band found it necessary to charter party buses so their fans could make the 30-mile trek to their shows.
Connecting with sought-after producers Steve Fox and Stan Frazier (Sugar Ray / Ashlee Simpson) the band worked long hours to polish their material and further develop their style. The Dirty Heads also recruited mixing engineer Mario Caldato Jr., best known for his work with the Beastie Boys, to add the finishing touches and create just the right blend.
The band’s highly-anticipated first full-length album is entitled, Any Port in the Storm (Released on EMG through Fontana, a division of Universal Music Group Distribution - September 2008). This debut features 14 tracks that are reminiscent of the upbeat, sun-soaked Southern California party energy. The first single is the optimistic, “Stand Tall.”
Any Port in the Storm also features one of the final recordings of the late music industry icon Billy Preston. Frequently referred to as “The Fifth Beatle,” Preston played on three tracks, including “Stand Tall,” “Chelsea,” and “Driftin.’ ” Other special guests on the album are drummer Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle, Sting, The Vandals), and veteran session percussionist Alex Acuna, whose A-list musician resume includes Peter Gabriel, Johnny Clegg, and Jackson Browne, to name only a few.
Recently, the band’s music has been attracting attention throughout the world of entertainment. Their songs have been featured in the movie and soundtrack for Surf’s Up (Sony 2007); and the television drama, Shark staring James Woods (CBS 2007. Actor Matthew McConaughey selected the band’s music to be in his upcoming film, Surfer Dude. In addition, the Dirty Heads can be heard in Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam video game (Activision 2007), and several other music compilations and surf/skate videos. On the marketing side, the Dirty Heads have also been included in campaigns for Etnies Jeans and Vestal Watches.
Dirty Heads vocalist Jared Watson sums up their fun, uncomplicated style, “We want to be positive and entertain,” he says. “We just want to make you feel good.”
And who can’t dig that?
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Lay Me Down
The Dirty Heads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the run, from the one That they called Sheriff Spark
Six guns by their side and bullets around their waist
Two shots to the sky
Signal sound for the chase
The safe was nearly empty and They were nearly free
But were seen by the Good eye of the mean Billy Green
And he screamed at the top of his lungs They're on the run
It's the two outsiders Grab your horses and your guns
I said I wish that
We could stay here,
But I fear our time has come
We could ride out in the darkness
Chasing the rising sun
We gotta pack our bags this instant,
We're heading south-bound to the next town
And if we all arrive there so safely,
Baby you can
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Well it's the story of the two
Always on the move
They got nothing left to lose
'Cept their guns and their wounds
Now they're crossing borders
Sheriffs posse on their tail
They'd rather die together
Than be stuck up in a cell
They drank up all the whiskey and They partied every night
Like it could be the last The bounty said shoot on sight
So they chased the endless summer Though it came with the pride
They wouldn't stop running till They found a paradise
But the sheriff finally found them with his eyes seeing red
So the lovers had to shoot him down and fill him full of lead
They were finally free To find a place to lay their head
And when they finally did he looked at her and then he said
I said I think that we can stay here,
'Cause I feel our time has come
And we can walk down to the ocean,
And sit with the rising sun
So unpack your bags this instant,
No more running from town to town
And now that we've arrived so safely,
Baby you can
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Well you're my green-eyed girl And I've been running around with you
It's the afternoon and we got nothing left to do
So wipe the dirt off, or Take your shirt off,
And we should go hit the cantina, We got work off
I said it's hot outside Let me go swimming in your eyes
We've been running for a while
Why don't you lay down and make smile
I could never ask for nothing better than this
It's just tequila and the beach, that's why its salty when we kiss
I said I think that we can stay here,
'Cause I feel our time has come
And we can walk down to the ocean,
And sit with the rising sun
So unpack your bags this instant,
No more running from town to town
And now that we've arrived so safely,
Baby you can
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
The Dirty Heads' song Lay Me Down is a story about two people who are in love and on the run. They are being chased by Sheriff Spark and his posse, and are carrying six guns with bullets around their waist. The lyrics describe how the couple is trying to escape and find a safe haven as they move from town to town. However, Sheriff Spark is always on their tail, making it difficult for them to find a place to rest.
The lovers keep running until they finally find a place to lay their heads, and they unpack their bags instantly. The lyrics suggest that this is the end of the chase, and that they can finally relax and enjoy each other's company without fearing for their lives. The song ends with the couple laying down together, enjoying the beauty of the rising sun and the ocean.
Overall, the lyrics of the song portray a sense of freedom, adventure and love. The couple is willing to risk everything to find a place where they can be happy together. The song is full of imagery, describing the landscape and the emotions of the couple as they continue their journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Well this is how it starts, Two lovers in the dark
The story begins with two people in love, hiding in the dark.
On the run, from the one That they called Sheriff Spark
They are running away from Sheriff Spark, who is after them.
Six guns by their side and bullets around their waist
They are armed with six guns and carrying bullets.
Two shots to the sky Signal sound for the chase
They fire two shots as a signal to start a chase.
The safe was nearly empty and They were nearly free
They have almost emptied the safe and are close to freedom.
But were seen by the Good eye of the mean Billy Green
However, Billy Green, who has good vision, spots them.
And he screamed at the top of his lungs They're on the run
Billy Green shouts that the couple is running away.
It's the two outsiders Grab your horses and your guns
He calls for the outsiders to get their horses and guns to chase the couple.
I said I wish that We could stay here, But I fear our time has come
The lover wishes to stay but knows that their time is running out.
We could ride out in the darkness Chasing the rising sun
They could leave in the darkness while chasing the sunrise.
We gotta pack our bags this instant, We're heading south-bound to the next town
They need to pack their bags and leave for the next town immediately.
And if we all arrive there so safely, Baby you can Lay me down
If they arrive safely, the lover can lay down next to them.
Well it's the story of the two Always on the move They got nothing left to lose 'Cept their guns and their wounds
This is a story of two people who are always on the move, with nothing to lose except for their weapons and injuries.
Now they're crossing borders Sheriffs posse on their tail They'd rather die together Than be stuck up in a cell
They are crossing borders with the sheriff's posse pursuing them, and they would rather die together than be imprisoned.
They drank up all the whiskey and They partied every night Like it could be the last The bounty said shoot on sight
They drank all the whiskey, and partied as if every night was their last, knowing that there's a bounty on their heads.
So they chased the endless summer Though it came with the pride They wouldn't stop running till They found a paradise
They ran towards an endless summer, seeking paradise, with the pride that kept them going.
But the sheriff finally found them with his eyes seeing red So the lovers had to shoot him down and fill him full of lead
The sheriff finally caught up with them, so they had to kill him to defend themselves.
They were finally free To find a place to lay their head And when they finally did he looked at her and then he said
After killing the sheriff, they finally had their freedom and found a place to rest. The man looked at the woman and spoke.
I said I think that we can stay here, 'Cause I feel our time has come And we can walk down to the ocean, And sit with the rising sun
The man thinks they can stay here because he feels their time has come. They can walk to the ocean and sit with the rising sun.
So unpack your bags this instant, No more running from town to town And now that we've arrived so safely, Baby you can Lay me down
The man asks the woman to unpack their bags and stay here. They won't have to keep running from town to town anymore. If they arrived safely, she could lay him down.
Well you're my green-eyed girl And I've been running around with you It's the afternoon and we got nothing left to do
The man calls the woman his green-eyed girl and says that they've been running around together. It's afternoon, and they have nothing to do.
So wipe the dirt off, or Take your shirt off, And we should go hit the cantina, We got work off
The man suggests wiping the dirt off, or taking their shirts off, and going to the cantina as they have the day off.
I said it's hot outside Let me go swimming in your eyes We've been running for a while Why don't you lay down and make smile
Since it's hot outside, the man asks to swim in the woman's eyes. They've been running for a while, so he suggests she lays down and they smile together.
I could never ask for nothing better than this It's just tequila and the beach, that's why its salty when we kiss
The man says he couldn't ask for anything better than tequila and the beach, causing their kisses to be salty.
Lay me down Lay me down Lay me down Lay me down Lay me down
Repeat of the chorus where the man asks the woman to lay him down.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DUSTIN BUSHNELL, JARED WATSON, ROMAN RENE RAMIREZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind