Peterson’s artistic successes may be surpassed by his skill in connecting people, embodied in the Rabbit Room online community (RabbitRoom.com), which gathers contributions from authors, songwriters, and pastors, encouraging creativity and referencing its ultimate source. The thread of community, also a theme of Counting Stars, imbues his beloved annual Christmas show, Behold The Lamb Of God, a long-running multi-artist tour based on Peterson’s original Christmas album of the same name. In all of these works, Peterson’s listeners can hear reminders that community, beauty, and hope all point back to the God “who gave music the power to carry his light into the darkness.” Andrew, his wife Jamie, and their three children make their home in Nashville.
Lay me Down
Andrew Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bury me beneath the rows of corn
Or in-between the maple trees I climbed on as a boy
Where in the Land of Lincoln I was born
Oh, and I recall
We rode the combines in the fall
And there comes a time
So when you lay me down to die
I'll miss my boys, I'll miss my girls
Lay me down and let me say goodbye to this world
You can lay me anywhere
But just remember this
When you lay me down to die
You lay me down to live
Well I asked a girl to marry me on a dock out on the lake
Our babies came to life in Tennessee
And the music of the mountains is still keeping me awake
Yeah, but everything that rises falls asleep
We are not alone
We are more than flesh and bone
What is seen will pass away
What is not is going home
When you lay me down to die
I'll miss my boys, I'll miss my girls
Lay me down and let me say goodbye to this world
You can lay me anywhere
But just remember this
When you lay me down to die
I'll open up my eyes on the skies I've never known
In the place where I belong
And I'll realize His love is just another word for Home
I believe in the holy shores of uncreated light
I believe there is power in the blood
And all of the death that ever was,
If you set it next to life
I believe it would barely fill a cup
'Cause I believe there's power in the blood
When you lay me down to die
So long, boys, so long, girls
Lay me down and let me say goodbye to this world
You can lay me anywhere
But just remember this
When you lay me down to die
You lay me down to live
In Andrew Peterson's song "Lay Me Down," the artist sings about death and what comes after. He starts off by saying that he could be buried anywhere, even in the place where he was born, Illinois, beneath rows of corn or maple trees. He reminisces about riding combines in the fall during harvest time, and how there comes a point when it's time to gather what's been reaped. He then goes on to say that when he dies, he'll miss his loved ones and how he'll say goodbye to this world, but it's important to remember that death is just the beginning of a new life.
As the song progresses, Andrew sings about his life - how he asked a girl to marry him on a dock out on a lake and how they had children in Tennessee. He talks about the mountains and how they keep him awake with their music. He then acknowledges that we are more than just flesh and bone, and what we see will eventually pass away. It's what's not seen that's going home. He speaks about opening up his eyes in a place he's never known and realizing that God's love is just another word for home. He finishes off the song by saying that he believes in the holy shores of uncreated light, that he believes there's power in the blood, and how death, if compared to life, would barely fill a cup because he believes there's power in the blood.
Overall, "Lay Me Down" is a spiritual song that speaks to the belief that although we will eventually pass away, there's something beyond this world that awaits us. It's a reminder that death is just a new beginning, and the lyrics are written in such a way that it exudes peace and comfort.
Line by Line Meaning
I suppose you could lay me down to die in Illinois
It doesn't matter where I am buried when I die, but Illinois, the Land of Lincoln where I was born, could be a good choice.
Bury me beneath the rows of corn
I have fond memories of riding the combines during the fall harvest, so burying me under the corn would be fitting.
Or in-between the maple trees I climbed on as a boy
The maple trees where I spent time climbing as a kid would also be a great spot for me to be buried.
Oh, and I recall
Recalling fond memories of my life before I die.
We rode the combines in the fall
One of my fondest memories is riding combines during the autumn harvest.
And there comes a time
All things have a time and place to occur, even death.
For gathering the harvest after all
Just as harvest time comes, so does the time for us to pass away.
So when you lay me down to die
No matter where I am buried, this applies.
I'll miss my boys, I'll miss my girls
I'll miss my loved ones when I'm gone.
Lay me down and let me say goodbye to this world
Let me have closure before I pass away.
You can lay me anywhere
It doesn't matter to me where I am buried when I die.
But just remember this
This is important for you to know and remember.
When you lay me down to die
Another reminder that this applies to any location where I am buried.
You lay me down to live
While physically gone, the promise of an eternal afterlife gives me hope that I will continue to live on.
Well I asked a girl to marry me on a dock out on the lake
Sharing a memory of asking my love to marry me, which happened on a dock by a lake.
Our babies came to life in Tennessee
We had children while living in Tennessee, which became a special place for us.
And the music of the mountains is still keeping me awake
The beauty of the mountain music still resonates with me even now.
Yeah, but everything that rises falls asleep
Even the most wonderful things in life will come to an end eventually.
We are not alone
We are more than our physical bodies and have a spiritual connection to something greater.
We are more than flesh and bone
Our existence is not simply physical, but something deeper and more profound.
What is seen will pass away
Everything we see and know in life will eventually come to an end.
What is not is going home
However, there is something greater beyond this life that we will return to.
I'll open up my eyes on the skies I've never known
When I pass away, I will witness a place and see things that I have never experienced before.
In the place where I belong
My spiritual home, or the place I am meant to be.
And I'll realize His love is just another word for Home
Realizing that the home I am returning to is the result of the love and grace of a higher being.
I believe in the holy shores of uncreated light
Expressing my faith in the divine and the eternal light that awaits me.
I believe there is power in the blood
Believing in the power of faith and the redemption offered by a higher power.
And all of the death that ever was,
Death is a natural part of life, and all who have passed before will join me in the afterlife.
If you set it next to life
Comparing the enormity of life to the mere presence of death.
I believe it would barely fill a cup
Even though death is a part of life, it is a small part compared to the amazing experience of living.
So long, boys, so long, girls
A final farewell to my loved ones.
Contributed by Kaylee O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.