While MacIsaac's fiddle-playing is entirely traditional, he sets it in contemporary rock songs with hip hop and dance elements.
His greatest mainstream success in Canada was his 1995 album Hi™ How Are You Today?, featuring the hit single "Sleepy Maggie," with vocals in Gaelic by Mary Jane Lamond.
Lay me Down
Ashley MacIsaac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a 21 gun salute
Fireworks exploding
Angels are crying
Through a crystal Irish flute
Angels are crying
Champagne is spilled
As if a million flowers
Had suddenly been killed
As if a million flowers
Dearly beloved
We are gathered here today
Dearly beloved
We have come together
For the love that got away
For the love that got away
Naked on a staircase
That we could never build
As if a million flowers
Had suddenly been killed
As if a million flowers
As if a million flowers
As if a million flowers
As if a million flowers
Roulette, roulette, place your bet
Roulette, roulette, cigarette
As if a million flowers
As if a million flowers
As if a million flowers
As if a million flowers
And the last time
Explain:
The lyrics to Ashley MacIsaac's song Lay Me Down are evocative and poetic, imbuing a sense of loss and mourning that is palpable throughout the song. The opening lines reference fireworks exploding in a 21 gun salute, which is a traditional military honor and tribute that often takes place at funerals. This imagery is juxtaposed with the sound of a crystal Irish flute, which is said to be capable of producing exceptionally pure and clear notes, often used to evoke a sense of sadness or contemplation. It's as if the explosive shock of the fireworks is mirrored by the delicate and mournful beauty of the flute. The image of crying angels reinforces this sense of mourning and loss, as if the heavens themselves are grieving.
The next stanza introduces champagne, a symbol of celebration and luxury, which is being spilled or wasted as if it were nothing. The image of a million flowers being killed further highlights the sense of waste and loss, as if something delicate and beautiful has been destroyed. The refrain of "as if a million flowers" repeated three times emphasizes this feeling of excess and emptiness. The following stanza introduces a wedding or gathering of some kind, where the singer notes that they have gathered for "the love that got away." This suggests that the gathering is not a happy one, but rather a commemoration of love lost and the pain that comes with it.
Finally, the song closes with the repeating refrain of "as if a million flowers" followed by the words "roulette, roulette, place your bet" and "roulette, roulette, cigarette," which suggest a sense of ultimate futility or randomness in life. The last line, "and the last time," suggests finality and a sense of closure.
Overall, the lyrics to Lay Me Down are haunting, powerful, and imbued with a sense of sadness and loss that is difficult to forget. It is a song that is steeped in emotion and meaning, evoking the fragility and beauty of life, love, and the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Fireworks exploding
The celebration has begun
In a 21 gun salute
A show of honor and respect
Fireworks exploding
The party continues
Angels are crying
Sorrow is in the air
Through a crystal Irish flute
Music adds to the emotion
Angels are crying
The sadness persists
Champagne is spilling
The festivities are unrestrained
Champagne is spilled
The excitement can't be contained
As if a million flowers
The beauty of life is fleeting
Had suddenly been killed
All that was once lovely is gone
Dearly beloved
People gather to mourn
We are gathered here today
The community comes together
We have come together
People unite
For the love that got away
An unrequited love brings heartache
Naked on a staircase
A sense of vulnerability and exposure
That we could never build
Our dreams can be out of reach
As if a million flowers
Life's beauty is fleeting
Had suddenly been killed
All that was once lovely is gone
As if a million flowers
The beauty of life is fleeting
As if a million flowers
Life's beauty is fleeting
As if a million flowers
All that was once lovely is gone
Roulette, roulette, place your bet
Life is a gamble
Roulette, roulette, cigarette
The danger of addiction
As if a million flowers
The beauty of life is fleeting
As if a million flowers
All that was once lovely is gone
As if a million flowers
Life's beauty is fleeting
As if a million flowers
All that was once lovely is gone
And the last time
The end has come
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: PHILIP JAMES RICE, RICHARD GUARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind