Born in Queens, New York to Swiss German-American Fred Lauper and Sicilian Italian-American Catrine Dominique, she began her career in a cover band, but soon began performing her own songs (though she almost quit singing altogether due to strained vocal chords in 1977). By 1980 she'd released a rockabilly album on Polydor with the band Blue Angel. Despite much critical acclaim, the album "went lead," as Lauper says, and the band split as Lauper filed for bankruptcy.
In 1983 she started dating her manager David Wolff with whom she released She's So Unusual, a worldwide hit album which made Lauper a household name. A mixture of teen-friendly pop-rock and edgier, almost punky sounds, the album's biggest hit, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, quickly established itself as a female anthem. Lauper won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards of 1984 for her work on the album. Lauper was the first female artist to have four consecutive Hot 100 Top 5 hits from one album.
Subsequent albums (such as True Colors, A Night to Remember, Hat Full of Stars) did not sell as well, but Lauper remains active to the present day and still retains a very strong fan base.
Lauper's latest album Memphis Blues was released in June 2011, premiering at #1 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart where it remained for 14 consecutive weeks. The album also reached #26 on the Billboard Top 200, and was later named the Billboard Blues Album of the year, also earning Lauper a Grammy nomination. This brought her total Grammy nominations to 13 with one win.
Lay Me Down
Cyndi Lauper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without steady feet
You know the reckless kind
Keep coming, coming back
To the same old place
With that wild eyed stare
Up in your face
Lay me down, let me down
In a big old town
Lay me down, let me down
In a big old town
He must have lost his soul
When he found the rent
He wrestles with control
Still hasn't pinned it yet
Once in, once in a while
Loose that cigarette
There's always some strange smile
Underneath his breath
[Chorus]
Passion's fist against a wall
The crush of a kiss, the rise and fall
Take me there, take me there
To that wounded sound
It's just love's despair
Gone and hit the ground
[Chorus]
Lay me down,, let me down [Repeated]
The song "Lay Me Down" by Cyndi Lauper portrays a relationship between two people where one person is struggling to find stability in their life while the other person supports them. The opening lines describe a street with no one around, except for the person singing the song who reflects on her partner's behavior. She describes him as wild and reckless, yet he always comes back to the same old place with a wild-eyed stare.
In the chorus, the singer requests to "lay me down" in a big, old town, highlighting her desire for a sense of security and stability. The following verses detail the other person's struggle with control and his tendency to lose himself in passion.
The lines "Passion's fist against a wall, The crush of a kiss, the rise and fall" evoke a sense of intense emotional struggle and turmoil. Although the gentle request to "lay me down" seems simple enough, the song is addressing deeper emotional needs and desires.
Overall, the song "Lay Me Down" by Cyndi Lauper conveys a message of understanding, love and a strong desire for stability and security. It speaks to those who have found themselves in relationships with partners who have addictive or reckless tendencies.
Line by Line Meaning
An empty street, a quiet smile
Walking down a deserted street with a subtle smile on your face.
Without steady feet
Walking without confidence or stability.
You know the reckless kind
You understand the type of individuals who act impulsively.
Keep coming, coming back
Continuously returning to the same place.
To the same old place
Going back to the same familiar spot.
With that wild eyed stare
Staring with eyes that are expressive or intense.
Up in your face
Directly confronting you.
[Chorus]
Refrain that repeats throughout the song.
He must have lost his soul
A man who has lost his passion or motivation.
When he found the rent
When he started focusing solely on paying bills.
He wrestles with control
Struggling to maintain authority over his life.
Still hasn't pinned it yet
He hasn't yet mastered control.
Once in, once in a while
Occasionally indulging in something.
Loose that cigarette
Dropping or letting go of a smoking habit.
There's always some strange smile
There is always an enigmatic grin on his face.
Underneath his breath
Muttering silently or softly to himself
[Chorus]
Refrain that repeats throughout the song.
Passion's fist against a wall
Channeling emotions in a destructive manner, such as punching a wall.
The crush of a kiss, the rise and fall
Experiencing the highs and lows of a romantic relationship.
Take me there, take me there
Longing to escape and go somewhere else.
To that wounded sound
To that melody that conveys pain or heartache.
It's just love's despair
It's just feeling hopeless or unhappy because of love.
Gone and hit the ground
Having fallen or failed.
[Chorus]
Refrain that repeats throughout the song.
Lay me down, let me down [Repeated]
Request to be laid down in a comfortable place.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: CYNDI LAUPER, ANDREAS KLEERUP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Raphael Martin
I will never understand why Cyndi never released this song as a single
Crystal Tompkins
This album is amazing. XX
Nathan Farias
I can hear Cher covering this ! Her dark booming voice would tear this up
natebeach
Dude, yeeeeeees!!! 😆 It would be euphoric! 😄 Especially with Cher's bravado!
Carlos Alberto Peres Moura
Linda...salve Cyndi Lauper😚
luis lagraña
Te escucho y estalla mi corazón de amor
day light
amazing
ObeyDaStrawberry
this got me dancing in my chair
natebeach
Amen, sister! Ditto! 😎
Loretta's Rock Music
CYNDI RULES!!