Rock and roll isn't a sound. It's not an attitude. It's a need, it's a figh… Read Full Bio ↴Rock and roll isn't a sound. It's not an attitude. It's a need, it's a fight, it's the saving grace in the wake of a broken heart or something lost.

If you ask what Down and Outlaws sound like, someone might mention The Stooges or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. But at some level, such comparisons miss the point. Call these San Franciscans bluesy, rootsy, dirty; it doesn't really matter. Down and Outlaws are a rock and roll band, pure and simple.

These days, when the definition of rock and roll is increasingly uncertain, the tight-knit quartet's energy, authenticity, and blistering live performances are impossible to ignore or forget.

With strong collective songwriting, Kyle Luck's guitar work, Jon Carr and Chris Danzig's gut-busting rhythm section, and Peter Danzig's howling vocals, Down and Outlaws play because they’ve got no choice. Music has saved the D&O, and they hope to return the favor.

"Raw energy, blistering guitar leads and dirty vocals over thick bass lines and driving drums. Though their aesthetic is dark and brooding, they write songs that are smartly accessible."

-- San Franpsycho (Bands You Need to Know)

"Down and Outlaws sets the tone for refined songwriting and tight technique in a genre often plagued by showy, loose compositions."

-- East Bay Express

Lay me Down
Down and Outlaws Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Kick me
Kick me when I'm down
Hurt me
Strip me to the bone
Kick me
Give it your best shot
Leave me
Leave me here to rot

Stick that blade in, Baby
Twist that bastard round
Throw me over girl now
Kick me when I'm down

Stamp on my heart, Baby
With your high stiletto shoes

Through the heart, oh girl now
Let your anger loose

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Down and Outlaws' "Lay Me Down" paint a picture of a person who is already down and out feeling like they are being kicked even further when they are at their lowest point. The use of the phrase "kick me when I'm down" is a metaphor for this individual's perceived mistreatment. The lyrics suggest that they have been hurt to such a degree that they have been stripped down to their bare bones, left with little but the pain inflicted upon them. However, they continue to ask to be kicked, insisting that no matter how hard they are hit, they will remain standing.

The idea of being "stabbed in the back" is reinforced in the lyrics "stick that blade in baby, twist that bastard round." The imagery of a knife being twisted evokes a sense of betrayal and a heart-wrenching pain. The next set of lyrics, "throw me over girl now, kick me when I'm down," suggests a sense of defeat or abandonment, as if the person has been discarded and left to suffer alone.

The final verse of the song is equally poignant, with the image of a stiletto heel piercing through the heart. There is a sense of release in these lyrics, as if the pain has become so intense that the only way to find relief is for the person to let their anger out. The chorus repeats throughout the song, emphasizing this image of being kicked while down, echoing the theme of the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

Kick me
Please hurt me or treat me poorly.

Kick me when I'm down
Hurt me even more when I'm in a vulnerable state.

Hurt me
Cause me physical or emotional pain.

Strip me to the bone
Take everything from me until there's nothing left.

Kick me
Please hurt me or treat me poorly.

Give it your best shot
Try your hardest to cause me harm.

Leave me
Abandon me or take off.

Leave me here to rot
Abandon me to suffer on my own until I die.

Stick that blade in, Baby
Stab me with a sharp object, my love.

Twist that bastard round
Turn the knife to cause more pain and injury.

Throw me over girl now
Cast me aside without any concern, my sweetie.