Lay My Love
Eno / Cale Lyrics

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Lay My Love
I am the crow of desperation
I need no fact or validation
I span relentless variation
I scramble in the dust of a failing nation
I was concealed
Now I am stirring
And I have waited for this time.

I am the termite of temptation
I multiply and find my population
I am the wheel I am the turning
And I will lay my love around you.
I am the sea of permutation
I live beyond interpretation
I scramble all the names and the combinations
I penetrate the walls of explanation
I am the will
I am the burning
And I will lay my love around you.
I am the will

I am the yearning
And I will lay my love around you.

Overall Meaning

The song "Lay My Love" by Brian Eno and John Cale is a poetic exploration of the many faces of desire and how it drives people to do what they do. The lyrics are delivered by a narrator who seems to embody many different aspects of this desire - from the desperate crow that needs no validation to the termite that multiplies and finds its population. Each line of the song draws us deeper into this world of shifting identities and urges that are difficult to understand or control.

Despite the enigmatic nature of the lyrics, there is a sense of purpose and determination that runs through the song. The singer declares that they have "waited for this time" and that they will "lay my love around you" - a phrase that could be interpreted as both a promise of fulfillment and a threat of possession. The repeated refrain of "I am the will, I am the burning" further emphasizes the sense of agency and intensity that drives the singer.

Overall, "Lay My Love" is a complex and evocative song that captures the many facets of desire and the ways it can shape our lives. The lyrics are highly metaphorical and open to multiple interpretations, but there is a sense of power and urgency that is palpable throughout the track.

Line by Line Meaning

I am the crow of desperation
I am the embodiment of hopelessness and despair.

I need no fact or validation
I don't require proof or confirmation.

I span relentless variation
I embody countless variations that relentlessly continue.

I scramble in the dust of a failing nation
I struggle in the debris of a failing society.

I was concealed
I was hidden and unknown.

Now I am stirring
Now I am active and moving.

And I have waited for this time.
I have been anticipating this moment.

I am the termite of temptation
I am the creature that entices and tempts.

I multiply and find my population
I grow in number and become a populous.

I am the wheel I am the turning
I am the machine and the constant motion.

And I will lay my love around you.
And I will surround you with my caring.