Their first release in 1985 was a seven-inch single named "Crazy Game", with the B-side "Everybody's Waiting (for Someone to Come Home)". That same year, the Indigo Girls released a six-track Extended play album named "Indigo Girls", and in 1987 released their first full-length album, Strange Fire, recorded at John Keane Studio in Athens, Georgia, and including "Crazy Game". With this release, they secured the services of Russell Carter, who remains their manager to the present; they had first approached him when the EP album was released, but he told them their songs were "immature" and they were not likely to get a record deal.
They were signed to Epic Records in 1989 and won the Grammy for best contemporary folk album later that year (for their self titled release) Some of their hit songs include "Galileo," "Closer to Fine," and "Shame on You."
Aside from being musicians, Ray and Saliers are activists, constantly supporting causes like gun control, women's rights, Native American rights, environmental protection, the abolition of the death penalty, and as lesbians themselves, LGBT rights. They constantly devote their time and money to such causes, often playing benefit concerts.
Ray and Saliers both have side projects. Ray owns and founded Daemon Records, an independent label based in Decatur. She also has a career as a solo artist, and has released two albums thus far. Saliers is the part owner of Watershed, a restaurant and wine bar in Decatur.
Together, the Indigo Girls are constantly touring. Their new album, Poseidon and the Bitter Bug, was released March 24, 2009.
Lay My Head Down
Indigo Girls Lyrics
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Look at us getting loose
She leans back against the wall and she watches, tugging her collar like it might be a noose.
And everyone's tied to their thing
To their past or their drink or the date that they bring
I just get tired all of sudden taking it in.
Because you're the only solid thing in this room
A room full of changes, strangers, illusion, confusion,
I speak from my heart but I'm not really sure if it's true.
I wanna lay my head down on you.
Oh they say don't waste too much time planning
Or you'll get rug ripped out
And the only way you?ll be satisfied
Is learning to live without.
But some plan for the kingdom of heaven
And some take their chances and bet lucky seven
I don?t know what to believe, I just show up and breathe anymore.
And I wanna lay my head down on you
Because you're the only solid thing in this room
A room full of dressers, professors, lookers, hookers
If I don?t get out I'll do something I don?t wanna do.
And I wanna lay my head down on you.
Was it so long ago
That we sat and talked in your car
Your things were all packed
And the place you were headed not really that far
Years later I think
That I would have been much more alive
To have taken you up on your offer and taken that drive
Oh well everything that?s come before us leads us to where we are now
And that's simple, I know so why can't I let go of the feeling
That I'm lost somehow
I'm just a ghost looking in
Out of my own life just visiting
In search of a body to have and to hold and to keep and to sleep.
I wanna lay my head down on you
Because you're the only solid thing in this room
A room full of missed chance, slow dance, cold fate heartache
I showed up for a party and saw my life story full view
And I wanna lay my head down on you.
The Indigo Girls’s song “Lay My Head Down” is a powerful ballad about feeling lost in a room full of people and the desire to find a sense of grounding and connection amidst the chaos. The lyrics describe a party that has “kicked up a few notches” and the singer’s feeling of exhaustion as they observe the people around them. The line “she tugs her collar like it might be a noose” suggests the suffocating feeling of being trapped in a social situation. The song goes on to describe the different ways that people cope with the stress of the event, some by holding on to their past or drinking, while the singer longs for a stronger sense of connection that can only be found in the presence of one person - the person they want to lay their head down on.
The song taps into a profound sense of loneliness and isolation that can be felt even in a crowded room. The line “I speak from my heart but I'm not really sure if it's true” speaks to the disconnection between what we say and what we feel. The singer yearns for something genuine and grounding, something that they can only find in the person they want to lay their head down on. The song references missed chances and opportunities, suggesting a longing for a past that cannot be regained.
Overall, “Lay My Head Down” is a poignant and relatable song that speaks to the human need for connection and the desire to find a sense of grounding amidst the chaos of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the party?s kicked up a few notches
The party has become more lively and active
Look at us getting loose
We are becoming more relaxed and carefree
She leans back against the wall and she watches, tugging her collar like it might be a noose.
An individual leans against a wall to observe the party, while appearing anxious and restrained
And everyone's tied to their thing
Everyone is committed to their own focus or interest
To their past or their drink or the date that they bring
They are committed to their past experiences, consumption of drinks, or accompanying date
I just get tired all of sudden taking it in.
Suddenly and overwhelmingly, I feel exhausted from observing it all
And I want to lay my head down on you
I desire to lean my head upon you for support and comfort
Because you're the only solid thing in this room
Amidst the chaos of the party, you are the only stable presence
A room full of changes, strangers, illusion, confusion,
The room contains numerous elements of uncertainty, deception, and chaos
I speak from my heart but I'm not really sure if it's true.
Although I speak candidly, I am not confident in the accuracy of my words
I wanna lay my head down on you.
I long to rest my head against you for emotional comfort
Oh they say don't waste too much time planning
People advise not to spend excessive amounts of time strategizing
Or you'll get rug ripped out
If you plan too much, you may experience unexpected failure
And the only way you?ll be satisfied
The sole approach to finding fulfillment
Is learning to live without.
Is to become accustomed to experiencing absence, or enduring absence
But some plan for the kingdom of heaven
Certain individuals prepare for the afterlife or the afterworld
And some take their chances and bet lucky seven
Other people choose to take risks or rely on luck to improve their fortunes
I don?t know what to believe, I just show up and breathe anymore.
Unsure of what to trust or have faith in, I merely exist and inhale/exhale
And I wanna lay my head down on you
I still seek to rest my head upon you, despite the varied beliefs of life
A room full of dressers, professors, lookers, hookers
The parties contains individuals of several backgrounds, such as students, educators, observers and prostitutes
If I don?t get out I'll do something I don?t wanna do.
If I do not remove myself from the party, I may behave in a manner that is inconsistent with my morality
Was it so long ago
Was it really such a distant moment in the past?
That we sat and talked in your car
When we sat together in your vehicle and conversed
Your things were all packed
Your belongings were prepared and arranged for transportation
And the place you were headed not really that far
The location which you were traveling to was not particularly distant
Years later I think
In the present, I reflect upon that memory which took place many years ago
That I would have been much more alive
Hypothetically, I would have experienced greater vitality
To have taken you up on your offer and taken that drive
If I had taken advantage of your invitation for a drive, things may have turned out differently
Oh well everything that?s come before us leads us to where we are now
All prior experiences and actions have contributed to our present situation
And that's simple, I know so why can't I let go of the feeling
Although the concept is uncomplicated, I still struggle to release this emotion
That I'm lost somehow
The impression that I am experiencing a level of aimlessness or bewilderment
I'm just a ghost looking in
I myself am akin to a spectral figure who is observing from afar
Out of my own life just visiting
As though I am only visiting my own existence and not actively participating
In search of a body to have and to hold and to keep and to sleep.
In pursuit of a partner with whom I may embrace, secure, and slumber
Because you're the only solid thing in this room
You remain to be the only dependable figure in this chaotic atmosphere
A room full of missed chance, slow dance, cold fate heartache
A room overflowing with regret, sluggish romance, calamity, and sorrow
I showed up for a party and saw my life story full view
Upon arriving at this celebration, I recognize that my entire life story is on display
And I wanna lay my head down on you.
Despite the grim revelations, I still desire to lean upon you for support and solace
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY, EMILY ANN SALIERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind