LAY DOWN
Melanie & Edwin Hawkins Singers Lyrics
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Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
We were so close, there was no room
We bled inside each others wounds
We all had caught the same disease
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
So raise the candles high
'Cause if you don't we could stay black against the night
Oh, raise them higher again
And if you do we could stay dry against the rain
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
We were so close there was no room
We bled inside each others wounds
We all had caught the same disease
And we all sang the songs of peace
Some came to sing, some came to pray
Some came to keep the dark away
So raise the candles high
'Cause if you don't we could stay black against the sky
Oh, oh, raise them higher again
And if you do we could stay dry against the rain
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
You gotta lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
You gotta lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
You gotta lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
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Uh uh uh uh
Oh lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
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Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
Let it all down, let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds oh oh oh
Uh uh uh uh
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Uh uh uh uh
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Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
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Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
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Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh
Uh uh uh uh lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Let your white birds smile up at the ones
In "Lay Down," Melanie and the Edwin Hawkins Singers implore listeners to let go of their troubles and fears and to embrace peace and love. The song suggests that we all share a common bond of suffering and that by laying down our burdens, we can find solace and unity. The opening lines encourage the listener to relinquish their worries and turn their attention to the beauty of the world. The mention of "white birds" could be interpreted as a symbol of hope and purity, urging listeners to focus on the positive rather than the negative.
The song echoes the sentiment of the anti-war movement of the 1960s and 1970s, advocating for peaceful resolution rather than violent conflict. The lyrics "we all had caught the same disease, and we all sang the songs of peace" suggest that the disease is all-encompassing and that unity can only be found through the pursuit of peace. The repeated call to "lay down" emphasizes the importance of letting go of ego and personal strife to find communal harmony.
The song's outro repeats the sentiment of the opening lines, urging the listener to lay down their troubles and let their "white birds" (symbolic of hope and purity) shine through. The song ends on a note of unity, with the suggestion that if we all let go of our conflicts and negativity, we can create a world of love and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Take a break and release all burdens and stress
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Allow yourself to enjoy life's simple pleasures and disregard those who are negative
We were so close, there was no room
We were interconnected and deeply involved in each other's lives
We bled inside each others wounds
We shared each other's pain and struggles
We all had caught the same disease
We were all affected by the same problems and issues
And we all sang the songs of peace
We expressed our hope for peace and harmony through music
Some came to sing, some came to pray
People came together for different reasons, but all with the intention of finding peace
Some came to keep the dark away
People joined together to ward off negativity and find solace
So raise the candles high
Make a symbolic gesture to bring light and hope
'Cause if you don't we could stay black against the night
If we don't bring light, we might remain in darkness
Oh, raise them higher again
Make an even greater effort to bring light and hope
And if you do we could stay dry against the rain
If we work together, we can find protection from the hardships of life.
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Take a break and release all burdens and stress
You gotta lay down, lay down, let it all down
You must take a break and put your worries aside
Uh uh uh uh
Musical interlude
Let it all down, let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Release all the tension and negativity and find joy in the little things in life
Uh uh uh uh
Musical interlude
Lay down, lay down, let it all down
Take a break and release all burdens and stress
Uh uh uh uh
Musical interlude
Oh lay down, lay down, let it all down
Take a break and release all burdens and stress
Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Find happiness and positivity despite the negativity around you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MELANIE SAFKA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Morganasnotarobot0
Ur A Blessing! 💜♀️♂️
🔅 🌔🌕🌖🔆
Keep On Rockkn! Beautiful!....
Abrazós! 🎤 🎸 ☄
💚💖💚💖
Beautiful Blessings!
To U Bonita! 🕊️🌼🌼🌼🕊️
Amo!🕊️🌹🥀🌹🥀🌹.x.x..
May U All have All the beautiful love in the world!
Paź Amo Respect
🌾 🌬️⭐FoREVer⭐🌬️🌾⭐stay blessed⭐🥀....
@MelaniesafkaTheRealMelanie
"One Night in the Netherlands: Melanie Safka, 1970, and a Performance of a Lifetime" (Jeff Suwak, September 24): https://medium.com/yawp/one-night-in-the-netherlands-melanie-safka-1970-and-a-performance-of-a-lifetime-b4d2632f9cc1
@donaldsmith3926
Thanks so much for the link; I'm still following bread crumbs from that article. He has great taste in music.
@kinaleybas1761
Never forget this song, love her voice
@Morganasnotarobot0
Ur A Blessing! 💜♀️♂️
🔅 🌔🌕🌖🔆
Keep On Rockkn! Beautiful!....
Abrazós! 🎤 🎸 ☄
💚💖💚💖
Beautiful Blessings!
To U Bonita! 🕊️🌼🌼🌼🕊️
Amo!🕊️🌹🥀🌹🥀🌹.x.x..
May U All have All the beautiful love in the world!
Paź Amo Respect
🌾 🌬️⭐FoREVer⭐🌬️🌾⭐stay blessed⭐🥀....
@bobnan9815
Powerful and beautiful voice. Thank you Melanie for the memories.
@veronamartin5285
Wow! Amazing! Love & Peace. 💖 Love this song! Your voice is incredible.
@nancydemello2974
I'm listening in 2024! RIP Melanie! Thank you for this beautiful song to remember you by!!😢
@A1exS
hello from Russia ^-)
@nancydemello2974
Hello Russia! Is it Das ver Donna! Sorry for the misspelling! Im so happy that you love Melanie's music! So profounding! What a sad day for us here in America!
@nancydemello2974
Donha, again, sorry for this misspelling!