LAY DOWN
Melanie & Edwin Hawkins Singers Lyrics


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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

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

Uh uh uh uh
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
Uh uh uh uh
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
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
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

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
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

Overall Meaning

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
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@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⭐🥀....



All comments from YouTube:

@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.

124 More Replies...

@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!

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