page_title: Lay Lady Lay
section_title: Music and lyrics
hierarchical_section_title: Lay Lady Lay / Bob Dylan's version / Music and lyrics
caption_attribution_description: English: Bob Dylan's "Lay, Lady, Lay" verse.
context_page_description: "Lay Lady Lay", sometimes rendered "Lay, Lady, Lay", is a song written by Bob Dylan and originally released in 1969 on his Nashville Skyline album. Like many of the tracks on the album, Dylan sings the song in a low croon, rather than in the high nasal singing style associated with his earlier recordings. The song has become a standard and has been covered by numerous bands and artists over the years, including the Byrds, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, the Everly Brothers, Melanie, the Isley Brothers, Bob Andy, Duran Duran, Magnet, Hoyt Axton, Angélique Kidjo, Ministry, Malaria!, Lorrie Morgan and Minimal Compact.
context_section_description: Written in the key of A major, or A Mixolydian, the song's chord progression features a descending chromatic line and Dylan's voice occupies a range from F#₂ to D₄. The bass is most often based on the chromatic descent or otherwise emphasizing the modal center of A. The chief hook in "Lay Lady Lay", a song with far more hooks than is typical for Dylan, is a recurring four-note pedal steel guitar riff. The song's distinctive drum part is performed by Kenny Buttrey, who regarded his contribution to the song as one of his best performances on a record. Lyrically the song speaks of romantic and sexual anticipation as the singer beseeches his lover to spend the night with him.
caption: Bob Dylan's "Lay, Lady, Lay" chord progression features a descending chromatic line in the upper voice: 
    
      
        
          
            
              
                8
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      {\displaystyle {\hat {8}}}
    
  –♯
    
      
        
          
            
              
                7
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      {\displaystyle {\hat {7}}}
    
  –♮
    
      
        
          
            
              
                7
                ^
              
            
          
        
      
      {\displaystyle {\hat {7}}}
    
  –
    
      
        
          
            
              
                6
                ^
              
            
          
        
      
      {\displaystyle {\hat {6}}}
    
  .[17][18] (About this soundPlay (help·info))
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