The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Well this is how it starts, Two lovers in the dark
On the run, from the one That they called Sheriff Spark
Six guns by their side and bullets around their waist
Two shots to the sky
Signal sound for the chase
The safe was nearly empty and They were nearly free
But were seen by the Good eye of the mean Billy Green
And he screamed at the top of his lungs They're on the run
It's the two outsiders Grab your horses and your guns
I said I wish that
We could stay here,
But I fear our time has come
We could ride out in the darkness
Chasing the rising sun
We gotta pack our bags this instant,
We're heading south-bound to the next town
And if we all arrive there so safely,
Baby you can
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Well it's the story of the two
Always on the move
They got nothing left to lose
'Cept their guns and their wounds
Now they're crossing borders
Sheriffs posse on their tail
They'd rather die together
Than be stuck up in a cell
They drank up all the whiskey and They partied every night
Like it could be the last The bounty said shoot on sight
So they chased the endless summer Though it came with the pride
They wouldn't stop running till They found a paradise
But the sheriff finally found them with his eyes seeing red
So the lovers had to shoot him down and fill him full of lead
They were finally free To find a place to lay their head
And when they finally did he looked at her and then he said
I said I think that we can stay here,
'Cause I feel our time has come
And we can walk down to the ocean,
And sit with the rising sun
So unpack your bags this instant,
No more running from town to town
And now that we've arrived so safely,
Baby you can
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Well you're my green-eyed girl And I've been running around with you
It's the afternoon and we got nothing left to do
So wipe the dirt off, or Take your shirt off,
And we should go hit the cantina, We got work off
I said it's hot outside Let me go swimming in your eyes
We've been running for a while
Why don't you lay down and make smile
I could never ask for nothing better than this
It's just tequila and the beach, that's why its salty when we kiss
I said I think that we can stay here,
'Cause I feel our time has come
And we can walk down to the ocean,
And sit with the rising sun
So unpack your bags this instant,
No more running from town to town
And now that we've arrived so safely,
Baby you can
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
On the run, from the one That they called Sheriff Spark
Six guns by their side and bullets around their waist
Two shots to the sky
Signal sound for the chase
The safe was nearly empty and They were nearly free
But were seen by the Good eye of the mean Billy Green
And he screamed at the top of his lungs They're on the run
It's the two outsiders Grab your horses and your guns
I said I wish that
We could stay here,
But I fear our time has come
We could ride out in the darkness
Chasing the rising sun
We gotta pack our bags this instant,
We're heading south-bound to the next town
And if we all arrive there so safely,
Baby you can
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Well it's the story of the two
Always on the move
They got nothing left to lose
'Cept their guns and their wounds
Now they're crossing borders
Sheriffs posse on their tail
They'd rather die together
Than be stuck up in a cell
They drank up all the whiskey and They partied every night
Like it could be the last The bounty said shoot on sight
So they chased the endless summer Though it came with the pride
They wouldn't stop running till They found a paradise
But the sheriff finally found them with his eyes seeing red
So the lovers had to shoot him down and fill him full of lead
They were finally free To find a place to lay their head
And when they finally did he looked at her and then he said
I said I think that we can stay here,
'Cause I feel our time has come
And we can walk down to the ocean,
And sit with the rising sun
So unpack your bags this instant,
No more running from town to town
And now that we've arrived so safely,
Baby you can
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Well you're my green-eyed girl And I've been running around with you
It's the afternoon and we got nothing left to do
So wipe the dirt off, or Take your shirt off,
And we should go hit the cantina, We got work off
I said it's hot outside Let me go swimming in your eyes
We've been running for a while
Why don't you lay down and make smile
I could never ask for nothing better than this
It's just tequila and the beach, that's why its salty when we kiss
I said I think that we can stay here,
'Cause I feel our time has come
And we can walk down to the ocean,
And sit with the rising sun
So unpack your bags this instant,
No more running from town to town
And now that we've arrived so safely,
Baby you can
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lay me down
Lyrics submitted by hazmat16380, edited by EpicVlad
Lay Me Down Lyrics as written by Jared Watson Dustin Bushnell
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I will be the first to say. Come on, its Bonnie and Clyde. It is at least based off them.
would be cool if it was about bonnie and clyde or a similar couple but i think its about being in a relationship that everyone says wont work and should stop but the tell everyone to fuck off and find peace in that and are happy in the end , but noone ever shows the live of bad guys who get away years down the road, the escape is awesome but the life is harder
That is exactly the same thing i thought when i first heard the song by the way amazingly good any other good songs form dirty heads
I agree completely and thats what I think of every time i've heard this song for the past 4 months. Im really surprised that nobody else has stated it and i'm even more shocked that people would doubt it after listening to the lyrics.
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