Lay Down Sally
Encyclopedia
"Lay Down Sally" is a single by Eric Clapton
, written by Eric Clapton
, Marcy Levy, and George Terry
. It appeared on his November 1977 album Slowhand
, and reached No. 3 on the Billboard
Hot 100 chart. It is a country blues performed in the style of J. J. Cale and Clapton also attributed other members of his band like Carl Radle of Oklahoma, George Terry, Jamie Oldaker and other members of the band as influencing the song.
Clapton explained, "It's as close as I can get, being English, but the band being a Tulsa band, they play like that naturally. You couldn't get them to do an English rock sound, no way. Their idea of a driving beat isn't being loud or anything. It's subtle."
The single was a crossover country music hit, reaching No. 26 in April 1978, Clapton's best showing on that chart.
, a country singer best known for his sentimental recitations and truck-driving songs, recorded a cover version that -- save for the mid-song guitar bridge -- closely resembled the Clapton original. Sovine's version reached No. 70 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
chart in the summer of 1978, and was the last charting single released in his lifetime.
The Seldom Scene
, especially banjo
player Ben Eldridge
, are known for their cover of this song.
Rod Stewart also recorded a cover version for his album 'Still the Same...Great Rock Classics Of Our Time'
Don Williams also covered the song on 1995's album of Borrowed Tales.
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, written by Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Marcy Levy, and George Terry
George Terry
George E. Terry is an American blues rock and rock and roll guitarist most known for his live and studio work with Eric Clapton during the 1970s and studio work with a long list of artists...
. It appeared on his November 1977 album Slowhand
Slowhand
Slowhand is an album by Eric Clapton, released in 1977. It contained three of his most popular singles, the bluesy "Cocaine", the ballad "Wonderful Tonight" and the country-flavoured #3 U.S. hit "Lay Down Sally", as well as other songs that became Clapton classics on their own like "The Core" and...
, and reached No. 3 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 chart. It is a country blues performed in the style of J. J. Cale and Clapton also attributed other members of his band like Carl Radle of Oklahoma, George Terry, Jamie Oldaker and other members of the band as influencing the song.
Clapton explained, "It's as close as I can get, being English, but the band being a Tulsa band, they play like that naturally. You couldn't get them to do an English rock sound, no way. Their idea of a driving beat isn't being loud or anything. It's subtle."
The single was a crossover country music hit, reaching No. 26 in April 1978, Clapton's best showing on that chart.
Grammatical Error
"Lay down sally, and rest here in my arms" is grammatically incorrect. To "lay down sally" is to "put sally down (on the ground)". The correct grammar would be "Lie down, sally.".Charts
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Top Singles (RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
3 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
3 |
| U.S. Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... (Billboard) |
26 |
| U.S. Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 25 |
Year-End Chart
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 15 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 29 |
Personnel
- Eric ClaptonEric ClaptonEric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
: Electric guitars, vocals - Marcy Levy: Vocals
- Yvonne EllimanYvonne EllimanYvonne Marianne Elliman is an American singer who performed for four years in the first cast of Jesus Christ Superstar...
: Vocals - George Terry: Electric guitar
- Carl RadleCarl RadleCarl Dean Radle was a bass guitarist who toured and recorded with many of the most influential recording artists of the late 1960s and 1970s...
: Electric Bass - Dick Sims: Electric Piano
- Jamie Oldaker: Drums
Covers
Red SovineRed Sovine
Woodrow Wilson Sovine , better known as Red Sovine, was an American country music singer associated with truck driving songs, particularly those recited as narratives but set to music...
, a country singer best known for his sentimental recitations and truck-driving songs, recorded a cover version that -- save for the mid-song guitar bridge -- closely resembled the Clapton original. Sovine's version reached No. 70 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart in the summer of 1978, and was the last charting single released in his lifetime.
The Seldom Scene
The Seldom Scene
The Seldom Scene is an American bluegrass band formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland.-Early history:The band formed out of the weekly jam sessions in the basement of banjo player Ben Eldridge. These sessions included John Starling on guitar and lead vocals, Mike Auldridge on Dobro and baritone...
, especially banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
player Ben Eldridge
Ben Eldridge
Ben Eldridge, is a five-string banjo player and a founding member of the seminal bluegrass group The Seldom Scene. He also works as a mathematician. Eldridge is best known for his scat singing on "Lay Down Sally."-Biography:...
, are known for their cover of this song.
Rod Stewart also recorded a cover version for his album 'Still the Same...Great Rock Classics Of Our Time'
Don Williams also covered the song on 1995's album of Borrowed Tales.