Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Whatever colors you have in your mind
I'll show them to you and you'll see them shine

Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile
Until the break of day, let me see you make him smile
His clothes are dirty but his hands are clean
And you're the best thing that he's ever seen

Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile
Why wait any longer for the world to begin
You can have your cake and eat it too
Why wait any longer for the one you love
When he's standing in front of you

Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead
I long to see you in the morning light
I long to reach for you in the night
Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead



Lyrics submitted by twitty, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Track duration: 03:17


Lay Lady Lay song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is a master peace. I think in the first line he is encouraging the girl to have sex with him
    "Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed"
    I think the sweetest line is
    "His clothes are dirty but his hands are clean"
    I think it’s implying that he may not look the best or have much money but he’s a good person inside.
    I also love the relaxing rhythm of this song
    Flag thrashgrunge4lifeon May 23, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:there are two things i love most about this song (besides how soft and smoothing it is). his use of alliteration (lay lady lay, big brass bed) and rhetoric. how inspiring is it when he says 'why wait any longer for the one you love, when he's standing in front of you'
    Flag dylankidon July 21, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's just an amazing love song.

    He's got his girl back to his house and it's time for her to go home, but neither of them want to part. The song is about that moment, where he's just saying "why don't you stay the night / I love you so much / we can make each other so happy"

    The only question about this song is which are the best lyrics:

    His clothes are dirty but his hands are clean
    And you're the best thing that he's ever seen

    or

    I long to see you in the morning light
    I long to reach for you in the night
    Flag originlon September 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is about a guy who nails this chick and loves her so much that he wants her to stay with him.
    Flag RC-Colaon February 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The fact that Isaac Hayes covered this should put all non-lovesong talk to bed. ;)
    Flag greenerblueson October 07, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:On the "Hard Rain" live version of the song alternative lyrics are sung:

    "Forget this dance, let's go upstairs !
    Let's take a chance, who really cares ?
    Why, don't you know you got nothing to prove,
    It's all in your eyes and the way that you move.
    Forget this dance, let's go upstairs !

    Why wait any longer, I don't mean to complain,
    You can have love, but you might loose it.
    Why run any longer when you're running in vain ?
    You can have the truth but you've got to choose it."

    Flag Mad Woman Moonon July 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the lyrics are too sexual in my mind to be about any permanent involvement..and once again the line "why wait any longer for the one you love when he's standing in front of you?" is himself..or this man..trying to coax this woman into sex..she told him there's someone else but for tonight..he's convincing her he is the other man. "you can have your cake and eat it too"
    Flag Eyespeakstroofon July 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I suppose this song being about his dog could make sense. Only the following line "why wait any longer for the one you love, when he's standing in front of you" doesn't really fit. this same line is also the reason why I don't believe it was about his wife either. also the line "Whatever colors you have in your mind, I'll show them to you and you'll see them shine" I always thought of as a deepy sexual line..but that could certainly be applied to a dog...seeing how there's an ongoing argument on whether or not dogs are actually color blind or not..I don't know but this sounds much more like a made up one night stand to me. his vocals on this track though are my favorite out of any.
    Flag Eyespeakstroofon July 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ha! This song is most definitely not about a dog - Bob was pulling your leg with that comment! And neither is it about Bob being a voyeur or drugging someone – where on earth do you people get these crazy ideas?!??!

    It’s a love song, pure and simple. I think the woman in question might have a husband or boyfriend who isn’t Bob, hence the line ‘you can have your cake and eat it too’(When someone is cheating on their boyfriend/girlfriend, people will often make the comment that they want to have their cake and eat it too!) But I certainly don’t think there’s any dark or mysterious meaning behind this song; it’s just a beautiful song!
    Flag buffoniaon July 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I have read somewhere that they had a problem with it coming out in the record studio because the imagery strongly sounded as though implying lesbianism.

    Maybe they were wrong.
    Flag PinUpLillianon March 26, 2009   Link

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