Lay It All Down

from Lay It All Down by Mike Lawson & Friends

/

about

This is one of my favorite songs by my late dear friend Bob Welch, from his Fleetwood Mac era, on the album "Future Games." This whole album was conceived around that song, a year before I really got started on it. I asked Joe to get his mate from Leeds, Jeff Marley, to record the two of them doing bass and drums, so it would have a natural feel of bass and guitars together and capture the original vibe of McVie and Fleetwood, plus hey, two Brits doing it with an American, just like Bob, right?

The tracked it, sent it to me, problem was, I couldn't sing it in the original key. Oh damn. The bass part was so good. So it say on my drive for months while I thought about this false start and tried in vain to sing it in the original key. Then I was clicking through the massive list of Waves Mercury Bundle plugins and found a plugin that was able to move the bass part up a step without any artifacts! I was back in business! I went in an recorded my guitar parts, then recruited my old friend Al Margolis to play Hammond organ on it, and he found just the right sound and groove to get it rolling and ready for Phil Keaggy to play his parts. I brought in my friend Jill Michaelson, who is a fan of Bob's work and Fleetwood Mac era recordings, to do the vocals with me, and it all came together.

A fun bit of trivia from this. The song references the golden calf and Moses, and Keaggy's sister actually had a small speaking part in the blockbuster Charlton Heston Ten Commandments movie from the 50s, in a scene were they find Moses in the river basket.

It was meant to be.

Lay down your burdens of sorrow, lay down you burdens of hurt, Bob. We remember you.

lyrics

Let me retell
A story of old
About a man named Moses
Who lived long ago
He prophicied good
He prophicied bad
And now that prophecy's coming to pass

Let all your sons, and your daughters
Of the golden calf
Lay down your burden of sorrow
Lay down your burden of hurt
Lay it all down, for paradise here on earth

A whole lot of people, including myself
Thought the story of Moses was just a tall tale
But all of the things that we see going on
Are just what Moses set down

Let all your sons, and your daughters
Of the golden-yeah
Lay down your burden of sorrow
Lay down your burden of hurt
Lay it all down, for paradise here on earth

Let me retell
A story I know
About a man named Moses
Who lived long ago
He prophicied good
He prophicied bad
And now that prophecy's coming to pass

Let all your sons, and your daughters
Of the golden-yeah
Lay down your burden of sorrow
Lay down your burden of hurt
Lay down your burden of sorrow
Lay down your burden of hurt
Lay down your burden of sorrow
Lay down your burden of hurt
I just can't imagine a reason for sorrow
Just can't imagine the hurt
You've got to lay it down
You've got to lay it down
You've got to lay it down
You've got to lay it down
I said lay down your burden of sorrow
Lay down your burden of hurt
Lay down your burden of sorrow
There's just no reason to hurt
You've got to lay down your burden of sorrow
Lay down your burden of hurt
I said
Lay it all down, for paradise here on earth

Words and Music by Bob Welch - Cigar Music ASCAP
Used by Permission

credits

from Lay It All Down, released October 7, 2022
Mike Lawson - Guitar, Vocals
Jill Michaelson - Backing Vocals
Phil Keaggy - Guitar
Albert Margolis - Hammond organ
Jeff Marley - Bass
Joe Montague - Drums

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Mike Lawson & Friends image

Mike Lawson & Friends Nashville, Tennessee

Mike Lawson has, over 30 years, recorded and/or performed together with Merl Saunders, Vince Welnick, Vassar Clements, Pete Sears, Gary Talley, John McEuen, Bob Welch, Dennis Robbins, Joe Louis Walker, Jorma Kaukonen, Phil Keaggy, Jack Casady, Scott Guberman, Dianne Davidson, Noah Wall, Tyra Juliette, Bill Vitt, Rob Wasserman, Michael Cleveland, Phil Madeira, and a host of other amazing friends. ... more

contact / help

Contact Mike Lawson & Friends

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

If you like Mike Lawson & Friends, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Seafood Sam joins the show to discuss his newest album, " Standing On Giant Shoulders".
listen now