Lay It on Me (Bee Gees song)
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"Lay It on Me" is a blues-rock track written and performed by Maurice Gibb, and appeared on the Bee Gees' 1970 album 2 Years On. They performed it later on 1971 in Melbourne, Australia, And on 1974 also in Melbourne in their Mr. Natural tour. The song was included on numerous compilations most notably on the EP Lonely Days,[2] as well as the 2010 box set Mythology. It was only his composition that was appeared on the album. It was one of the rock-influenced songs in the album including "Back Home", "Alone Again" and "Every Second, Every Minute".
Background
This song was later a Maurice's signature song for the next few years, It features a guitar played by Maurice. It was recorded in June 13, before the Bee Gees would reunite later in August (as Gerry Shury arranged it, instead of Bill Shepherd) All of the instruments are played by Maurice with Geoff Bridgford on drums.[3] It was performed in Festival Hall, Melbourne, Australia, with Maurice performing on the center stage and was filmed in black and white. Barry introduced Maurice before they performs "Lay It on Me". Maurice's guitar on that concert was Epiphone Casino[4] (A guitar also used by John Lennon and George Harrison).[5]
The song starts with a riff and then joined by drums and two pianos, and then Maurice starts to sing, he also sang harmony on the line "I'm just a low down critter who never did any good" in two times, after that, he laughs and the Shury's arrangement was heard. Before the instrumental break, he shouts: "Lay it on me!". On the instrumental, Maurice plays acoustic and electric guitars with pianos. On the last stanza, he repeated the lines on the first verse, "Don't you drink with me 'cos I tell you that i'm a loser, and I'm proud of that fact as you can plainly see". From 1:52 to 1:56 the orchestra and drums was only heard. The other instruments was returned in the outro.
About this song, the singer told his friend "Don't you drink with me 'cause you know i'm a loser, and i'm proud of that fact as you can plainly see". The singer also explains his job: "I spend my life working a sweat to be a bad boy, getting girls in a trouble every day, Going from town to town, now I tell you I've been around." The song is also about loneliness as he sings, "I'm just a low down critter who never did any good."
Personnel
- Maurice Gibb — lead and harmony vocals, lead and acoustic guitar, bass, two pianos
- Geoff Bridgford — drums
- Gerry Shury — orchestral arrangement
Cover versions
- Bel Air covered this song along with another Bee Gees track "Road to Alaska".
References
- ^ "Bee Gees Early Albums Review". Bee Gees.dk. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ "Bee Gees - Lonely Days EP". Discogs. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ Brennan, Joseph. "Gibb Songs: 1970". Retrieved 3 June 2013.
- ^ "Bee Gees - Lay It on Me - 1971". You Tube. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
- ^ "epiphone.com". Epiphone.com.