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Lay Down Sally

"Lay Down Sally" is a song performed by Eric Clapton, and written by Clapton, Marcy Levy, and George Terry. It appeared on his November 1977 album Slowhand, and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

For the Olympic rower mocked as Lay Down Sally, see Sally Robbins.

"Lay Down Sally"

"Cocaine"

November 1977

Olympic Studios in Barnes, London[1]

3:50

RSO

Eric Clapton · Marcy Levy · George Terry

Glyn Johns

Background[edit]

"Lay Down Sally" is a country blues song performed in the style of J. J. Cale. Clapton also attributed other members of his band – Carl Radle of Oklahoma, George Terry, Jamie Oldaker and others – as influencing the song.[4] 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."


Billboard magazine described Clapton's vocal as "low key but earthy" and also praised Marcy Levy's backing vocals.[5] Cash Box praised Clapton's "guitar finesse."[6]


The single was a crossover country music hit, reaching No. 26 in April 1978, Clapton's best showing on the Hot Country Songs chart. "Lay Down Sally" was a significant part of the soundtrack of the 2013 film August: Osage County, in which the song was played as the intro music and twice more later in the film.[7]

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.

Red Sovine

covered the song extensively from 1990 to 1995.[31]

Jerry Garcia Band

covered the song on their 1995 album The Wheel Keeps on Rollin'. Their version peaked at number 70 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada in 1996.[32]

Asleep at the Wheel

Fuld, William (1998). The New Zealand Charts – A Red Chart? (3 ed.). Fuld Pressings.

Hoffmann, Frank (1983). The Cash Box Singles Charts, 1950–1981. The Scarecrow Press, Inc.  978-0810815957.

ISBN

Kent, David (1993). . St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2015.

Australian Chart Book 1970–1992

Tatsaku, Ren (December 2011). The Oricon Sales Report (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Oricon Style – Recording Industry Association of Japan.

Wood, Gerry (October 21, 1978). (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 90 (42). Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 24, 2015.

"Billboard International"

Zameczkowski, Olivier (February 5, 1978). (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 90 (5). Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 24, 2015.

"Hits of the World > France"

on YouTube

Eric Clapton - Lay Down Sally [Crossroads 2010] (Official Live Video)