Bob Dylan - Lay, Lady, Lay
Hello! Below you'll find my "Lay, Lady, Lay" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This song by Bob Dylan has a very simple but striking chord progression (the G chord steps outside of the key in a surprising and satisfying way).
Enjoy!
Lay, Lady, Lay Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for Lay, Lady, Lay:
Lay, Lady, Lay Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| A | C#m | G | Bm |
| A | C#m | G | Bm |
[Verse 1]
A C#m
Lay lady lay
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Lay across my big brass bed
A C#m
Lay lady lay
A C#m
Lay lady lay
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Lay across my big brass bed
E F#m A
Whatever colors you have in your mind
E F#m A
I'll show them to you and you'll see them shine
A C#m
Lay lady lay
E F#m A
Whatever colors you have in your mind
E F#m A
I'll show them to you and you'll see them shine
A C#m
Lay lady lay
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Lay across my big brass bed
[Verse 2]
A C#m
Stay lady stay
A C#m
Stay lady stay
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Stay with your man awhile
A C#m
Until the break of day
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Let me see you make him smile
E F#m A
His clothes are dirty but his hands are clean
E F#m A
And you're the best thing that he's ever seen
A C#m
Stay lady stay
A C#m
Until the break of day
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Let me see you make him smile
E F#m A
His clothes are dirty but his hands are clean
E F#m A
And you're the best thing that he's ever seen
A C#m
Stay lady stay
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Stay with your man awhile
[Bridge]
C#m E F#m A
Why wait any longer for the world to begin
C#m A
You can have your cake and eat it too
C#m E F#m A
Why wait any longer for the one you love
C#m Bm
When he's standing in front of you
C#m E F#m A
Why wait any longer for the world to begin
C#m A
You can have your cake and eat it too
C#m E F#m A
Why wait any longer for the one you love
C#m Bm
When he's standing in front of you
[Verse 3]
A C#m
Lay lady lay
A C#m
Lay lady lay
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Lay across my big brass bed
A C#m
Stay lady stay
A C#m
Stay lady stay
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Stay while the night is still ahead
E F#m A
I long to see you in the morning light
E F#m A
I long to reach for you in the night
A C#m
Stay lady stay
E F#m A
I long to see you in the morning light
E F#m A
I long to reach for you in the night
A C#m
Stay lady stay
G Bm A C#m G Bm
Stay while the night is still ahead
[Outro]
| A | Bm | C#m | D | A |
| A | Bm | C#m | D | A |
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Lay, Lady, Lay Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Lay, Lady, Lay" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "Lay, Lady, Lay" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.
