For My Sunday Song #254, we are going to explore the song “Lay It Down” by Ratt off the band’s 1985 album ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’. The song broke the Top 40 and landed at #40 on the Hot 100. This helped the album sell over 2,000,000 copies and push the band to super stardom after they massively successful debut album. The song is one of the few that is credited to every member of the band except for Bobby Blotzer. He doesn’t have any writing credits on this album.
The song is not very deep lyrically. It basically sums up to trying to getting some female action. It does talk about how she doesn’t really know him and that she might not even care. They play the game of romance but she won’t get to see the real him until they are in the sheets having some fun and letting themselves go completely. I’m sorry there isn’t much more to it than that, but Ratt never claimed to be Bob Dylan now did they.
Musically though, it is a fantastic song. That opening guitar riff from Warren DeMartini is one of the best they’ve ever done. Bobby Blotzer’s drums are hard and heavy and he lays down a cool groove along with Juan Croucier on bass. The song is typical 80’s rock, but Ratt has a way of putting a blues edge to it with both Robbin Crosby and Warren’s playing. It helped set Ratt apart from some of the other bands. The song is also a little on the sleazy side which fits well with the lyrics. Stephen Pearcy’s gritty vocals bring the sleaze to the forefront, but when he whispers that last verse, he shows a softer, sexier side that helps catapult the song to the next level.
Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. Was it the best song on this album? I hope you like it as much as I do. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!! And wow, this video is so dated in the 80’s…its awesome!!
“Lay It Down”
I know you don’t really know me
I know you don’t really care to see me
I’m into total affection
Not being scared if you never please me
You know you really want to lay it down
Right now
And how
I know you really want to lay it down
Right now
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Under the sheets you will find me
I know that nothin’s for free
You take what’s good for your pleasin’
I’ll take what’s good for this crazy evening
You know you really want to lay it down
Right now
And how
I know you really want to lay it down
Right now
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
“And I know you only want romance.”
“I’ll give you all that I can.”
If you give me just one chance
To prove myself
In love
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Yeah yeah yeah
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Lay it down
Written by Warren DeMartini, Robbin Crosby, Stephen Pearcy and Juan Croucier
2 Loud 2 Old Music 
Since this is an American safe space, I feel free to leave this image here in honor of our country’s birthday.
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Just thought it was funny. Love our hoser pals.
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Is that a Swan or a Goose???
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Some lame ass Canadian bird.
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Just making sure as it was white and reminded me of a Swan. Our Canadian Geese that we have down here are black and gray.
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More like, black and gay! *drum fill*
Thanks, I’ll be here all week.
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Great riff from DeMartini.
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It’s become an all timer.
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He had a lot of those!
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The suggestive lyrics on this song put it on the PMRC’s hit list. You can’t fault that guitar riff at the beginning!
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Back then the PMRC was list was a badge of honor!!
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Definitely, that’s why Blackie Lawless had one on WASP’s “The Last Command” album.
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Our stream box picks up MTV Classic and on Friday night they have a 3 hour show of old school metal videos and this one was played…
Great track and poor Blotz made zip in publishing on this album as you mentioned. lol
Warren carries the track thats for sure. Too be honest with you I have this album coming up on the Summertime Spin series at some point…insert shameless plug here. lol
Great pick Sir
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I like shameless plugs!!! And thanks!
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Good point about Ratt managing viewer/listener expectations.
Looking for poetry? Talk to Bob.
Looking for something like this? Look no further!
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Sometimes mindless drivel is all you need.
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I think this is the best song from IOYP album, followed by “You Should Know By Now”. I also like a lot the video, very good intro!.
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The first thing I see in the video is a clown and I was like, “oh no!” LOL I don’t like how repetitive the chorus is, but I think it’s decent.
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Ratt is one of those bands I believe you love them or you hate them. Stephen’s vocals are an acquired taste. I am on the love side myself.
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I don’t think the name really helped them. I mean it’d be weird to hear someone say, “I’m going to listen to Ratt!” I think the guy has a decent voice.
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That name was great. I saw them in concert with Poison opening up and it was the Ratt Poison Tour!! What a perfect combo of bands!!
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Oh wow, Poison and Ratt together? Some tours have two completely different artists together, but that sounds like a perfect lineup for the time. What year was that?
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1987. I saw them on March 10th!
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Oh 1987, nice! When hair metal was still at the top of the world.
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It was still king! I had a few more years before it fell apart.
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Yeah, then grunge took over and the hair metal bands weren’t popular anymore.
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It was brutal. Hair Metal was pushed aside so fast it made your head spin.
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Yeah, I feel bad for those bands. The 90s was a weird time, not just for hair metal, but also for bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.
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I’m always trying to find Sunday Songs so your series is fantastic as a commendable playlist that I can just whack on and lay back. Would it be possible to get a playlist for your Sunday songs? I’d LOVE THAT
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I’m not sure some are really “Sunday” type songs, but they are good songs to hear. You know, I don’t actually have a Sunday Song playlist. It is just the name of the series that started out when I started the blog and it was mostly Christian songs, but we’ve morphed to mainly rock now.
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Hahaha ahh ok! Fair enough! Love it tho as always. Keep ‘em coming.
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I really thought I had this album on LP but it must be misfiled, I dunno. Anyway, I liked the cover art best, but the songs are OK. It definitely has that SOUND from the period!
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I am sure it is there somewhere.
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Yeah I dunno. I also culled a bunch of stuff a long while back and don’t remember what went and what stayed. Who knows.
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Top 40 indeed, I remember hearing it on the radio, the “Top Ten at 10”. In fact I recorded it!
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I would be surprised if you didn’t record it.
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