Lay Me Down (Sam Smith song)

"Lay Me Down" is a song by English singer Sam Smith and the lead single from their debut studio album In the Lonely Hour (2014). The song was released in the United Kingdom on 15 February 2013. It originally peaked at number 46 on the UK Singles Chart and at number 25 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles in 2014. The song was written by Smith, Jimmy Napes and Elviin and produced by Napes and Steve Fitzmaurice.

"Lay Me Down"
Single by Sam Smith
from the EP Nirvana and the album In the Lonely Hour
Released	15 February 2013
Recorded	2012
Genre	Soul R&B
Length	4:13
Label	Capitol Method
Songwriter(s)	Sam Smith James Napier Elvin Smith
Producer(s)	Jimmy Napes Steve Fitzmaurice
Sam Smith singles chronology
"Latch" (2012) "Lay Me Down" (2013) "La La La" (2013)
Music video
"Lay Me Down" on YouTube

The song was re-released in February 2015 as the sixth single from the album, this time reaching number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 15 on the UK Singles Chart. A third version featuring John Legend recorded for the British charity telethon Comic Relief reached number one in the UK in March 2015.

Musically, the song is written in E major, with a tempo of 118 bpm.[1]

Music video

The original music video showed Smith and their friends at a casino. Following the announcement of the re-release, it was removed from YouTube and Vevo.

Track listing

Digital download[2]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Lay Me Down"	3:49
2.	"Lay Me Down" (acoustic version)	4:01
3.	"Lay Me Down" (music video)	4:07

Charts

Chart (2014)	Peak position
Scotland (OCC)[3]	60
UK Singles (OCC)[4]	46
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[5]	25

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United Kingdom[2]	15 February 2013	Digital download	Capitol Method

2015 re-release

"Lay Me Down"
Single by Sam Smith
from the album In the Lonely Hour
Released	22 February 2015
Recorded	2014
Genre	Soul R&B
Length	3:39
Label	Capitol Method
Songwriter(s)	Sam Smith James Napier Elvin Smith
Producer(s)	Jimmy Napes Steve Fitzmaurice
Sam Smith singles chronology
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (2014) "Lay Me Down" (2015) "Lay Me Down (Red Nose Day 2015)" (2015)

It was announced on 30 January 2015 that Smith would re-release "Lay Me Down" as the sixth single from their album In the Lonely Hour following commercial success with their previous singles. Smith recorded a new version of the song for its re-release with the track's original producers.[6]

Music video

The music video for the re-release, which replaced the original, was recorded in St Margaret's Church, Lee, South East London, with the permission of the Rector the Revd. Dr. Alan Race. It was shot in one sequence. It depicts Smith at a funeral in the church standing in front of the deceased's coffin, then a flashback reveals that Smith actually married the man in question in the same church. The video then returns to the present day, some time after the funeral, with Smith mourning the loss of their husband in the empty church.[7] Critics have pointed out the similarities between this and Guns N' Roses's music video to "November Rain".

Track listing

Digital download – single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Lay Me Down"	3:39

Digital download – EP

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Lay Me Down" (Pomo Remix)	3:45
2.	"Lay Me Down" (Paul Woolford Remix)	6:45
3.	"Lay Me Down" (Maya Jane Coles Remix)	5:18
4.	"Lay Me Down" (Todd Edwards Dub)	6:29
5.	"Lay Me Down" (Tiësto Remix)	4:18
6.	"Lay Me Down" (Flume Remix - Single)	4:30

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2015–17) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[8] 3 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[9] 10 Canada AC (Billboard)[10] 30 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[11] 44 Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[12] 33 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[13] 47 Euro Digital Songs (Billboard)[14] 16 France (SNEP)[15] 107 Ireland (IRMA)[16] 14 Italy (FIMI)[17] 67 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[18] 80 Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[19] 23 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 52 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] 2 Philippines (Philippine Hot 100)[22] 84 Portugal (AFP)[23] 91 Scotland (OCC)[24] 11 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[25] 44 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[26] 68 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 44 UK Singles (OCC)[28] 15 US Billboard Hot 100[29] 8 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[30] 11 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 12 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[32] 19 US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[33] 41 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[34] 40

Year-end charts Chart (2015) Position Australia (ARIA)[35] 34 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[36] 98 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[37] 22 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[38] 89 US Billboard Hot 100[39] 81 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[40] 35 Chart (2019) Position Portugal (AFP)[41] 1843 Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units/sales Australia (ARIA)[42] 5× Platinum 350,000 Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[43] Gold 45,000 Italy (FIMI)[44] Gold 25,000 New Zealand (RMNZ)[45] Platinum 15,000^* Sweden (GLF)[46] Gold 20,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[47] Platinum 600,000 United States (RIAA)[48] 5× Platinum 5,000,000 ^* Sales figures based on certification alone. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
United States	3 February 2015	Mainstream radio	Capitol Method	[49]
	23 February 2015	Adult album alternative radio		[50]
Australia	20 February 2015	Digital download		[51]
Ireland				[52]
New Zealand				[53]
United Kingdom	22 February 2015			[54]

Red Nose Day 2015 release

"Lay Me Down (Red Nose Day 2015)"
Single by Sam Smith featuring John Legend
from the album In the Lonely Hour (Drowning Shadows Edition)
Released	9 March 2015
Recorded	2015
Genre	Soul R&B
Length	3:39
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Sam Smith James Napier Elvin Smith
Producer(s)	Steve Fitzmaurice James Napier
Sam Smith singles chronology
"Lay Me Down" (2015) "Lay Me Down (Red Nose Day 2015)" (2015) "Moments" (2015)
John Legend singles chronology
"Glory" (2014) "Lay Me Down (Red Nose Day 2015)" (2015) "One Man Can Change the World" (2015)

On 9 March 2015, it was announced that Smith and John Legend had joined forces for a third version of "Lay Me Down" to be used as the official Red Nose Day charity single. This version was released the same day and all proceeds from the track's sales benefit the charity.[55]

Smith sings the opening verse and first chorus with Legend on the piano, then Legend joins in with the second verse. Some later parts are a duet by the two artists.

Music video

Smith and Legend also appear in a new video for the charity. It was posted by Smith on their official Vevo account. The music video is also broadcast nationally on BBC One. The video features Smith and Legend recording the song in a recording studio.[56]

Live performances

On 13 March 2015, Smith and Legend performed "Lay Me Down" together for the first and only time together during Comic Relief – Face the Funny, a major event broadcast live on BBC One from the London Palladium.[57]

Weekly charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[58]	8
Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[59]	8
Euro Digital Songs (Billboard)[14]	1
Iceland (RÚV)[60]	9
Ireland (IRMA)[61]	4
Netherlands (Tipparade)[62]	18
Scotland (OCC)[63]	1
UK Singles (OCC)[64]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (2015)	Position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[38]	96

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[65]	Platinum	421,000[66]

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United Kingdom[67]	9 March 2015	Digital download	Capitol

Cover versions

Connie Talbot released a single of her cover version of "Lay Me Down" in 2014.

References

1. Sam Smith "Lay Me Down" Sheet Music musicnotes.com
2. "Lay Me Down - Single by Sam Smith". iTunes Store (GB). Archived from the original on 11 January 2015.
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4. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
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6. Corner, Lewis (30 January 2015). "Sam Smith re-records 'Lay Me Down' for single release". Digital Spy. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
7. Sam Smith - Lay Me Down. YouTube. 5 February 2015.
8. "Australian-charts.com – Sam Smith – Lay Me Down". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
9. "Sam Smith Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
10. "Sam Smith Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
11. "Sam Smith Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
12. "Sam Smith Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
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14. "Euro Digital Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
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22. "Week of November 13, 2017". Billboard Philippines. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
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24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
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34. "Sam Smith Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
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39. "Hot 100: Year End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
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41. "Top AFP - Audiogest - Top 3000 Singles + EPs Digitais" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
42. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
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44. "Italian single certifications – Sam Smith – Lay Me Down" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 4 December 2017. Select "2017" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Lay Me Down" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli online" under "Sezione".
45. "New Zealand single certifications – Sam Smith – Lay Me Down". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
46. "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 20, 2015 | Sverigetopplistan" (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 6 July 2020. Scroll to position 84 to view certification.
47. "British single certifications – Sam Smith – Lay Me Down". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 September 2017. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Lay Me Down in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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49. "Top 40/M Future Releases - Mainstream Hit Songs Being Released and His Release Dates ..." All Access.
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55. Copsey, Rob (9 March 2015). "Sam Smith, John Legend team up for Official Red Nose Day single". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
56. Sam Smith - Lay Me Down (Red Nose Day 2015) ft. John Legend. YouTube. 9 March 2015.
57. Corner, Natalie (13 March 2015). "Sam Smith and John Legend sound a bit croaky as they perform new Comic Relief single". mirror.
58. "Ultratop.be – Sam Smith feat. John Legend – Lay Me Down" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
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63. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
64. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
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66. Myers, Justin (7 September 2017). "Sam Smith: the story so far". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
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