Lie Down Sally

ne of the only times I am not in agreement that Eric Clapton is superior in his musical efforts than am I falls to my obligatory issue of grammar over artistic expression. When I compose a lyric, the language must be exact; more exacting, in fact, than the musical structure. That the reader has never heard any of my pieces while nearly everyone has familiarity with the work of Mr. Clapton obviously shows I am in the minority with this concern – but that is another issue.


oday, I am looking at another grammatical usage puzzle that has gotten the better of me too many times. The doubt and uncertainty associated with this has been humbling. The question is simply this:

When is it appropriate to use “lay” and when to use “lie”?

In addition to “getting happy” with comma usage, this one gets irritating for me in a hurry. Yes. I really do need a life as this matter inflames my passions . . . but, I digress. At least this one time I am able to smugly “instruct” one of the greatest guitar virtuosos of all time.


e are excluding the definition of telling an untruth from our concern. The use of “lie” will simply be in relation to placement of an object, such as a guitar, upon a table. The easy application will be addressed first. The fundamental consideration is that the word, “lay” requires a direct object – To lay the guitar on the table. The word, “lie” does not require a direct object – To lie on the bed. When framed in the present tense, what needs to be kept in mind is what action is occurring – what is being done, NOW. So, the doctor is standing before you this very moment and he instructs you to lie down on the examination table. Concurrently, you notice he is going to lay down your chart on the table. As it so happens, this plays nicely into my misanthropic view of humanity and allows us to remember proper application by a simple thought: People lie / objects lay.

Again, “I lay the guitar on the bed as I lie down to get comfortable.”

For those that have noticed the world is a messy place because of people (present company excluded, of course) all simplicity goes out the window when one considers “lay” as the past tense of “lie.” Not being one to let sleeping dogs lie I shall endeavor to lay hold of the difficulty.

       Present Tense: lie       Past Tense: lay       Past Participle: lain

Let’s “lay it down”, now . . .

Past Tense: “Eric lay down to nap on the recording studio sofa during the exhausting session.”

Past Participle: “I have lain around for days and this is the only effort I have to show.”


       Present Tense: lay       Past Tense: laid       Past Participle: laid

And a one, and a two, and a three . . .

Past Tense: “When Eric Clapton laid down the tracks for ‘Layla’ it was to cover the lie of the depth of his relationship with Patty Harrison.”

Past Participle: “He has laid that demo tape on the PR man’s desk.”


here. I have laid it on the line. You will not be able to lay any charges at my feet. Had I lain about, avoiding my responsibility only then would you have cause to lie awake.