Someone to Lay Down Beside Me
{{Infobox song
| name = Someone to Lay Down Beside Me
| cover = Linda Ronstadt--Someone to Lay Down Beside Me.jpg
| type = single
| artist = Linda Ronstadt
| album = Hasten Down the Wind
| B-side = "Crazy"
| released = {{Start date|1976|11}}
| recorded = March 1976
| studio = The Sound Factory
| genre = {{hlist|Country rock{{cite web |title="Someone to Lay Down Beside Me": Linda Ronstadt: Track Info |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/someone-to-lay-down-beside-me-mt0011905393 |website=AllMusic |access-date=10 September 2023}}|pop rock}}
| length = 3:58
| label = Asylum
| writer = Karla Bonoff
| producer = Peter Asher
| prev_title = That'll Be the Day
| prev_year = 1976
| next_title = Lose Again
| next_year = 1977
}}
"Someone to Lay Down Beside Me" is a song written by Karla Bonoff that was originally recorded by American singer Linda Ronstadt. First included as an album track on 1976's Hasten Down the Wind, it was released as a single by Asylum Records in November 1976. The song was met positive reviews from Billboard, Cashbox and AllMusic. The single charted in both the US and Canada, along with their corresponding adult contemporary charts.
Background, recording and content
In the mid 1970s, Linda Ronstadt brought forth a style of country rock into the mainstream. She broke through commercially with the 1974 album Heart Like a Wheel. It spawned the successful singles "You're No Good", "When Will I Be Loved" and "It Doesn't Matter Anymore". It was followed by 1975's Prisoner in Disguise and 1976's Hasten Down the Wind, which both followed a similar country rock formula.{{cite web |last1=Erlewine |first1=Stephen Thomas |title=Linda Ronstadt Biography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/linda-ronstadt-mn0000686897/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=10 September 2023}} Hasten Down the Wind featured the new track "Someone to Lay Down Beside Me". It was written by Karla Bonoff.{{cite journal |last1=Ronstadt |first1=Linda |title=Hasten Down the Wind (Liner Notes) |journal=Asylum Records |date=August 9, 1976 |id=7E-1072 (LP); TC5-1072 (Cassette)}}
Bonoff was an up and coming singer-songwriter. Ronstadt heard a demo of a different Bonoff song called "Lose Again", which prompted her to hear more of Bonoff's repertoire. Ronstadt was then presented with "Someone to Lay Down Beside Me". Impressed by the song, Ronstadt chose to record it.{{cite book |last1=Lewry |first1=Petere |title=Linda Ronstadt: A Life in Music |date=2010 |publisher=Andrews U.K. Limited |isbn=978-1849892483 |chapter=1: Welcome to the L.A. Rock Scene}} "Someone to Lay Down Beside Me" centers on the need for a person to have a quality romantic relationship rather having someone that can fulfill feelings of loneliness.{{cite book |last1=Kuehne |first1=Dale S. |title=Sex and the IWorld Rethinking Relationship Beyond an Age of Individualism |date=2009 |publisher=Baker Publishing Group |isbn=978-0801035876 |page=80}} The track was recorded in March 1976 at The Sound Factory, a studio located in Hollywood, California. The track was produced by Peter Asher.
Critical reception
"Someone to Lay Down Beside Me" was given positive reviews from critics. Billboard named it among its "Top Single Picks" in November 1976. Although the publication called it "an unusual choice for a Ronstadt single", they found it to be a "dark hued ballad with deeply provocative lyrics."{{cite magazine |title=Billboard's Top Single Picks: Pop |magazine=Billboard |date=November 27, 1976 |page=92 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1976/1976-11-27-Billboard-Page-0092.pdf#search=%22linda%20ronstadt%20someone%20to%20lay%20down%20beside%20me%20review%22 |access-date=10 September 2023}} Cashbox called the song "a strong melodic ballad" and noted that "Ronstadt's vocal strikes deeply and leaves no doubt that this will be another hit record."{{cite magazine |title=Singles Reviews: Picks of the Week |magazine=Cashbox |date=November 27, 1976 |page=20 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-11-27-OCR-Page-0020.pdf#search=%22linda%20ronstadt%20someone%20to%20lay%20down%20beside%20me%22 |access-date=10 September 2023}} Although no formal review was given, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine named the song one of Hasten Down the Wind's "Track Picks".{{cite web |last1=Erlewine |first1=Stephen Thomas |title=Hasten Down the Wind: Linda Ronstadt: Songs, reviews, credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/hasten-down-the-wind-mw0000195538 |website=AllMusic |access-date=10 September 2023}}
Release and chart performance
"Someone to Lay Down Beside Me" was first an album track on Hasten Down the Wind, which was released in August 1976. Then, it was issued as a single in November 1976 by Asylum Records. The label issued it as a seven-inch vinyl single. It was backed on the B-side by a cover of Patsy Cline's "Crazy".{{cite journal |last1=Ronstadt |first1=Linda |title="Someone to Lay Down Beside Me"/"Crazy" (7" vinyl single) |journal=Asylum Records |date=November 1976 |id=E 45361}} The single debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1976. Spending 11 weeks there, it climbed to the number 42 position in January 1977. It was Ronstadt's sixth single reach a position outside the Hot 100 top 40.{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002|publisher=Record Research, Inc|year=2003|pages=909|isbn=978-0898201550}} It also debuted on the US Billboard adult contemporary chart in December 1976 and spent seven weeks there. In January 1977, the single reached the number 38 position. It was Ronstadt's lowest-charting single on the adult contemporary chart up to that point.{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006 |date=2007 |publisher=Record Research, Inc. |isbn=978-0898201697 |page=351}} It reached similar positions on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart, peaking at number 58. It was Ronstadt's fifth single to chart outside the top 40 there.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=gmrhouli7kvfvaeu848ka389j0&q1=Linda+Ronstadt&x=0&y=0|title=Search results for "Linda Ronstadt"|magazine=RPM|access-date=2009-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011091815/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=gmrhouli7kvfvaeu848ka389j0&q1=Linda+Ronstadt&x=0&y=0|archive-date=2012-10-11|url-status=dead}} It also reached number 37 on the RPM Adult Contemporary chart, becoming her lowest-charting single up to that point.{{cite web |title=Search results for "Linda Ronstadt" (Adult Contemporary) |url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=Linda+Ronstadt&ChartEn=Adult+Contemporary& |website=RPM |access-date=18 August 2023}}
Track listing
- "Someone to Lay Down Beside Me" – 3:58
- "Crazy" – 3:58
Charts
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "Someone to Lay Down Beside Me" ! scope="col"| Chart (1976-1977) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Canada Top Singles (RPM)
|align="center"|58 |
|---|
| scope="row"| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)
|align="center"|37 |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|38|artist=Linda Ronstadt|rowheader=true|access-date=September 11, 2023}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|42|artist=Linda Ronstadt|rowheader=true|access-date=September 11, 2023}} |