[Verse 1]
They're gonna lay me low (Lay me low)
They're gonna sink me in the snow (Lay me low)
They're gonna throw back their heads and crow (Lay me low)
When I go
They're gonna jump and shout (Lay me low)
They're gonna wave their arms about (Lay me low)
All the stories will come out (Lay me low)
When I go
All the stars will all glow bright (Lay me low)
And my friends will give up the fight (Lay me low)
They'll see my work in a different light (Lay me low)
Yeah, when I go
They'll try telephoning my mother (Lay me low)
But they'll end up getting my brother (Lay me low)
Who'll spill the story on some long-gone lover (Lay me low)
That I hardly know

[Chorus]
Hats off to the man
On top of the world
Come crawl up here, baby
And I'll show you how it works
If you wanna be my friend
And you wanna repent
And you want it all to end
And you wanna know when
Well do it now, don't care how
Take your final bow
Make a stand, take my hand
And blow it all to hell
[Verse 2]
They gonna inform the police chief (Lay me low)
Who'll breathe a sigh of relief (Lay me low)
He'll say I was a malanderer, a Badlander, and a thief (Lay me low)
Yeah, when I go
They will interview my teachers (Lay me low)
Who'll say I was one of God's sorrier creatures (Lay me low)
They'll print informative six-page features (Lay me low)
When I go
They'll bang a big old gong (Lay me low)
The motorcade will be ten miles long (Lay me low)
The world will join together for a farewell song (Lay me low)
When they put me down below
They'll sound a fluegelhorn (Lay me low)
And the sea will rage, and the sky will storm (Lay me low)
All man and beast will mourn (Lay me low)
When I go

[Chorus]
Hats off to the man
On top of the world
Come crawl up here, baby
And we can watch this damn thing turn
If you wanna be my friend
And you wanna repent
And you want it all to end
And you wanna know when
Well do it now, do it now
Take a long last bow
Take my hand, make a stand
And blow it all to hell
[Outro]
Lay me low, lay me low, lay me low
Lay me low, lay me low
Lay me low, lay me low, lay me low
Yeah, when I go
Yeah, when I
Lay me low, lay me low, lay me low
Lay me low, lay me low, lay me low
Yeah when I go
Lay me low, lay me low, lay me low
Lay me low, lay me low
Lay me low, lay me low