Lay Down Your Weary Tune

"Lay Down Your Weary Tune"
Cover of the M. Witmark & Sons sheet music
Song by Bob Dylan
from the album Biograph
ReleasedNovember 7, 1985 (1985-11-07)
RecordedOctober 24, 1963
StudioColumbia, New York City
GenreAmerican folk music
Length4:36
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Bob Dylan
Producer(s)Tom Wilson

"Lay Down Your Weary Tune" is a song written by Bob Dylan in 1963. Dylan originally recorded it for his album The Times They Are a-Changin', but his version of the song was not officially released until 1985 on the Biograph box set. In the album liner notes, Dylan claims that in the song he was trying to capture the feeling of a Scottish ballad he had just heard on a 78 rpm record. The specific ballad Dylan was referring to has not been identified, but speculation includes "The Water Is Wide", "O Waly, Waly" and "I Wish, I Wish".

Los Angeles folk rock group the Byrds recorded "Lay Down Your Weary Tune" for their 1965 album Turn! Turn! Turn! The song was subsequently recorded by several artists.