Written by David Alan Coe, “Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)” by Tanya Tucker started as a poem for his brother’s wedding which was turned into a song that became a chart topper.
The One Responsible for the No. 1 Hit
Back in the day, we can say that David Alan Coe a force to be reckoned with in terms of physical appearance. Covered with tattoos, he was an ex-convict who once spent time in Death Row. The image of David Alan Coe was further cultivated from public appearances with a set of leather-clad bodyguards in tow. He was also notorious for a couple of X-rated albums.
On the bright side, David Alan Coe received a certain notoriety in Country Music. He managed to chart 31 records and three of them went into the Top Ten. He was also the one responsible for Johnny Paycheck’s “Take This Job And Shove It”. In addition, he was also the one who wrote Tanya Tucker’s “Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone).”
The Poem into a Song
Tanya Tucker’s “Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)” started as a poem that David Alan Coe wrote at his brother’s wedding. It was titled “Tell Me, Lady, Can You Pray”. Eventually, he put a melody into the poem and he played it for Columbia Record’s top producer Billy Sherrill. To Billy, “Tell Me, Lady, Can You Pray” didn’t make sense at first. The first line of was the very confusing for him, “Would you lay with me in a field of stone.” Billy Sherrill admitted to Coe that he didn’t understand the song. So, David explained that the lines were for a vow for eternal unity:
“Live with me all your life and then, when I die and you die, we’ll be buried together.”
After the explanation was made, Sherrill agreed that the song was a great idea, although, it was a bit of ethereal for country music.
Thereafter, Sherrill said that he would agree to use the song as long as the title will be changed. He tossed, “Tell Me, Lady, Can You Pray” then replaced it to “Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)”. David Alan Coe agreed to the changed without arguments.
To the Young Country Artist
After the song was ready, Billy Sherrill gave the song to the teenager Tanya Tucker. But before that, Sherrill already gave her two No. 1 hits. Both the hits were containing “adult” lyrics for a young girl to sing. However, both were successful thus the reason why he gave her “Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone”. At first, Tanya Tucker was hesitant to record the song. She realized that her first two No. 1 hits were successful. So, she believed in her producer and recorded the song.
“Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone” by Tanya Tucker generated a lot of attention on its way to the top spot on the country charts. Some radio stations actually banned the record because of Tanya Tucker being a teenager and the adult content of the song. However, when looking through the proper context, the song became more intriguing piece and a plausible wedding vow.
Reaching the summit of Billboard’s Hot Country Singles Chart on March 1974, the song became the 3rd of the 10 No. 1 hits of Tanya Tucker.
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David Allan Coe, Tanya Tucker