Songfacts®:

• This features vocals by the soul singer-songwriter Anthony Hamilton.
• The Lay It Down album was produced by The Roots' Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson together with keyboardist and frequent Erykah Badu collaborator James Poyser. It was the Reverend Al's first secular album since 1977's The Belle Album. Green told Billboard magazine: "I've never heard anything quite like it, because I've never had anybody produce me other than Willie Mitchell." And when you give these young kids a shot at it, it's interesting to see the art they make. It's beautiful."
  
  Thompson added that he and Poyser had vintage Green in mind when they began working on this album in 2005 at Electric Lady studios in New York. He recalled: "I told Blue Note that if they truly want a follow-up to The Belle Album come and see me. I just said that, 'I'm going to create a record that will absolutely be the 30-year follow-up to The Belle Album. That's not to negate the last 30 years of his work, but there is a very specific reason why most people consider The Belle Album to be the official last Al Green record, and I really wanted to recapture that sound."
• When this entered the American album chart at #9, it became the third highest-charting album of Green's career and his biggest debut ever. Only Let's Stay Together (#8) and I'm Still in Love With You (#4) peaked in higher positions, both in 1972.
• Mojo magazine July 2008 asked Al Green what the 'it' is in this song's title. The Reverend replied: "That's between my old lady and me. But everyone knows what you're talking about. 'Lay it down' C'mon! Put your hat on the floor. That's what it's about. When you stay away from each other like that, a long period of time like that, when Al's on tour for 28 days I finally get to go home. I'm tired, she's tired, but still the love that you have for each other… it finds its way."