(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow

"(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow" is a song by American R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!. It was released by Mercury and Polygram Records on January 11, 1994,[1] as the third single from their 1993 album Sons of Soul. The midtempo love ballad was written and produced by the group and recorded at Paradise Recording Studio in Sacramento, California.

"(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow"
Single by Tony! Toni! Toné!
from the album Sons of Soul
ReleasedJanuary 11, 1994 (1994-01-11)
Recorded1993
StudioParadise Recording Studio in Sacramento, California
GenreR&B[1]
Length3:32 (radio edit)
6:12 (album version)
LabelMercury, Polygram
Songwriter(s)Timothy Christian Riley, D'wayne Wiggins, Raphael Wiggins
Producer(s)Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné! singles chronology
"Anniversary"
(1993)		 "(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow"
(1994)		 "Leavin'"
(1994)

"(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow" charted at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number four on the Hot R&B Singles. It was promoted with a music video wherein the group appeared nude; they conceived it as their response to criticism of male artists for sexually objectifying women in music videos

Music and lyrics

Tony! Toni! Toné! recorded the song for their third album Sons of Soul, which was recorded and released in 1993.[2] The song was produced and written by the group—drummer Timothy Christian Riley, guitarist D'wayne Wiggins, and bassist Raphael Wiggins.[3]

A midtempo love ballad,[4] "(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow" features tender, seductive lyrics.[5] The group incorporated country-influenced pedal steel guitar in the song after a country band had used it at Paradise Recording Studio, where they recorded the song.[6] Gil Griffin of The Washington Post writes that the song is informed by "the sensual moods of Barry White and Isaac Hayes".[7]

Music video

A music video for the song was released in February 1994.[8] It featured the group members, along with several supporting actors, appearing nude. Members of the video crew were reported to have "giggled a lot" during the 14-hour shoot.[9] It was reshot after BET, MTV, and other cable outlets requested them to minimize the nudity for airplay.[8] D'wayne Wiggins explained the concept as their response to criticism of male artists for sexually objectifying women in music videos, calling their video "sort of a role-reversal thing". He said in an interview for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he received the most "giggles ... because I went first, which I had to do because I was the one leading everybody on to do it nude. It's not like it's nudity just for nudity's sake, but we didn't want to do another la-de-da video. It's like 14 or 15 people are together in a room and different people are shown without clothes at different times."[9]

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the single's 7-inch pressing (Wing #858260-7).[10]

Charts
Chart (1994)[11] Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 31
U.S. Hot R&B Singles (Billboard) 4
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References
  1. "Put Your Head on My Pillow - Tony! Toni! Toné! : Releases". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  2. Punter, Jennie (November 25, 1993). "Tony Toni Tone runs on vintage '70s rhythm R & B inspired trio opens for Janet Jackson under the 'Dome". Toronto Star. Toronto. Entertainment section, p. WO.4. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  3. Sons of Soul (CD liner). Tony! Toni! Toné!. Polygram Records. 1993. 314 514 933-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. "Tony Toni Tone – Sons of Soul". Upscale: The Successful Black Magazine: 93. 1993.
  5. Linden, Amy; Givens, Ron; Tomashoff, Craig (July 5, 1993). "Picks and Pans Main: Song". People. 40 (1). Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  6. Zucker, Laura (November 5, 1993). "From Tonies to Townies – Hot Soul Stars Tony! Toni! Tone! Warm Up for a National Tour in Their Hometown". The Sacramento Bee. p. TK14. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  7. Griffin, Gil (June 23, 1993). "Recordings; 2 Hip-Hop Trios, Back With Brio". The Washington Post: C.07. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
  8. "Video Dares to Bare". Lexington Herald-Leader. February 22, 1994. Lifestyle section, p. 8. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  9. Bubbles, Cauldron (February 4, 1994). "Peach Buzz Talk of Our Town". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. P/2. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  10. (Lay Your Head on My) Pillow (7" vinyl). Tony! Toni! Toné!. Wing Records. 1994. 858260-7.CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. "(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow – Tony! Toni! Toné!". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
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