If You Want Me to Stay

"If You Want Me to Stay" is a 1973 hit single by Sly and the Family Stone, from their album Fresh.

"If You Want Me to Stay"
Single by Sly and the Family Stone
from the album Fresh
Released1973
Recorded1973
GenreFunk
Length3:01 / 2:40 (alternate take)
LabelEpic
11017
Songwriter(s)Sly Stone
Producer(s)Sly Stone
Sly and the Family Stone singles chronology
"(You Caught Me) Smilin'"
(1972)		 "If You Want Me to Stay"
(1973)		 "Frisky"
(1973)

Background

Stone recorded the song without much input from the rest of the band; by the early 1970s, he had begun crafting most of his material by himself. An alternate version of "If You Want Me to Stay", as well as most of the rest of the Fresh album, was completed before Stone decided to scrap the masters and re-record the album. These alternate versions have surfaced in underground markets, online auctions, and specialty shops. However, five bonus tracks are included in Epic's 2007 reissue of Fresh, all of which are directly from the alternate mix of the album.

Song analysis

The lyrics of "If You Want Me to Stay" feature frontman Sly Stone informing his lover that she has to let him be himself, otherwise he feels that he would have to leave. The composition has its origins in an apology Stone wrote to his future wife, Kathleen Silva, after a fight.

Chart performance

"If You Want Me to Stay" was the band's final Top 20 pop hit, and is the best-known of its post-There's a Riot Goin' On recordings. The single reached number 12 on the Pop Chart, and number-three on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart.[1]

Personnel

Note: A transcription of the bass part for this song appears in the October 2006 issue of Bass Player magazine (pages 78–81). According to the article accompanying the transcription, written by Chris Jisi:

"The ambitiously named 'Fresh' hit the streets in early July. A stripped-down, more raw outing than previous Sly albums, the 11-track set was boosted by the bass waves of Graham's hand-picked replacement, Rustee Allen. Sly himself laid down some of the album's bass tracks, but it was Rustee whose lilting line drove "If You Want Me To Stay," the disc's hit single (No. 12 on the Pop charts, No. 3 on R & B)"

Cover versions

The song has been covered extensively since its introduction, by artists including Etta James, Eric Benet, Mercury Rev, Victor Wooten, Soulive, Pama International, Ronny, and Kermit Ruffins. The song has also been featured in the movies Made in Heaven, Talk to Me, Dead Presidents, and Money Talks.

Prince recorded a version of "If You Want Me to Stay" for his 2002 live album, One Nite Alone... Live!.

Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded a cover of this song for their 1985 album Freaky Styley. It was also released on their 1992 greatest hits album, What Hits!?.

In 2006, bassist Wayman Tisdale released an album entitled Way Up! which contained a cover of this song.[2]

A cover of the song is featured on A. J. Croce's 2015 rerelease of That's Me in the Bar.

In 2020, Ari Lennox and Anthony Ramos released a cover in partnership with Main Street Alliance — a nonprofit organization committed to supporting small businesses in the United States — and Crown Royal in donation to help the landmark small businesses and communities all over the country.[3]

Mica Paris cover
"Stay"
Single by Mica Paris
Released1998
Genre
Length4:36
Label
Songwriter(s)Sly Stone
Producer(s)
  • Julian Jackson
Mica Paris singles chronology
"One"
(1995)		 "Stay"
(1998)		 "Carefree"
(1998)
Music video
"Stay" on YouTube

British soul singer Mica Paris released a version of "Stay" in 1998, as the lead single from the album Black Angel.[4] Her version spent two weeks on the UK Singles Chart before peaking at number forty on May 16, 1998.[5] It also reached the top forty of the New Zealand Singles Chart.[6]

Track listing

CD single[4]

No.TitleLyricsProducerLength
1."Stay" (Original Edit)Sly Stone
  • Julian Jackson
  • Richie Stevens
4:20
2."Stay" (Blacksmith Club Rub featuring Know ?uestion)Sly Stone
  • Blacksmith
 
3."Stay" (Brooklyn Funk R'n'B Mix)Sly Stone
  • Brooklyn Funk
 
4."Stay" (Booker T's Vocal Lick)Sly Stone
  • Booker T
 
5."Stay" (K-Klassic Mix)Sly Stone
  • K-Klassic
 
6."Stay" (B Drop Radio Edit)Sly Stone
  • B Drop
 

Credits and personnel

Performers[7]

  • Mica Paris – vocals
  • Backing Vocals – Jackie Farris, Jackie Gouche, Jackie Smiley
  • Bass – Raphael Saadiq
  • Drum Programming – Richie Stevens
  • Guitar – Keven Frost
  • Keyboards – Pete Adams
  • Remix – Richie Stevens
  • Saxophone [Tenor] – Ben Castle
  • Trumpet – Raul D'Oliveira

Charts
Chart (1998) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[6] 31
Scotland (OCC)[8] 67
UK Singles (OCC)[9] 40
UK R&B (OCC)[10] 10
UK Dance (OCC)[11] 11

Songplay

The song was used in the closing minutes of the series finale of the TV show Medium as the actors said their goodbyes to the camera.

It was also featured in the opening scene of the ER episode "John Carter, M.D."

The song can also be heard in the 1995 film Dead Presidents.

It was also featured in the 2014 film Tammy.

Sample

As with most of Sly Stone's work, many songs have sampled the bass line from "If You Want Me to Stay", including:

References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 534.
  2. "Way Up! overview". Allmusic.com.
  3. "INTERVIEW: ANTHONY RAMOS & ARI LENNOX ENRAPTURE WITH COVER OF "IF YOU WANT ME TO STAY"".
  4. "Mica Paris – Stay at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  5. "Mica Paris – full Official Chart History (Singles)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  6. "Charts.nz – Mica Paris – Stay". Top 40 Singles.
  7. One (CD booklet). Mica Paris. Chrysalis Records. 1995.CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  9. "Mica Paris: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  10. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  11. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
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