"Stay with Me" is a song by English rock band Faces, written jointly by lead singer Rod Stewart and guitarist Ronnie Wood. Released from the band's third studio album A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse (1971), it became their only major hit in the United States, although they had a further three Top 20 singles in the UK chart. The song has also appeared on various Faces compilations and on albums by both songwriters. The lyrics describe a woman named Rita, who has a face that she has "nothing to laugh about", and with whom the singer proposes a one-night stand, on the condition that she be gone when he wakes up.
| "Stay with Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Faces | ||||
| from the album A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | December 1971; November 2019 (Rod Stewart version) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:37 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood | |||
| Producer(s) | Faces, Glyn Johns | |||
| Faces singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 International single sleeve | ||||
| Audio | ||||
| "Stay with Me" on YouTube | ||||
"Stay with Me" reached number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent two weeks at number 10 on the Cash Box Top 100.[3] The song also reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart[4] and number 4 in Canada.[5]
Re-recordings and cover versions
editIn 1993 Stewart, reunited with Wood for MTV Unplugged, recorded a live version of the song, which appears on the 1993 album Unplugged...and Seated (1993).[6]
Def Leppard covered the song on Yeah! "Phil [Collen, guitarist] sang 'Stay with Me'," noted singer Joe Elliott. "It's his best Rod Stewart impression. I played the Fender Rhodes, he got to sing. There was a lot of instrument-swapping going on. Vivian [Campbell, guitarist] played some great Ronnie Wood slide guitar."[7]
The band Train covered the song on their 2004 album Alive at Last.[8]
In 2007, the song was covered by McFly as a b-side to their single "Do Ya" which was released for Children in Need.
In 2019, Mary J. Blige covered the song for the soundtrack of The Umbrella Academy.[9]
Personnel
edit- Rod Stewart – lead vocals
- Ronnie Wood – guitar, slide guitar
- Ian McLagan – Wurlitzer electronic piano
- Ronnie Lane – bass
- Kenney Jones – drums
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[16] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Janovitz, Bill. "Stay With Me by Faces - Track Info | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ Molanphy, Chris (10 September 2021). "Spirit of '71 Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Cash Box Top 100 2/26/72". Cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ a b "stay with me | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - February 26, 1972" (PDF).
- ^ "Unplugged....And Seated - Rod Stewart | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
- ^ Ling, Dave (July 2006). "The dirt: Joe Elliott". Classic Rock #94. p. 38.
- ^ "Alive at Last - Train | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "The Umbrella Academy | Mary J. Blige Recording 'Stay With Me'". Archived from the original on 12 December 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 107. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ a b c "Faces - Stay With Me". Charts.nz. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - February 26, 1972" (PDF).
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Stay with Me". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002
- ^ "Dutch Charts". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "British single certifications – Faces – Stay with Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 November 2022.