If You Want Me to Stay

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.

Record World said that it "is as bizarre as his other outings and just as commercial."^[2]

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.^[3]

Personnel

Sly Stone — vocals, guitar, piano, organ, bass guitar
Andy Newmark — drums
Cynthia Robinson — trumpet
Jerry Martini — saxophone
Pat Rizzo — saxophone

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 "Rustee Allen’s Complete Bass Line: Sly & The Family Stone's 'If You Want Me To Stay'" 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."

Mica Paris version

"Stay"

Single by Mica Paris

from the album Black Angel

Released

May 11, 1998

Genre

Length

4:36

Label

Cooltempo

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 her fourth album, Black Angel (1998).^[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]

Critical reception

British magazine Music Week wrote, "Paris adds characteristic — if slightly mannered — vocal swoops to a faithful rendition of the Sly & The Family Stone classic. Still, it's a welcome return for one of the best soul voices the UK has yet produced and provides a taste of her long-delayed forthcoming album Black Angel."^[7]

Track listing

CD single^[4]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Producer	Length
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^[8]

Vocals - Mica Paris
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

Weekly charts

Chart (1998)	Peak position
Japan (Tokio Hot 100)^[9]^[10]	6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[6]	31
Scotland (OCC)^[11]	67
UK Singles (OCC)^[12]	40
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[13]	10
UK Dance (OCC)^[14]	11

Year-end charts

Chart (1998)	Position
UK Urban (Music Week)^[15]	28

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, Kermit Ruffins, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The song has also been featured in the movies Made in Heaven, Talk to Me, Dead Presidents, and Money Talks.

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.^[16]

Sample

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

Dre' Dog, aka Andre Nickatina, in his 1991 album The New Jim Jones in the song "Summer in Florida".
Dana Dane from the 1990 album Dana Dane 4 Ever in the song "Tales from the Dane Side".

References

^ "Sly and the Family Stone - if You Want Me to Stay".
^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. June 16, 1973. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 534.
^ ^a ^b "Mica Paris – Stay at Discogs". Discogs. 1998. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
^ "Mica Paris – full Official Chart History (Singles)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
^ ^a ^b "Mica Paris – Stay". Top 40 Singles.
^ "Reviews singles" (PDF). Music Week. 18 April 1998. p. 8. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
^ One (CD booklet). Mica Paris. Chrysalis Records. 1995.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "HITS! IN TOKYO". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 31. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1 August 1998. p. 81. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
^ "HITS! IN TOKYO". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 32. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 8 August 1998. p. 71. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
^ "Mica Paris: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
^ "The Urban Top 40 Of 1998" (PDF). Music Week. January 9, 1999. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
^ "INTERVIEW: ANTHONY RAMOS & ARI LENNOX ENRAPTURE WITH COVER OF "IF YOU WANT ME TO STAY"". 3 September 2020.

v t e Sly and the Family Stone
Sly Stone Freddie Stone Rose Stone Cynthia Robinson Greg Errico Jerry Martini Larry Graham Vet Stone Rustee Allen Pat Rizzo Andy Newmark Bill Lordan
Studio albums	A Whole New Thing (1967) Dance to the Music (1968) Life (1968) Stand! (1969) There's a Riot Goin' On (1971) Fresh (1973) Small Talk (1974) Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back (1976) Back on the Right Track (1979) Ain't But the One Way (1982)
Live albums	The Woodstock Experience (2009)
Compilations	Greatest Hits Different Strokes by Different Folks
Singles	"Dance to the Music" "Everyday People" "Sing a Simple Song" "Stand!" "I Want to Take You Higher" "Hot Fun in the Summertime" "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" "Everybody Is a Star" "Family Affair" "Runnin' Away" "If You Want Me to Stay"
Related articles	Discography Sly Stone solo discography Little Sister Coming Back for More On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (book)
Category

v <abbr style=";background: #f0e68c;;background:none transparent;border:none;box-shadow:none;padding:0;" title="Discuss this template">t</abbr> e Mica Paris
Studio albums	So Good Contribution Whisper a Prayer Black Angel Born Again Gospel
Singles	"My One Temptation" "Like Dreamers Do" "Breathe Life into Me" "Where Is the Love" "Contribution" "If I Love U 2 Nite" "I Never Felt Like This Before" "I Wanna Hold On to You" "One" "Stay" "Tracks of My Tears" "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye"
Related articles	Discography

This page was last edited on 17 January 2024, at 08:03

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