Stay with Me (Faces song) explained

Stay with Me
Cover:Stay_with_Me_-_Faces.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Faces
Album:A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse
Released:December 1971;November 2019 (Rod Stewart version)
Genre:
Length:4:37
Label:Warner Bros.
Producer:Faces, Glyn Johns
Prev Title:(I Know) I'm Losing You
Prev Year:1971
Next Title:Cindy Incidentally
Next Year:1973

"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" 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

In 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

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1971–1972)Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[10] 41
Belgium[11] 18
Canada RPM[12] 4
Germany28
Netherlands4
UK Singles Chart6
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 17
US Cash Box Top 10010

Year-end charts

Chart (1972)Rank
Canada 73
Netherlands[14] 47
UK 81

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Janovitz . Bill . Stay With Me by Faces - Track Info AllMusic . . 28 January 2023 . en.
  2. Spirit of '71 Edition. Hit Parade Music History and Music Trivia. Slate. Molanphy. Chris. September 10, 2021. March 2, 2024.
  3. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 2/26/72. Cashboxmagazine.com. 1 June 2021.
  4. Web site: stay with me | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company. Officialcharts.com. 1 June 2021.
  5. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - February 26, 1972.
  6. Web site: Unplugged....And Seated - Rod Stewart | Songs, Reviews, Credits . AllMusic.
  7. Dave. Ling. The dirt: Joe Elliott. Classic Rock #94. July 2006. 38.
  8. Web site: Alive at Last - Train | Songs, Reviews, Credits . AllMusic. 1 June 2021.
  9. Web site: The Umbrella Academy | Mary J. Blige Recording 'Stay With Me'. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/89nnYSPkHaQ. 2021-12-12 . live. YouTube.
  10. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 107.
  11. Web site: Faces - Stay With Me. Charts.nz. 1 June 2021.
  12. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - February 26, 1972.
  13. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002
  14. Web site: Dutch Charts. Dutchcharts.nl. 1 June 2021.