I Stay in Love - Background and Composition

Background and Composition

"I Stay in Love" was written by Carey, Bryan-Michael Cox, Adonis Shropshire, Kendrick Dean and produced by Carey alongside Cox. The vocals were recorded by Brian Garten at Stone Groove Studios in New York City and the final mixing was completed by Phil Tan. In an interview with Ed Lover of the radio station Power 105 in New York City, Carey said that the song was one of her favorites from the album and that its vocals were recorded within a day. Following the under-performance of the third single "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time", the song was chosen as the fourth single from Carey's eleventh studio album, E=MC². It was sent to mainstream, rhythmic and urban radios on October 28, 2008. A remix single was issued on December 16, 2008. "I Stay in Love" is a mid-tempo "beat-driven" and "piano-laced" ballad, that draws influence from pop and R&B music genres.

The song's instrumentation is derived from a piano melody, and is backed by a strong computerized drum-beat. It is composed in the key of Db Major, with Carey's vocals spanning from the low note of Db₃ to the high note of Gb₅. The song features a "double voice" effect during its final chorus, where Carey's normal singing tone throughout the rest of the song is combined with her highered pitch. She raises the pitch one octave, and layers it over her normal tone. Lyrically, the song finds Carey getting "her cry on with the connect-the-dots break-up track." She describes the old time she shared with her lover. She also admits that even though they did attempt to save their relationship, and that she knows that it is definitely over, she still "stays in love with him".