Stay (Maurice Williams Song) - Cover Versions

Cover Versions

• A Swedish text (not a translation) Säj mej hur du vill ha det sung by Barbro Skinnar made it to 2nd place on the top charts of Radio Nord in April 1962.
• The Hollies: In August 1963 the song was released by the Hollies, who took it to number eight in the UK Singles Chart.
• The Four Seasons: In 1964, the song was covered by the Four Seasons, whose version peaked at number sixteen in the U.S. Vee Jay originally released the latter as the B-side of "Peanuts" in January, but when disc jockeys started to "turn the single over" to play "Stay" on the air, the record company superseded the single with a new one with "Stay" as the A-side and "Goodnight My Love" as the new B-side.
• The Virginia Wolves: The song was also covered in 1966 by the Virginia Wolves (Amy Records AMY966 in the USA, Stateside Records SS563 in the UK) augmented by a brass punch that has seen it become a staple tune on the UK Northern Soul scene.
• Singer-songwriter Andrew Gold recorded a version of "Stay" for his 1976 album What's Wrong with This Picture?
• Jackson Browne: A version of the song with revised lyrics is the last track on Jackson Browne's 1977 album Running on Empty. The song, which follows on the heels of Browne's "The Load-Out" begs the audience to stay for an encore and includes an extensive playout. It includes backing contributions from David Lindley and from Rosemary Butler. Browne, Butler, and Lindley each contribute a similar verse in turn in ascending vocal ranges. It was released as a single and reached number twenty in the U.S.
• Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band recorded a version for the No Nukes album in September 1979.
• Cyndi Lauper: "Stay" was the third and final single from Cyndi Lauper's 2003 cover album At Last. It was a promo-only single, released only in the U.S. and Australia. The video that accompanied it is rarely seen but is commercially available as a special feature on the DVD, Live at Last.
• Georg Danzer: In 1980 Austrian singer Georg Danzer wrote a German text to the Jackson Browne medley The Load Out/Stay. It was performed live on the album Direkt as “Roadie Song“.
• Lyrics from the song were interpolated on reggae artist Buju Banton's song "Hush Baby Hush" on his 1995 album 'Til Shiloh.
• Dreamhouse: British pop group Dreamhouse covered the song, first released as a single in 1995, then again in 1998.
• Italo disco duo Marx & Spencer released their version in 1983.