Stay Or Leave
Dave and Tim Lyrics
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Winters warm there you and I
Kissing whiskey by the fire
With the snow outside
And when the summer comes
In the river
Swims at midnight
Shiver cold
You and I
With muddy toes
Stay or leave
I want you not to go
But you should
It was good as good goes
Stay or leave
I want you not to go
But you did
Wake up naked drinking coffee
Making plans to change the world
While the world is changing us
It was good, good love
You used to laugh under the covers
Maybe not so often now
But the way I used to laugh with you
Was loud and hard
Stay or leave
I want you not to go
But you should
It was good as good goes
Stay or leave
I want you not to go
But you did
So what to do
With the rest of the day's afternoon hey
Isn't it strange how we change
Everything we did
Did I do all that I should
That I could of done
Remember we used to dance
And everyone wanted to be
You and me
I want to be too
What day is this
Besides the day you left me
What day is this
Besides the day you went
So what to do
With the rest of the day's afternoon hey
Isn't it strange how we change
Everything we did
Did I do all that I could
Remember we used to dance
And everyone wanted to be you and me
I want to be too
What day is this
Besides the day you went babe
What day is this
Stay or Leave by Dave and Tim is a song that talks about the complexities of relationships and how couples can choose to either stay together or leave one another despite the good memories shared. The song paints a vivid picture of moments spent together with lines like "Winters warm there you and I, Kissing whiskey by the fire" and "Wake up naked drinking coffee, Making plans to change the world, While the world is changing us." These lines draw a picture of intimate moments shared by the couple while also acknowledging that the world around them is ever-changing.
The chorus of the song, "Stay or leave, I want you not to go, But you should, It was good as good goes" captures the dilemma of wanting to hold on to something that was good and fulfilling, but at the same time recognizing that it may be time to let go. The lyrics show that even after the relationship has ended, it is hard to move on completely as shown by "What day is this, Besides the day you left me, What day is this, Besides the day you went."
In summary, the song Stay or Leave showcases the bittersweet aspect of relationships, how you can hold on to the good memories but still choose to leave because it is the best thing to do.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe different but remember
Although things may change, let us not forget
Winters warm there you and I
We were together in the warm winter
Kissing whiskey by the fire
Drinking and being affectionate by the fire
With the snow outside
While it snowed outside
And when the summer comes
When summer arrives
In the river swims at midnight
We will swim in the river at midnight
Shiver cold touch the bottom
The water will be cold, but we will touch the bottom
You and I with muddy toes
We will get our toes muddy, together
Stay or leave, I want you not to go
I am torn between asking you to stay, but knowing you should leave
But you should it was good as good goes
You should leave because although it was good, it can’t last forever
But you did
But you left
Wake up naked drinking coffee
We wake up nude, drinking coffee
Making plans to change the world
We make plans to change the world
While the world is changing us
But the world is also changing us
It was good, good love
Our love was good
You used to laugh under the covers
You used to laugh a lot under the covers
Maybe not so often now
But maybe not as often anymore
But the way I used to laugh with you was loud and hard
But the way we used to laugh together was emphatic and powerful
So what to do with the rest of the day's afternoon hey
So what should we do with the rest of the afternoon?
Isn't it strange how we change everything we did
Isn’t it odd how we have changed everything we once did?
Did I do all that I should that I could of done
Did I do everything I possibly could have?
Remember we used to dance
Remember when we used to dance?
And everyone wanted to be you and me
Everyone wanted to be us
I want to be too what day is this besides the day you went babe what day is this
I want to be that way again... what day is this besides the day you left me?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID JOHN MATTHEWS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tinuviel78
This is for sure my favorite version. The whole Radio City concert is amazing, they were on fire.
FaceMcShooty
they were on shrooms, not fire. unless thats what people call it now lol
B Scott
Ben harper
Grace Monroe
Gotta be one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. Melodically but also lyrically!! The lyrics are something entirely set apart, they kill me.
Denisse Hernandez
This song never fails to give me goosebumps. ❤️❤️❤️
Mad Minute
Underrated and hauntingly impactful.
Great duo.
Ron
My all time favorite Dave Matthew's concert
Sarah a christian
Love love love love this song... even more so with Tim Reynolds. :)
Christopher Ducat
Best live version, for sure, pure gold 💛
pilates68
Such an amazing live performance. Tim Reynolds does some really great intricate phrasing that just elevates the song. They’ve done it live since, but that night at Radio City NY was just pure magic. DM has never said this, but I always regard this song as an unconscious love letter to Gordon Lightfoot. It’s so reminiscent, to me, at least as the kind of yearning lonely love songs he wrote in the 70’s. One of Dave’s best!!! And this performance is the definitive one.