Bowie debuted the song on the variety show Dinah! on 3 January 1976. In July the same year, RCA Records released "Stay" as the B-side of "Suffragette City" and again as an A-side in edited form in the United States; both failed to chart. The track has received positive reviews from music critics and biographers, with many praising the performance of the band. "Stay" was a live staple throughout Bowie's concert tours, performances of which have appeared on numerous live albums. The song was remixed by Maslin in 2010 for reissues of Station to Station and remastered in 2016 for the Who Can I Be Now? (1974–1976) box set. Bowie recorded a new version of "Stay" in 1997 during the rehearsals for the Earthling Tour, which appeared on the 2020 EP Is It Any Wonder? as "Stay '97".
Stay
David Bowie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The days fell on their knees
Maybe I'll take something to help me
Hope someone takes after me
I guess there's always some change in the weather
This time I know we could get it together
If I did casually mention tonight
That would be crazy tonight
Stay, that's what I meant to say, or do something
But I never say is stay this time
I really meant to so bad this time
'Cause you can never really tell when somebody
Wants something you want too
Heartwrecker, heartwrecker, make me delight
Life is so vague when it brings someone new
This time tomorrow I'll know what to do
I know it's happened to you
Stay, that's what I meant to say or do something
But what I never say is stay this time
I really meant to so badly this time
'Cause you can never really tell when somebody
Wants so much to stay
That's what I meant to say or do something
But what I never say is stay this time
I really meant to so badly this time
'Cause you can never really tell when somebody
Wants something you want too
The song "Stay" by David Bowie is a heartfelt plea to a lover to stay despite the many uncertainties and changes that life brings. The opening lines, "This week dragged past me so slowly, the days fell on their knees" express the emotional turmoil that the singer is going through. He feels lost and uncertain about what the future holds, and he longs for someone to be with him during this time.
The lines "Maybe I'll take something to help me, hope someone takes after me" suggest that the singer is considering taking medication or drugs to cope with his emotional pain. He hopes that someone else will follow him in this action, perhaps to feel the same level of relief or escape.
The chorus, "Stay, that's what I meant to say, or do something, but I never seem to act in time," is a plea for his lover to stay with him during this difficult period. He acknowledges that he has not been able to express this sentiment before, but now he feels he must. The repetition of the phrase "this time" implies the urgency of the situation.
Overall, "Stay" is a moving and introspective song that expresses the difficulties of human relationships and the importance of staying connected with those we love, even when the going gets tough.
Line by Line Meaning
This week dragged past me so slowly
The passing days seemed to move slowly this week
The days fell on their knees
The days were so long it seemed as if they were bending at the knees
Maybe I'll take something to help me
I am considering taking something to ease my discomfort
Hope someone takes after me
I hope someone will understand me and follow my lead
I guess there's always some change in the weather
Change is inevitable, even in the weather
This time I know we could get it together
I am hopeful that this time we can achieve our goal
If I did casually mention tonight
If I happen to mention it casually tonight
That would be crazy tonight
It would be unreasonable to bring it up tonight
Stay, that's what I meant to say, or do something
I wanted to ask you to stay or do something to make you stay
But I never say is stay this time
I don't explicitly ask you to stay this time
I really meant to so bad this time
I really wanted to ask you to stay so badly this time
'Cause you can never really tell when somebody
Because it's hard to tell when someone
Wants something you want too
Wants the same thing that you do
Heartwrecker, heartwrecker, make me delight
Someone who breaks hearts excites me
Life is so vague when it brings someone new
Life can be uncertain when someone new comes into it
This time tomorrow I'll know what to do
I will have a plan by this time tomorrow
I know it's happened to you
I know you have experienced this too
Stay, that's what I meant to say or do something
I wanted to ask you to stay or do something to make you stay
But what I never say is stay this time
I don't explicitly ask you to stay this time
I really meant to so badly this time
I really wanted to ask you to stay so badly this time
'Cause you can never really tell when somebody
Because it's hard to tell when someone
Wants so much to stay
Wants to stay very much
That's what I meant to say or do something
I wanted to ask you to stay or do something to make you stay
But what I never say is stay this time
I don't explicitly ask you to stay this time
I really meant to so badly this time
I really wanted to ask you to stay so badly this time
'Cause you can never really tell when somebody
Because it's hard to tell when someone
Wants something you want too
Wants the same thing that you do
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DrJKintobor
on I Can't Give Everything Away
I can totally imagine this being the end theme of Sabrina Online, when Sabrina marries Richard and they drive off into the sunset...
Peter Bonney
on Diamond Dogs
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