Song Lyric Sunday – Stay – Past, Present, Future

This was a tough Song Lyric Sunday for me this week. Our host, Jim Adams, gave us Past, Present and Future as the prompts. My first thought was Living in the Past by Jethro Tull, but that was covered just last week. Typically I prefer to find a song with a prompt word in the title but found it difficult today. So I have chosen a song by Rihanna, featuring Mikky Ekko, called Stay. It is about temptation and Rihanna would like him to stay in the present, but he will probably move on and be a thing of her past.

The Song

“Stay” was recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her seventh studio album, Unapologetic (2012). It features guest vocals by Mikky Ekko and was released as the second single from the album on January 7, 2013. “Stay” was co-written by Ekko and Justin Parker. The song’s lyrical content speaks of temptation and the inability to resist true love. Music critics were generally positive in their opinion regarding the balladry, with most describing it as a standout track on the album.

Upon the release of Unapologetic, “Stay” charted on multiple charts worldwide. Following its release as a single, it reached number one in Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Israel and the top five in twenty-four countries worldwide including Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Rihanna’s twenty-fourth top ten on the chart, thus surpassing Whitney Houston’s tally. Furthermore, it has charted at number one on the US Pop Songs chart and 16 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. Worldwide the single has sold over 10 million copies making it one of the best selling singles of all time.

The song’s accompanying music video, directed by Sophie Muller, depicts Rihanna naked in a bathtub filled with cloudy water, while Ekko sings in a separate bathroom. Critics likened the vulnerability and raw emotion in the video to the song itself. Rihanna premiered “Stay” on Saturday Night Live in the United States, while she performed the song in the United Kingdom on the ninth series of The X Factor. Rihanna and Ekko also performed “Stay” at the 2013 Grammy Awards. The track was included on the set list of the majority of her 777 Tour promotional tour dates, in support of the album, while it was included on Rihanna’s fifth headlining tour, the “Diamonds World Tour” in the encore and the opening song of her seventh headlining tour, the “Anti World Tour”.

Courtesy of Wiki

The Lyrics

All along it was a fever
A cold sweat, hot headed believer
I threw my hands in the air, said, "Show me something"
He said, "If you dare, come a little closer"

Round and around and around and around we go
Oh, now tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know

Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay

It's not much of a life you're living
It's not just something you take, it's given

Round and around and around and around we go
Oh, now tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know

Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
And I want you to stay

Ooh, the reason I hold on
Ooh, 'cause I need this hole gone
Well, funny you're the broken one 
But I'm the only one who needed saving
'Cause when you never see the light 
It's hard to know which one of us is caving

Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay
Stay
I want you to stay
Ooh

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: John Stephen Sudduth / Justin Parker / Mikky Ekko
Stay lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.