Stay (Sash! song)

{{Short description|1997 single by Sash!}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox song | name = Stay | cover = Sash - Stay La Trec single.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Sash! featuring La Trec | album = It's My Life – The Album | released = {{start date|1997|9|26|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = * Euro-NRG<ref name="flick">{{cite magazine|first=Larry|last=Flick|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1998/BB-1998-03-07.pdf|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=10|date=7 March 1998|page=61|access-date=26 February 2018|author-link=Larry Flick}}</ref> * house<ref name="mw">{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-09-20.pdf|title=Reviews: Singles|magazine=Music Week|date=20 September 1997|page=31|accessdate=13 September 2022}}</ref> | length = 3:34 | label = Mighty | writer = * Franky McCoy * Ralf Kappmeier * Sascha Lappessen * Thomas Allison | producer = * Tokapi * Sash! | chronology = Sash! | prev_title = Ecuador | prev_year = 1997 | next_title = La Primavera | next_year = 1998 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|nrwi79HxaOw|"Stay"}}}} }} "'''Stay'''" is a song by German DJ/production team Sash! featuring American singer La Trec. It was released on 26 September 1997 by Mighty and Multiply as the fourth and final single from their debut album, ''It's My Life – The Album'' (1997). The song was written by Franky McCoy, Ralf Kappmeier, Sascha Lappessen and Thomas Allison, and topped the dance charts in both Canada and the United States. It also reached the top 20 in more than 10 European countries as well as in New Zealand. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Stay" peaked at number six and in the UK, it was Sash!'s third consecutive number-two single. The accompanying music video was directed by Oliver Sommer and filmed in Paris, France. In 1998, ''DJ Magazine'' included "Stay" in their list of "Top 100 Club Tunes".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://909originals.com/2018/04/15/for-those-of-you-that-thought-good-dance-music-ended-in-the-90s-this-is-for-you-part-one-april-1998/|title=For those of you that thought good music died in the 90s, this is for you… part one [April 1998]|publisher=909originals.com|date=15 April 2018|access-date=21 October 2024}}</ref>

==Critical reception== The song was universally acclaimed across the music press. Scottish ''Aberdeen Press and Journal'' viewed it as "Sash’s better effort".<ref>''Aberdeen Press and Journal''. 21 November 1997. p. 14.</ref> Jon O'Brien from AllMusic noted the "dramatic" spoken word intro, describing the song as "an epic slice of soulful Hi-NRG pop".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-sash-x-it-mw0001634701|title=Sash! – ''The Best of Sash [X-It]''|last=O'Brien|first=Jon|publisher=AllMusic|access-date= 8 November 2020 }}</ref> Larry Flick from ''Billboard'' magazine wrote, "The time has come for this internationally acclaimed producer/musician to finally crack the pop charts. By drafting the belting skills of La Trec for this rare vocal track from his fine album, ''It's My Life'', he offers his most viable mainstream contender to date. The track thumps with Euro-NRG intensity, while a swirl of colorful synths fleshes out the song's simple yet wickedly infectious melody. La Trec, a singer to keep a close eye on, struts across the groove with enough force to please clubheads, but with the sweet allure that popsters require."<ref name="flick"/>

A reviewer from ''Music Week'' gave "Stay" a score of four out of five, declaring it "another trancey house stomper. Built around the gospel-like uplifting vocals of San Francisco-born La Trec."<ref name="mw"/> Another ''Music Week'' editor, Alan Jones, constated that Sash! "are likely to get, their third consecutive smash", complimenting the singer's "gutsy femme vocal".<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Alan|last=Jones|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-09-27.pdf|title=Talking Music|magazine=Music Week|date=27 September 1997|page=33|accessdate=13 September 2022}}</ref>

==Chart performance== "Stay" climbed to number one on both the Canadian ''RPM'' Dance chart and the US ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Play chart. In Europe, the single entered the top 10 in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In the UK, "Stay" reached number two during its first week on the UK Singles Chart, on October 12, 1997.<ref name="uk"/> Additionally, it was a top-20 hit in Germany, Sweden and Switzerland (19). In Oceania, it peaked at numbers 12 and 24 in New Zealand and Australia, respectively. The single earned a gold record in Belgium, Norway and the United Kingdom.

==Music video== The accompanying music video for "Stay" was directed by Oliver Sommer and filmed in Quartier de La Défense in Paris, France.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eurokdj.com/search/video.php?id=381|title=Sash! - Stay music video 1997|publisher=Eurokdj.com|accessdate=24 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://imvdb.com/video/sash!/stay|title=Stay (1997) by Sash! feat. La Trec|publisher=IMVDb.com|access-date=15 October 2018}}</ref> It was produced by AVA Studios GmbH and depicts Sascha Lappessen and La Trec in a dream, where he is being chased by female agents in and around a highrise building. On MTV Europe, some scenes in the video was left out from the original music video. Sommer had previously directed the video for "Encore une fois" and would also be directing the video for the team's next single, "La Primavera". "Stay" was later made available by Altra Moda Music on YouTube in 2016 and had generated more than 33 million views as of September 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrwi79HxaOw|title=Sash! feat. La Trec - Stay (Official Video)|publisher=YouTube|access-date=5 February 2024}}</ref>

==Track listings== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} * '''German 12-inch single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Stay|year=1997|type=German 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=Mighty|id=571 813-1}}</ref> :A1. "Stay" (original 12-inch) – 5:54 :A2. "Stay" (Exit EEE remix) – 5:53 :B1. "Stay" (Magnificent 4 remix) – 6:01 :B2. "Stay" (2 Phunky People remix) – 5:54

* '''German 12-inch remix single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Stay|year=1997|type=German 12-inch remix single vinyl disc|publisher=X-IT Records|id=X-IT 037R}}</ref> :A1. "Stay" (Armand van Helden "Kano" Remix) – 7:34 :A2. "Stay" (Armand van Helden "Soul Solution" Remix) – 7:41 :B1. "Stay" (Exit EEE's Fly So High dub) – 6:15 :B2. "Stay" (Boris & Beck remix) – 7:10

* '''German maxi-CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Stay|year=1997|type=German maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=Mighty|id=571 813-2}}</ref> # "Stay" (single edit) – 3:29 # "Stay" (original 12-inch) – 5:54 # "Stay" (Exit-Eee remix) – 5:53 # "Stay" (Magnificent 4 remix) – 6:01 # "Stay" (2 Phunky People remix) – 5:54 {{col-2}} * '''UK CD1'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Stay|year=1997|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=Multiply Records|id=CDMULTY26}}</ref> # "Stay" (original single edit) – 3:29 # "Stay" (Armand van Helden "Kano" Remix) – 7:25 # "Stay" (Exit-EEE remix) – 5:53 # "Stay" (PowerPlant "Suck This" mix) – 7:46 # "Stay" (Loop Da Loop's vocal mix) – 7:42

* '''UK CD2'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Stay|year=1997|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Multiply Records|id=CXMULTY26}}</ref> # "Stay" (original single edit) – 3:29 # "Stay" (Eat Me edit) – 3:52 # "Stay" (The Lisa Marie Vocal Experience) – 8:37 # "Stay" (Magnificent 4 remix) – 6:01 # "Stay" (2 Phunky People remix) – 5:54 # "Stay" (original 12-inch) – 5:55 {{col-end}}

==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}

===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Weekly chart performance for "Stay" !Chart (1997–1998) !Peak position |- {{single chart|Australia|24|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Austria|39|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Flanders|3|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Wallonia|4|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Flanders Dance|10|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true|access-date=1 November 2020}} |- {{single chart|Canadadance|1|chartid=7884|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2019}} |- !scope="row"|Denmark (IFPI)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-11-29.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=48|page=16|date=29 November 1997|access-date=1 November 2020}}</ref> |3 |- !scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-11-29.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=48|page=12|date=29 November 1997|access-date=1 November 2020}}</ref> |6 |- {{single chart|Finland|6|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|France|23|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Germany|12|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|songid=3549|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2019|refname="ger"}} |- !scope="row"|Hungary (Mahasz)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-10-11.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=41|page=14|date=11 October 1997|access-date=6 May 2018}}</ref> |6 |- {{single chart|Ireland2|6|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"|Italy (''Musica e dischi'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-01-31.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=5|page=15|date=31 January 1998|access-date=27 November 2019}}</ref> |2 |- !scope="row"|Lithuania (M-1)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m-1.fm/top40/?topid=1430|title=M-1 TOP 40|publisher=M-1.fm|access-date=30 March 2022|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616003444/http://m-1.fm/top40/?topid=1430|date=23 November 1997|archive-date=16 June 2012}}</ref> |4 |- {{single chart|Dutch40|6|year=1997|week=45|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2019}} |- {{single chart|Dutch100|9|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|New Zealand|12|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Norway|3|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Scotland|2|date=19971018|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2019}} |- {{single chart|Sweden|12|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|Switzerland|19|artist=Sash! feat. La Trec|song=Stay|rowheader=true}} |- {{single chart|UK|2|date=19971018|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2019|refname="uk"}} |- !scope="row"|US Dance Club Play (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/dance-club-play-songs/1998-03-21/|title=Dance Club Songs|magazine=Billboard|date=21 March 1998|url-access=subscription|access-date=2 August 2023}}</ref> |1 |} {{col-2}}

===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Annual chart rankings for "Stay" !Chart (1997) !Position |- !scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1997|title=Jaaroverzichten 1997|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref> |14 |- !scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=1997|title=Rapports annuels 1997|publisher=Ultratop|language=fr|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref> |25 |- !scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-12-27.pdf|title=1997 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=52|page=7|date=27 December 2020|access-date=20 December 2019}}</ref> |39 |- !scope="row"|Germany (Media Control)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1997|title=Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1997|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref> |93 |- !scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1997|title=Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1997|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=22 February 2020}}</ref> |66 |- !scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1997&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1997|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref> |45 |- !scope="row"|Romania (Romanian Top 100)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-1997.html|title=Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1997|publisher=Romanian Top 100|language=ro|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050922001105/http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-1997.html|archive-date=22 September 2005}}</ref> |29 |- !scope="row"|Sweden (Topplistan)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/43?dspy=1997&dspp=1|title=Årslista Singlar, 1997|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|language=sv|access-date=1 November 2020}}</ref> |48 |- !scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles 1997|magazine=Music Week|page=27|date=17 January 1998}}</ref> |30 |} {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1998) !Position |- !scope="row"|Canada Dance/Urban (''RPM'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.7003&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.7003.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.7003|title=RPM's Top 50 Dance Tracks of '98|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref> |28 |- !scope="row"|Europe Border Breakers (''Music & Media'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-12-19.pdf#page=11|title=Border Breakers Top 50 1998|date=19 December 1998|work=Music & Media|volume=15|number=51|p=11|via=World Radio History|access-date=22 January 2026}}</ref> | 47 |- !scope="row"|US Dance Club Play (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music 1998: Hot Dance Club-Play Singles|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=52|page=YE-54|date=26 December 1998}}</ref> |10 |} {{col-end}}

==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Stay"}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Belgium|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1997|certyear=1997|access-date=22 June 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1997|certyear=1997|nosales=true|access-date=22 June 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Sash ft La Trec|title=Stay|award=Gold|relyear=1997|certyear=2013|id=6264-3206-1|access-date=1 November 2020}} {{Certification Table Bottom}}

==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+Street dates for "Stay" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !scope="row"|Belgium |26 September 1997 |rowspan="2"|CD |Byte |rowspan="2"|<ref name="ger"/> |- !scope="row"|Germany |29 September 1997 |Mighty |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:1997 songs Category:1997 singles Category:Multiply Records singles Category:Music videos directed by Oliver Sommer Category:Music videos shot in France Category:Sash! songs Category:Songs about dreams