Stay (Sash! song)

"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, Australia, and 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 music video for the song was directed by Oliver Sommer.

"Stay"
Single by Sash! featuring La Trec
from the album It's My Life – The Album
Released	26 September 1997 (1997-09-26)
Length	3:34
Label	Mighty
Songwriter(s)	Franky McCoy Ralf Kappmeier Sascha Lappessen Thomas Allison
Producer(s)	Tokapi Sash!
Sash! featuring La Trec singles chronology
"Ecuador" (1997) "Stay" (1997) "La Primavera" (1998)
Music video
"Stay" on YouTube

Critical reception

The song was universally acclaimed across the music press. Scottish Aberdeen Press and Journal viewed it as "Sash’s better effort".^[1] Jon O'Brien from AllMusic noted the "dramatic" spoken word intro, describing the song as "an epic slice of soulful Hi-NRG pop".^[2] Larry Flick from Billboard 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."^[3]

A reviewer from Music Week rated "Stay" four out of five, declaring it "another trancey house stomper. Built around the gospel-like uplifting vocals of San Francisco-born La Trec."^[4] Another Music Week editor, Alan Jones, constated that Sash! "are likely to get, their third consecutive smash", complimenting the singer's "gutsy femme vocal".^[5]

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.^[6] 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.^[7] It depicts Sascha Lappessen and La Trec in a dream, where he is being chased by female agents. 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 22 million views as of February 2024.^[8]

Track listings

German 12-inch single^[9] 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^[10] 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^[11] "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

UK CD1^[12] "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^[13] "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

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1997–1998) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[14] 24 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[15] 39 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[16] 3 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[17] 4 Belgium Dance (Ultratop Flanders)^[18] 10 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)^[19] 1 Denmark (IFPI)^[20] 3 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[21] 6 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[22] 6 France (SNEP)^[23] 23 Germany (Official German Charts)^[24] 12 Hungary (Mahasz)^[25] 6 Ireland (IRMA)^[26] 6 Italy (Musica e dischi)^[27] 2 Lithuania (M-1)^[28] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[29] 6 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[30] 9 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[31] 12 Norway (VG-lista)^[32] 3 Scotland (OCC)^[33] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[34] 12 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[35] 19 UK Singles (OCC)^[6] 2 US Dance Club Play (Billboard)^[36] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[37] 14 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[38] 25 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[39] 39 Germany (Official German Charts)^[40] 93 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[41] 66 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[42] 45 Romania (Romanian Top 100)^[43] 29 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[44] 48 UK Singles (OCC)^[45] 30 Chart (1998) Position Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)^[46] 28 US Dance Club Play (Billboard)^[47] 10

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)^[48]	Gold	25,000^*
Norway (IFPI Norway)^[49]	Gold
United Kingdom (BPI)^[50]	Gold	400,000^^
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Belgium	26 September 1997	CD	Byte	^[24]
Germany	29 September 1997		Mighty

References

1. Aberdeen Press and Journal. November 21, 1997. p. 14.
2. O'Brien, Jon. "Sash! – The Best of Sash [X-It]". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
3. Flick, Larry (7 March 1998). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 10. p. 61. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
4. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 20 September 1997. p. 31. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
5. Jones, Alan (27 September 1997). "Talking Music" (PDF). Music Week. p. 33. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
6. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
7. "Stay (1997) by Sash! feat. La Trec". IMVDb.com. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
8. "Sash! feat. La Trec - Stay (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
9. Stay (German 12-inch single vinyl disc). Sash!. Mighty. 1997. 571 813-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
10. Stay (German 12-inch remix single vinyl disc). Sash!. X-IT Records. 1997. X-IT 037R.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
11. Stay (German maxi-CD single liner notes). Sash!. Mighty. 1997. 571 813-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
12. Stay (UK CD1 liner notes). Sash!. Multiply Records. 1997. CDMULTY26.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
13. Stay (UK CD2 liner notes). Sash!. Multiply Records. 1997. CXMULTY26.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
14. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
15. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
16. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
17. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay" (in French). Ultratop 50.
18. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
19. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 7884." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
20. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 48. 29 November 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
21. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 48. 29 November 1997. p. 12. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
22. "Sash! feat. La Trec: Stay" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
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24. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
25. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 41. 11 October 1997. p. 14. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
26. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Stay". Irish Singles Chart.
27. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 5. 31 January 1998. p. 15. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
28. . M-1.fm. 23 November 1997. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
29. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 45, 1997" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
30. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
31. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay". Top 40 Singles.
32. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay". VG-lista.
33. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
34. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay". Singles Top 100.
35. "Sash! feat. La Trec – Stay". Swiss Singles Chart.
36. "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. 21 March 1998. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
37. "Jaaroverzichten 1997" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
38. "Rapports annuels 1997" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
39. "1997 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 52. 27 December 2020. p. 7. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
40. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1997" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
41. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1997". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
42. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1997" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
43. (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 September 2005.
44. "Årslista Singlar, 1997" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
45. "Top 100 Singles 1997". Music Week. 17 January 1998. p. 27.
46. "RPM's Top 50 Dance Tracks of '98". RPM. Retrieved 22 June 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
47. "The Year in Music 1998: Hot Dance Club-Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. 26 December 1998. p. YE-54.
48. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1997". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
49. (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
50. "British single certifications – Sash ft La Trec – Stay". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 November 2020.