THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

70-Faces-Stay with Me.

1972-Number 6 single.

Best Bit-At 3.20, and again at 3.42, and again at 3.53, and again at 4.03, and again at 4.14.

The Faces (see also best songs 565) were formed in London, England, in 1969 by Ian McLagan, (1945-2014) Ronnie Lane, (1946-1997) and Kenney Jones, who had all been members of the Small Faces, (see also best songs 1048 and 872) along with Rod Stewart, (see also best songs 965-565-206-179 and 34) and Ronnie Wood, (see also best songs 160) who had both been members of the Jeff Beck Group. They remained active through until 1975, before reforming between 2009-2011, and then again in 2021. In total there have been nine official members come and go, with Jones, Stewart, and Wood being the three current ones. The Faces have released four studio Albums between 1970-1973, and one live Album ‘Coast to Coast: Overture and Beginners,’ in 1974. They also released 11 singles between 1969-1974, of which four made the UK top 40, with ‘Cindy Incidentally’ charting highest at Number 2 in 1973, while in America on the Billboard Hot 100 top 40 they have charted twice, with this song being the most successful when reaching Number 17.

‘Stay With Me’ was co-written by Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Wood, and produced by Glyn Johns, and the Faces, and was taken from the groups third studio Album ‘A Nod Is As Good As a Wink…to a Blind Horse,’ from 1971. If you think that is a fairly long song title then try another of the groups records, ‘You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything (Even Take the Dog for a Walk, Mend a Fuse, Fold Away the Ironing Board, or Any Other Domestic Shortcomings)” / “As Long as You Tell Him,’ which is the longest ever song title of a single to make the UK top 40 (1974 Number 12.)

Glyn Johns was born on February 15th 1942, in Epsom, Surrey, England, over the course of his career he has worked as a producer, engineer, and musician, and he is credited by music critics, and fans of the ‘Faces’ for ‘A Nod Is As Good As a Wink…to a Blind Horse’ being a more focused and concise offering that the two previous ‘Faces’ Albums. Glyn Johns has worked with many of the worlds to artists including the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and the Eagles. He would also go on to produce the Faces fourth and final studio Album ‘Ooh La La,’ and also work on separate projects with Ronnie Wood, and Ronnie Lane.

‘Stay With Me’ tells of a one night stand, where Rod Stewart informs us about picking up a ‘groupie’ by the name of Rita while on tour. He makes it very clear that she must be gone in the morning before he awakes, but he does offer to pay her cab fare home. He notes her ‘red lips, hair, and fingernails,’ and he repeats the rumour that she is a ‘mean old Jezebel,’ and he also tells us that she has a face that has ‘nothing to laugh about.’ Rod Stewart had recently just had a Number 1 song on both sides of the Atlantic with ‘Maggie May,’ (see also best songs 34) which was partly based on a true story where he had been the subject of a sexual conquest by an older woman. Perhaps a very experienced psychologist could write a detailed thesis on this to help us (and Rod) to understand what it all really means.

‘So in the mornin’ please don’t say you love me, ’cause you know I’ll only kick you out the door. Yeah, I’ll pay your cab fare home, you can even use my best cologne, just don’t be here in the mornin’ when I wake up, come on, honey.’