Maurice Williams wrote "Stay" when he was 15 years old and first recorded in 1960 by Williams with his group the Zodiacs (lead vocalist Maurice Williams, Wiley Bennett, Henry Gaston, Albert Hill, Willie Morrow and Henry Thomas). The single clocked in at one minute and thirty-six seconds topping the Billboard chart.

The Four Seasons (lead singer Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio and Nick Massi) included "Stay" on the 1963 LP "The 4 Seasons Sing Ain't That A Shame And 11 Others". "Stay" was issued as the B side to "Peanuts" then released as an A side peaking at number sixteen on the Top One Hundred.

The 1977 in concert album "Running On Empty" by Jackson Browne wrapped up with Jackson being joined by David Lindley and Rosemary Butler singing "Stay". The single hit the top twenty while selling over a million copies.