"Stay a Little Longer" is a Western swing dance tune written by Bob Wills

Bob Wills

James Robert Wills , better known as Bob Wills, was an American Western Swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader, considered by music authorities as the co-founder of Western Swing and universally known as the pioneering King of Western Swing.Bob Wills' name will forever be associated with...

 and Tommy Duncan

Tommy Duncan

Thomas Elmer Duncan , better known as Tommy Duncan, was a pioneering American Western swing vocalist and songwriter who gained fame in the 1930s as a founding member of The Texas Playboys...

. The title comes from a refrain in the chorus:

Stay all night, stay a little longer,

Dance all night, dance a little longer,

Pull off your coat, throw it in the corner,

Don't see why you can't stay a little longer.

The song consists of a number of unrelated verses, one of which (verse three) comes from an old folk song—"Shinbone Alley":

You ought to see my Blue Eyed Sally,

She lives way down on Shinbone Alley.

Number on the gate, the number on the door,

The next house over is the grocery store.

Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys recorded it in 1945 and it reached #3 in 1946. Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson

Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...

 (#22, 1973) and Mel Tillis

Mel Tillis

Lonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....

(#17, 1982) also charted Top 40 hits. The song has been recorded numerous times.