Stay Together
Encyclopedia
"Stay Together" is a non-album single by Suede
, released on 14 February 1994 on Nude Records
. It is the last single released while guitarist Bernard Butler
was in the band, though subsequent singles from Dog Man Star
feature his music. Oddly enough, although lead singer Brett Anderson
considers the single and the video that accompanies it the worst the band has released, it is tied with "Trash" as the highest charting single the band has released at number three.
tour bus, rather than travel with his bandmates. This influence became prevalent as Butler later stated, "Whatever I did on Stay Together was the A to Z of the emotions I was experiencing... defiance, loss, a final sigh."
What was intended as a couple of days' recording stretched out to two weeks. It was later revealed that the song had almost 50 tracks of recorded material on it. According to an entry in Simon Gilbert
's diary in the biography Love and Poison
Butler objected to the lyrics in "Stay Together". The entry read: "Lyrics not to be printed on cover of single in case his mother reads it. '16 tears', obviously paedophilic!". The lyrics for "The Living Dead" were also criticised by Butler, "I've written this really beautiful piece of music and it's a squalid song about junkies".
in London
. The band's view of the video, directed by Jon Klein, is that it features too much empty symbolism. They feel that parts featuring Butler hanging upside down, playing his guitar, as well as Anderson gagged, are particularly misplaced considering the song's tone. During the video there are small clips of two jumpers
about to fall from the roof of a tall building. There is also images of the Empire State Building
and the World Trade Center
in New York
.
Jack Rabid of Allmusic described the chorus of "Stay Together" as the weakest of their singles up until that point. Though, he went on to say that a "dramatic bridge punctuated by uncharacteristic background touches in the form of horns and cello make 'Stay Together' another fine outing." Spin
wrote "The 'Stay Together' EP found the group still inhabiting that beautiful-loser persona with a title track that embraced the romance of joint suicide
. In the book The Last Party, John Harris
wrote: "If its opulent packaging - like a double album, its vinyl
version came in a gatefold
sleeve - seemed designed to confirm that the group had left their indie peer group behind, the music it contained made the point explicit."
the following month. After its release, "Stay Together" was very rarely played live. It was played as the closing song to the ICA
residency in 2003. B-side, "The Living Dead" has become a favourite live song over the years, including an appearance at Suede's Royal Albert Hall
reunion gig. The Tears
also performed the song at a gig at the Sheffield Leadmill in April 2005. The song was also played at the "Dog Man Star" night on 20 May 2011, along with the two other B-sides on the single.
and Bernard Butler
.
CD
Ltd. 12"
7"
Suede (band)
Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
, released on 14 February 1994 on Nude Records
Nude Records
Nude Records was a London based record label, set up in 1992 by Saul Galpern who had previously been involved in the success of artists such as Simply Red, the Fall, Julian Cope, The Triffids, The Slits and The Au Pairs. The label's first success was with Suede. Suede's debut album was the fastest...
. It is the last single released while guitarist Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...
was in the band, though subsequent singles from Dog Man Star
Dog Man Star
Dog Man Star is the second album by English alternative rock band Suede, released in October 1994 on Nude Records. It was the last Suede album to feature guitarist Bernard Butler, due to growing tensions between Butler and singer Brett Anderson ending with Butler leaving the band before the album...
feature his music. Oddly enough, although lead singer Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson
Brett Lewis Anderson is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he briefly fronted The Tears, and has released four solo albums...
considers the single and the video that accompanies it the worst the band has released, it is tied with "Trash" as the highest charting single the band has released at number three.
Background
Following the death of Bernard Butler's father, relations within Suede started to deteriorate. Butler kept to himself on the following tour of the US, while the other band members "indulged in probably the worst excesses of their career". Butler travelled to concerts by himself or on The CranberriesThe Cranberries
The Cranberries are an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us, later changed by vocalist Dolores O'Riordan. The band currently consists of O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler...
tour bus, rather than travel with his bandmates. This influence became prevalent as Butler later stated, "Whatever I did on Stay Together was the A to Z of the emotions I was experiencing... defiance, loss, a final sigh."
What was intended as a couple of days' recording stretched out to two weeks. It was later revealed that the song had almost 50 tracks of recorded material on it. According to an entry in Simon Gilbert
Simon Gilbert
Simon Gilbert is an English drummer and member of the English band, Suede....
's diary in the biography Love and Poison
Love and Poison (book)
Love and Poison is the official biography of the English alternative rock band Suede. The book, written by long-time band associate David Barnett, reveals the real stories behind singer Brett Anderson's battle with drugs, his relationship with Elastica's Justine Frischmann and the subsequent feud...
Butler objected to the lyrics in "Stay Together". The entry read: "Lyrics not to be printed on cover of single in case his mother reads it. '16 tears', obviously paedophilic!". The lyrics for "The Living Dead" were also criticised by Butler, "I've written this really beautiful piece of music and it's a squalid song about junkies".
Video
The promotional video for the song was filmed at Riverside StudiosRiverside Studios
Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith, London, England. It plays host to contemporary and international dramatic and dance performance, film, visual art exhibitions and television production.-History:In 1933, the...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The band's view of the video, directed by Jon Klein, is that it features too much empty symbolism. They feel that parts featuring Butler hanging upside down, playing his guitar, as well as Anderson gagged, are particularly misplaced considering the song's tone. During the video there are small clips of two jumpers
Jumper (suicide)
A jumper, in police and media parlance, is a person who dies by suicide by jumping from a height, or people who have jumped, then survived, often with major injuries and permanent disabilities...
about to fall from the roof of a tall building. There is also images of the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
and the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Reaction
It is well known that the song has been "disowned by the band", perhaps because it reminded them of the problems within the band at the time. On the single Anderson says, "I don't think the fuss about Stay Together was justified, I think that was just hype," He shrugs. "I just find it a bit bombastic. I don't think the lyrics are that good either. It's okay, you know, it's okay. I think the b-sides are much better". However publicist Phill Savage suggests that Anderson "can't believe he wrote it about that girl, Anick" (Brett's girlfriend at the time), which is why he has no feelings for it. Anderson has described "Stay Together" as one of the few points in the band's career where hype dictated its success.Jack Rabid of Allmusic described the chorus of "Stay Together" as the weakest of their singles up until that point. Though, he went on to say that a "dramatic bridge punctuated by uncharacteristic background touches in the form of horns and cello make 'Stay Together' another fine outing." Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
wrote "The 'Stay Together' EP found the group still inhabiting that beautiful-loser persona with a title track that embraced the romance of joint suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. In the book The Last Party, John Harris
John Harris (critic)
John Rhys Harris is a British journalist, writer, and critic.-Early life:Harris was raised in Wilmslow in north Cheshire by a university lecturer and a teacher, daughter of a nuclear research chemist...
wrote: "If its opulent packaging - like a double album, its vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
version came in a gatefold
Gatefold
A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
sleeve - seemed designed to confirm that the group had left their indie peer group behind, the music it contained made the point explicit."
Live performances
This was the last song ever played at a live gig with Butler, at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, on 12 February 1994. Although he and Anderson performed the B-sides, "The Living Dead" and "My Dark Star" on MTV's Most WantedMTV's Most Wanted
MTV's Most Wanted was a 1990s MTV Europe television series broadcast from London, England, presented by Ray Cokes. It ran from 1992 until 1995....
the following month. After its release, "Stay Together" was very rarely played live. It was played as the closing song to the ICA
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
residency in 2003. B-side, "The Living Dead" has become a favourite live song over the years, including an appearance at Suede's Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
reunion gig. The Tears
The Tears
The Tears were an English rock band, formed in 2004 by ex-Suede bandmates Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler. The band was a much anticipated reunion of an acclaimed songwriting couple, and music critics praised their first concerts and their debut album, Here Come The Tears...
also performed the song at a gig at the Sheffield Leadmill in April 2005. The song was also played at the "Dog Man Star" night on 20 May 2011, along with the two other B-sides on the single.
Track listings
All songs written by Brett AndersonBrett Anderson
Brett Lewis Anderson is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he briefly fronted The Tears, and has released four solo albums...
and Bernard Butler
Bernard Butler
Bernard Joseph Butler is an English musician and record producer. He first emerged in the early Britpop era with Suede. He has been hailed by some critics as the greatest guitarist of his generation, as well as one of Britain's most original and influential guitarists...
.
CD
- "Stay Together [edit]" (3:55)
- "The Living Dead" (2:48)
- "My Dark Star" (4:06)
- "Stay Together" (8:28)
Ltd. 12"
- "Stay Together"
- "The Living Dead"
- "My Dark Star"
7"
- "Stay Together [edit]"
- "The Living Dead"