“It never stops, and it’s every year.”
It’s been 30 years since East 17 released their unintentional Christmas classic Stay Another Day, and the song is as popular as ever as it stays in regular rotation on Christmas playlists.
However for Tony Mortimer, the song’s writer, the success of the song has its ups and downs.
While many think the lyrics “Baby if you’ve got to go away/ Don’t think I can take the pain / Won’t you stay another day” is about lost romantic love, Tony actually wrote the song about losing his older brother to suicide.
“I accept it, but it’s always been difficult, a two-edged sword, for my family,” Tony said recently in an interview with the Independent, when he was asked on how he feels about hearing the song on repeat at this time of year.
“People come up to me and say: ‘That song means a lot to me...’ I’m like: ‘Hang about, I’m not ready for that yet, I’m just in McDonald’s!’” But I’ve got used to it, because it’s been so long.”
“It never stops, though, and it’s every year. So, yeah, I said to the missus this morning: ‘Going into town today to do some interviews. They’re gonna remind me that my brother killed himself.’”
Remembering Ollie, who was 22 when he died, Tony penned song Stay Another Day 4 years later in 1994.
“It’s such a heavy word, suicide, and people do struggle at this time of year. That is the dark side of [the song] – but the light side of it is that it’s become a Christmas snowman!”
With the song celebrating 30 years this year, Tony wanted to do something special to commemorate it.
He’s partnered with the music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins to re-release Stay Another Day as part of an awareness and fundraising initiative.
✨ @tony_mortimer will give a very special performance of East 17's 'Stay Another Day' at our Carol Service to celebrate 30 years of the iconic Christmas number one ☃️
Join us at St Luke’s Church in Chelsea on 10 December https://t.co/kbZchBzxNm pic.twitter.com/GXp8dwkAUS
— Nordoff and Robbins (@nordoffrobbins) November 1, 2024
“[We want to] help parents find out that there is music therapy, something they probably haven’t heard of, if their child’s suffering with autism or some other mental thing,” the singer explained, “And I think we can get that message out there via this song.”
If you'd like to support the cause, you can buy the special edition vinyl at stayanotherday.co.uk, with £1 from each purchase going towards Nordoff and Robbins Music Therapy.
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