Hey. My song today is so emotional that I might not even be able to make it through this post without having to walk the streets in solitude in order to calm down. My hands quiver on the keyboard as I struggle to find the words to describe it. The song is called “Stay Another Day” by East 17. I am going to learn it on the piano, close my eyes and sing it in an empty concert hall. Check out the song and the super emotional video below. I shed tears watching it :'(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BXR5dgRmO0

First of all, don’t be frightened by the fact that the title of the video labels this as a Christmas song. This song is not limited to applying to just one season out of the year; it hits you right in the heart all year round. East 17 is a boy band coming straight out of Walthamstow, England. They were active from 1991 to 1999 but then went on hiatus for seven years after one of its members publicly announced that it was cool to take drugs and that ecstasy can “make you a better person”. Hm. After that this group essentially fell to pieces. But not without, first, creating this beautiful song in 1994.

I heard this sensational tune for the first time yesterday and I’ve had it on repeat ever since. The song is so sweet, so boyish, yet so real. Just look at all the furrowed brows, puppy-dog eyes, expressive hand gestures, and impressively fashionable sunglasses in the video: so much pain, so much heartbreak.

I love how this song builds. The tasteful strings (some nice pizzicato in there), the effectively sparse use of timpanis and bells, and the Hornsby-like piano all come together into one perfect anthem of sadness. By the end, an organ has entered the mix and continues to sound long after the boys make their departure.

Enjoy this song. Get your tissues ready.

-DJYT

East 17