If You Want Me To Stay
Red Hot Chili Peppers · Freaky Styley
If you want me to stay
I'll be around today
To be available for you to see
I'm about to go there
Then you'll know
For me to stay here
I've got to be me
You'll never be in doubt
That's what it's all about
You can't take me for granted and smile
Count the days I'm gone
Forget reachin' me by phone
Cause I promise
I'll be gone for a while
And when you see me again
I hope that you have been
The kind of person
That you really are now
You got to get it straight
How could I ever be late
When you're my woman
Taking up my time
Oh how could I ever allow
I guess I wonder how
I could get out a pocket for fun
When you know that
You're never number two
Number one's gonna be number one
I'll be good
I wish I could
Get this message over to you now
When you see me again
I hope that you have been
The kind of person
That you really are now
I'll be so good
I wish I could
Get this message over to you now
Get this message over to you now
I'll be so good
I wish I could
I'll be around today
To be available for you to see
I'm about to go there
Then you'll know
For me to stay here
I've got to be me
You'll never be in doubt
That's what it's all about
You can't take me for granted and smile
Count the days I'm gone
Forget reachin' me by phone
Cause I promise
I'll be gone for a while
And when you see me again
I hope that you have been
The kind of person
That you really are now
You got to get it straight
How could I ever be late
When you're my woman
Taking up my time
Oh how could I ever allow
I guess I wonder how
I could get out a pocket for fun
When you know that
You're never number two
Number one's gonna be number one
I'll be good
I wish I could
Get this message over to you now
When you see me again
I hope that you have been
The kind of person
That you really are now
I'll be so good
I wish I could
Get this message over to you now
Get this message over to you now
I'll be so good
I wish I could
If You Want Me To Stay
Released on the 1998 album Freaky Styley, "If You Want Me To Stay" is a quintessential Red Hot Chili Peppers track that blends funk, rock, and hip-hop influences characteristic of the band's later era. Featuring the iconic bassline of Flea and the distinctive vocal delivery of Anthony Kiedis, the song exemplifies the group's signature groove-driven approach. It serves as a testament to their ability to maintain high-energy live performances while crafting studio recordings that define their catalog. The track remains a staple of their discography, reflecting the band's enduring influence on alternative rock and their mastery of rhythmic complexity.