If You Want Me To Stay by Red Hot Chili Peppers

If You Want Me to Stay" is a 1973 hit single by Sly & the Family Stone, from their album Fresh. The single was the band's final Top 20 pop hit, and is the best-known of its post-There's a Riot Goin' On recordings.The song has been covered extensively since its introduction, by artists ranging from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to Etta James, to Eric Benet, to Mercury Rev, to Victor Wooten, to Soulive, to Pama International. The song has also been featured in the movies "Talk to Me" and "Dead Presidents".

Lyrics:

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