Load-Out & Stay

Words & Music

Jackson Browne (Load-Out) & Maurice Williams (Stay)

"Stay" was originally recorded by Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs. The Hollies covered it, but Jackson Browne added the great "Load-Out" prequel to make this the ultimate encore song.

Spoken: "I'd like to do a song I never played in public before. A brand new song, sort of a tribute to the friends of mine that come out here on the road, and to you, too."

1. Load-Out

G C D Em | C D G | C G D |

G B C D | Em C D | G C | G D

G C D Em

Now, the seats are all empty. Let the roadies take the stage.

C D G

Pack it up and tear it down.

G C D Em

They're the first to come and the last to leave, working for that minimum wage.

C D G C G

They'll set it up in another town.

BRIDGE:

Em D C Em

Tonight the people were so fine, they waited there in line.

G Em D C

And when they got up on their feet, they made the show.

G C D Em

And that was sweet, but I can hear the sound of slamming doors and folding chairs

C D G C G

And that's a sound they'll never know

C G

Now, roll them cases out and lift them amps.

C G

Haul them trusses down and get 'em up them ramps.

G C D

'Cause when it comes to moving me, you know you guys are the champs!

G C D Em

But when that last guitar's been packed away, you know that I still want to play.

C D

So, just make sure you've got it all set to go before you come for my piano.

INSTRUMENTAL OVERSE:

BRIDGE: [new words:]

Em D C Em

But the band's on the bus and they're waiting to go.

G Em D C

We've got to drive all night and do a show in Chicago...

G C D Em

Or Detroit, I don't know, we do so many shows in a row.

C D G C G

And these towns all look the same.

G C D Em

We just pass the time in our hotel rooms and wander 'round backstage.

C D

'Til those lights come up and we hear that crowd and we remember why we came.

G Em

Now, we got country and western on the bus, R & B.

C G D

We got disco on eight tracks and cassettes in stereo.

G Em

We've got rural scenes and magazines. We got truckers on CB.

C D G C C

We got Richard Pryor on the video.

G Em

And we got time to think of the ones we love while the miles roll away.

C D

But the only time that seems too short is the time that we get to play.

G C G C

People you've got the power over what we do.

You can sit there and wait or you can pull us through.

C D Em

Come along, sing the song, you know that you can't go wrong.

G Em

'Cause when that morning sun comes beating down, you're going to wake up in your town.

C D

But we'll be scheduled to appear a thousand miles away from here...

2. Stay

G C D G C D [etc.]

People, stay---- just a little bit longer.

We wanna play just a little bit longer.

If the promoter don't mind and the union don't mind.

We can take a little time and we'll leave this all behind,

Singin' one more song...

Oh, won't you stay just a little bit longer?

Please, please, please, say you will, say you will.

INSTRUMENTAL HALF-VERSE:

Oh, won't you stay just a little bit longer?

Oh, please, please stay just a little bit more.

Now, if the promoter don't mind and the roadies don't mind.

We can take a little time and we'll leave it all behind,

Singin' one more song...

INSTRUMENTAL ON VERSE VAMP & OUT: