E17 Stay Another Day true story - 'hated' outfits to hidden alternative video
It's a Christmas classic but there's a lot fans don't know about the real story behind the hit.
Longtime East17 member Terry Coldwell never could have imagined that their most famous track Stay Another Day would remain a staple of Christmastime nearly 30 years on. Looking ahead to Christmas 2024, he's hoping their new single Merry Quitmas will make a mark in its own, very important, way.
The 49-year-old can 'so clearly' remember where he was when he learned the touching track had bagged the Christmas number one spot for 1994, beating Mariah Carey's mighty All I Want For Christmas Is You. Islington-born Terry told the Mirror: "I was sat around the dinner table at my mum and dad's house, and we were eating Christmas dinner, and listening to the charts on the radio and it was between us and Mariah Carey who was going to be number one.
"I remember them doing the countdown from number ten, and I remember thinking 'I hope it's us still' because we'd already been number one two weeks previous, so we were still at number one. And they said, 'At number two, Mariah Carey!' and the biggest rush just went through my feet to my head. And I just sat there smiling to myself, just thinking, 'Wow. We've done it, we've done it, a Christmas number one!"
Terry jokingly added that the victory was like sticking 'two fingers up at Take That', laughing: "They were always getting numbers ones! We never got a number one in the UK apart from Stay Another Day. Every track they brought out was number one, number one. I love Take That, to be honest with you, they're good guys".
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The number-one song of 1994, Stay Another Day is just as beloved today, but at the time of its release, Terry didn't think he'd still be hearing it blasted out of taxi cab radios and shopping centre speakers 29 Christmases later. Nowadays, Terry reflects that the song 'kind of reinvents the band again' each year for a new generation, who may not be familiar with East17's full back catalogue, but will instantly recall the iconic white coats from the quintessentially '90s video.
Of course, as the years go on, Terry is reminded of just how much time has passed, noting: "Normally we'll just meet a younger generation and they'll say 'my mum or my nan loves you' - it's not even my mum now, it's my nan!" Although he must have heard the song played countless times over the year, Terry still 'absolutely loves it', and has fond memories of recording it with former bandmates Tony Mortimer, Brian Harvey, and and John Hendy. Terry said: "What a song, what a song! It's kept the name going all these years, and it's the legacy that gets left behind for the East17 brand. Hopefully not too soon, but in the future, sometime when I'm gone, my great, great grandkids will go 'that was my great great grandad that was'. So it's the song that gets left behind."
Terry views Stay Another Day as his 'legacy' (London Records)Many interpret the award-winning ballad as an ode to a lost romantic love, however, it was originally written by Tony about his grief in the aftermath of his brother's tragic suicide. Terry wasn't involved in the 'very, very personal' songwriting process with Tony, but was witness to how the song evolved into the Christmas hit we know and love today. He revealed: "In the beginning, it wasn't written as a Christmas song. We gave it to some big '90s producers at the time, and they put a few Christmas bells in it, a few sleigh bells, and turned it into a Christmas song."
As unbelievable as it may be to fans of today, the now instantly recognisable video was also orignally going to be much more toned down, and their record company initially 'hated' their cosy white jackets, which they felt didn't fit the band's image. Terry shared: "We did the iconic music video with the white coats, which the record company hated at the time, we didn't look bad boy enough! I was quite happy with it! The label didn't like it, so we shot another video, which you can find on YouTube, with us and a random piano, really boring!"
Reflecting on some of the trickier practical aspects of shooting the snow-strewn vid, Terry recalled: "Probably having sore feet and ankles to be honest with you! Because they made us wear ski boots for the video. We walked like we'd number two-d ourselves all day. You just couldn't move your ankles, so we were just walking really funny all day, and we kept having to take the ski boots off, but we always had a good time recording videos, we always had a laugh, and like I said, I thought we looked like James Bond, so we were all happy!"
For Terry, the early days of East17 were a time of great discovery and adventure. Having never been abroad before, life in the band involved plenty of soaring around to far-flung places, experiencing a range of different cultures. He can vividly remember the time they stayed at the president's house during a visit to Mongolia, where the soldiers would salute them as they went in and out of the gates.
The iconic band now has a very different line-up (Riot Labs)Amid all the excitement however was plenty of blood, sweat, and tears, and the the band would work seven days a week to establish themselves in the first three years. The exhaustion and long periods away from family ultimately led to arguments, but such challenges are now thankfully in the past.
Looking back at the younger person he was in the now-famous music video, Terry is struck by how much 'wiser' he now is. The proud family man has now struck a happy balance between caring for his six children in the week - clocking up two and half hours per day on school runs alone - while gigging on the weekends with new East17 bandmates Robbie Craig, and Joe Livermore. Terry, who will be spending Christmas with his family, said: "It's like a little boys' weekend every weekend, but we get paid to do gigs. So it's fantastic, I love it. I get to spend 24 hours a day with my kids at home during the week, and at the weekend I do what I love. I actually love my life."
Naturally, with the 30th anniversary of Stay Another Day coming up next year, fans will no doubt be eager to know whether the original line-up will be reuniting. According to Terry, however, it just 'would never happen' with 'certain members of the band'. He's poured plenty of energy into trying to get the gang together again over the years, but to no avail, and although he was initially 'gutted' by their response, he's now looking to the future, all while continuing to honour East17's enduring place in people's hearts at Christmastime. For example, this year, the group has been serenading people on their doorsteps, during a puffer-clad tour of the UK. They've also recently tricked fans by superimposing a giant white puffer jacket on Big Ben in a hilarious TikTok vid, prompting many to do a double take.
The band is hoping for another number one this Christmas (Riot Labs)Looking forward, Terry is continuing to enjoy plenty of 'fantastic times' with Robbie and Joe who he says have helped give East17 a 'really good name' once more. He explained: "We've worked so hard over the last ten years. East17 to be fair didn't have the greatest name, because certain members were always cancelling shows, and it goes around the business, it's quite a small business when you think about it."
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As the big day draws near, Terry, Robbie, and Joe will be wishing for another Christmas number one - and this time it's not just about taking Take That down a peg or two. Kicking off with plenty of coughing, Merry Quitmas narrates the story of a smoking Santa whose habit leads to him becoming ill, with the aim of raising some all-important awareness about the grave dangers of smoking.
It's hoped that the track will encourage others to quit smoking, with Terry drawing from his own experiences of 'going to go on that same journey'. He shared: "I'm a smoker myself and I quit, well, I'm quitting at the moment, and I've smoking for many years, since I was a teenager, and when I was 40, every year I kept saying, new year's resolution, I'm gonna quit, and that's gone on for ten years now!"
Offering advice to those currently navigating the same tricky path, Terry continued: "You've got to try and focus your mind on something else. Do some light exercises or take a walk around the block. Go to the gym, but know you don't have to do anything heavy. Walk on a treadmill for a little while, and you will start to feel healthier within yourself - they do say a healthy mind is a healthy body. So I think it's all about trying to keep your mind healthy first of all then I think everything else will fall into place.
"Once you get over the initial four weeks I think, things become a lot easier. Try and eat a litle bit more healthier, try not to have so many takeaways. Obviously, Christmas, it is kind of hard this time of year, but if you can try and improve the little things in your life to start with, I think giving up smoking will become a little bit easier for you."
Despite the serious message, the video is packed with festive cheer, with lookalikes of Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Noddy Holder reflecting Terry's taste for a 'mixture of old and new' when it comes to Christmas tunes. All proceeds from the single will go to UK cancer charities, and the band hopes they'll be in with a shot of reclaiming that coveted number-one Christmas spot.
Terry urged: "It'' gotta be number one, come on everyone, it's for charity as well! Do you know what, if it went to number one, it would be amazing, it would be absolutely amazing. It's more about trying to raise as much money and awareness for people who smoke, trying to help them, and for the cancer charities. So it would be fantastic for me if it went to number one, and we could raise a lot of money for UK cancer charities."
Merry Quitmas can be downloaded on iTunes and Amazon Music now
Whatever people living with cancer need to ask about cancer, work, money or life. The big things and the small stuff. Macmillan is at the end of the phone and online to provide support. Call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk and ask anything.
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch
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