‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ is a song by English punk rock band the Clash from their album Combat Rock, written in 1981 and featuring Mick Jones on lead vocals. It was released in 1982 as a double A-sided single alongside "Straight to Hell", performing modestly on global music charts. In the United States, ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ charted on the Billboard Hot 100 without reaching the top 40.
The song received greater attention nearly a decade later as the result of an early-1990s Levi's jeans commercial, leading to the song's 1991 re-release, which topped the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 10 in New Zealand and many European charts. In November 2004, the song was ranked number 228 on "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In 2009 it was ranked 42nd on VH1's program 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs.
Rumours have arisen about the song's lyrical content, such as Jones' impending dismissal from the Clash or the tempestuous personal relationship between Jones and American singer Ellen Foley. ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’ was thought to be written by Jones about Foley, who sang the backing vocals on Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell. However, in 1991, Jones said: “It wasn't about anybody specific and it wasn't pre-empting my leaving The Clash. It was just a good rockin' song, our attempt at writing a classic ... When we were just playing, that was the kind of thing we used to like to play.”
The Spanish backing vocals were sung by Joe Strummer and Joe Ely. In 1991, Strummer said: “On the spur of the moment I said 'I'm going to do the backing vocals in Spanish'...We needed a translator so Eddie Garcia, the tape operator, called his mother in Brooklyn Heights and read her the lyrics over the phone and she translated them. But Eddie and his mum are Ecuadorian, so it's Ecuadorian Spanish that me and Joe Ely are singing on the backing vocals.”
Labels – CBS, Epic
Songwriters – Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer
Producers – The Clash
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Oh! Hola!
[Verse 1]
Darling, you got to let me know
Should I stay, or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll be here till the end of time
So you got to let me know
Should I stay, or should I go?
[Verse 2]
It's always tease, tease, tease
You're happy when I'm on my knees
One day it's fine, and next it's black
So if you want me off your back
Well, come on and let me know
Should I stay, or should I go?
[Chorus]
Should I stay, or should I go now?
Should I stay, or should I go now?
If I go, there will be trouble
And if I stay, it will be double
So come on and let me know
[Verse 3]
This indecision's bugging me (Esta indecisión me molesta)
If you don't want me, set me free (Si no me quieres, librarme)
Exactly whom I'm supposed to be (Dígame que tengo ser)
Don't you know which clothes even fit me? (Sabes que ropa me "quedrá"?)
Come on and let me know (Me tienes que decir)
Should I cool it, or should I blow? (Me debo ir o quedarme?)
Split
[Bridge]
(Doble! ¿Me frio o lo soplo?)
(Esperda, rrattarrattattaa...)
[Chorus]
Should I stay, or should I go now? (Yo me enfrío o lo soplo)
Should I stay, or should I go now? (Yo me enfrío o lo soplo)
If I go, there will be trouble (Si me voy va a haber peligro)
And if I stay, it will be double (Si me quedo sera el doble)
So ya gotta let me know (Me tienes que decir)
Should I cool it, or should I blow? (Tengo frío por los ojos)
Should I stay, or should I go now? (Tengo frío por los ojos)
If I go, there will be trouble (Si me voy va haber peligro)
And if I stay, it will be double (Si me quedo será el doble)
So ya gotta let me know (Me tienes que decir)
Should I stay, or should I go?