"Stay Away" is a song first recorded by Elvis Presley as part of the soundtrack for his 1968 motion picture Stay Away, Joe.
History
Writing
The song was written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett and published by Gladys Music, Inc. It is based on the traditional song "Greensleeves", which Presley requested to rework for him. The first version the songwriters made (in 1967) was titled "Evergreen", but Elvis never recorded it.
Recording
Elvis Presley recorded "Stay Away" during a non-movie recording session on Monday January 15, 1968.
Release
The song was released on a single as a flip side to "U.S. Male" in 1968. "Stay Away" peaked at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "U.S. Male" peaked at number 28.