Stay on These Roads (song)

A Roland D-50 was used on this song —the sound patch is called "Staccato Heaven"— the wind sound during the instrumental was made on either a Roland Juno 60 or Juno 106 synthesizer. The versions on the 7" vinyl and the 3" CD single ("7 inch Version") are identical to the album version. The 7" single cover montage includes a blurred picture of actress Susan Sullivan, taken from a publicity shot from the TV series, Falcon Crest, in which she appeared as Maggie Gioberti. It is not known why this picture is used.

The song achieved success in many European countries, becoming the most successful single from the Stay on These Roads album, along with "The Living Daylights" on the UK charts. Though it did not hit the national charts in the United States, the song was a significant hit across Europe. It went to number seven in West Germany, number three in France and Iceland, and number two in Ireland. In Norway, the song was the band's fourth number one single. "Stay on These Roads" was A-ha's seventh and final top five showing in the United Kingdom, reaching number five on the chart edition of March 27, 1988. It would also prove their last top ten hit in the country for almost two decades, as they did not score another UK top ten hit until eighteen years later in 2006. The song's music video was directed by Andy Morahan.

==Writing==

All three band members – Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – contributed towards the writing of "Stay on These Roads".{{cite web |last1=Creative |first1=Sugar Rush |title=Stay On These Roads (1988) |url=https://a-ha.com/music/albums/stay-on-these-roads-1988 |website=a-ha |access-date=15 April 2025 |language=en |date=15 April 2025}} Despite Furuholmen describing as the Stay on These Roads album as a "hard album to make", the band credit the song as one they are "particularly proud of" and acknowledging the song to be "live set mainstays, drawing exhuberant audience participation every night".

Lyrically, the song uses cold weather as a metaphor to symbolise challenges and difficulties that a person can experience in life.{{cite web |title=a-ha - Stay On These Roads lyrics {{!}} Musixmatch |url=https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/a-ha/Stay-on-These-Roads |website=www.musixmatch.com |access-date=15 April 2025 |language=en}} The lyrics of the song create a sense of perseverance to the listener, with an underlying message of "staying strong in the face of adversity, with the idea that despite the hardships, there is hope and the possibility of meeting again in a better place".

Pal Waaktaar-Savoy, one of the bands songwriting partners, had been inspired about the song from his long-distance relationship with his wife, Lauren. As a result, the lyrics to "Stay on These Roads" are credited with "encouraging perseverance, assuring that love will endure despite physical separation".

"Stay on These Roads" was well-received by critics. Cash Box said that "ethereal, arching vocals elevate this ballad into greatness, creating a mood that does not easily leave you."{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1988/CB-1988-05-21.pdf|magazine=Cash Box|date=21 May 1988|accessdate=21 December 2022|page=12}} Paul Oldfield from Melody Maker wrote, "a-Ha ascend immediately into the hard-gloss satellite-beam Pet-Shops' circuit. "Stay" enlarges until it almost comes to a halt, full of simulated draughts and statuary, gravity and despondence that's bigger than Europe. Nobody will notice, though."{{cite magazine|first=Paul|last=Oldfield|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/50858882402/|title=Singles|work=Melody Maker|date=19 March 1988|page=36|access-date=28 October 2023}} Jerry Smith of Music Week considered "Stay on These Roads" as "one of their typically ponderous and overly dramatic numbers [...] but it lacks the commercial edge of previous singles".{{cite magazine|first=Jerry |last=Smith |title= Singles |magazine= Music Week |date=26 March 1988 |page=19 |accessdate=29 December 2022 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1988/MW-1988-03-26.pdf}} A review in Pan-European Music & Media magazine stated: "This song needs repeated play to fully appreciate its impact, after that, you can't get it out of your head. A ballad with a slow and commanding build-up, sporting a subtle melody giving singer Morten Harket all room to show his unique vocal qualities".{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1988/M&M-1988-03-26.pdf|title=Previews – Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=5|issue=13|date=26 March 1988|page=21|oclc=29800226|via=World Radio History |accessdate=4 August 2023}} Edwin Pouncey from NME said, "A road to nowhere presumably, with no end in sight. File under has-beens."{{cite magazine|first=Edwin|last=Pouncey|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/50865815412/|title=Singles|work=NME|date=19 March 1988|page=19|access-date=28 October 2023}} In a review published in Smash Hits, English synth-pop duo Erasure were highly critical of the song, saying it was "far too manufactured and over-produced", with "no tune to it, nothing that makes you want to sing along to it", just good to be a "stadium song", and concluded that "it's a real shame".{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Smash-Hits/1988/Smash-Hits-1988-03-23.pdf |title=Singles reviewed by Erasure |magazine=Smash Hits |volume=10 |issue=5 |date=23 March – 5 April 1988 |author=Erasure |page=62 |issn=0260-3004 |via=World Radio History |access-date=14 November 2023}}

==Legacy==

In 2024, Smooth Radio placed "Stay on These Roads" at number five in a listing of the top ten best A-ha songs of all time.{{cite web |title=A-Ha's 10 best songs ever, ranked |url=https://www.smoothradio.com/features/top-songs/a-ha-songs-best-ranked/ |website=Smooth |access-date=15 April 2025 |language=en}} In their review, the radio station acknowledges the song as being "a haunting synthpop ballad that transcends the icy grip of despair", and claims that the song "weaves layers of human experience, resilience, and unwavering companionship". Additionally, they claimed that "the song serves as a quiet anthem for endurance, resonating with those burdened by adversit".

A-ha played the song at Oslo Spektrum on 21 August 2011, performing for a national memorial service dedicated to the victims of the 2011 Norway attacks.{{cite web|url=http://a-ha.com/news/articles/a-ha-participates-in-a-national-memorial-service|title=a-ha.com: A-ha will perform as part of a national memorial service|website=A-ha.com|accessdate=10 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815163815/http://a-ha.com/news/articles/a-ha-participates-in-a-national-memorial-service/|archive-date=15 August 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} In 2017, A-ha appeared on the television series MTV Unplugged and played and recorded acoustic versions of many of their popular songs for the album MTV Unplugged – Summer Solstice in Giske, Norway, including "Stay on These Roads".{{cite news |last=Hoftun Gjestad |first=Robert |date=23 June 2017 |work=Aftenposten |language=Norwegian Bokmål |title=Etter 30 år med "tension" fant a-ha tonen igjen i kampen mot en felles fiende |trans-title=After 30 years of "tension", A-ha found their sound again, in their fight against a common enemy |url=https://www.aftenposten.no/kultur/i/GVyxq/etter-30-aar-med-tension-fant-a-ha-tonen-igjen-i-kampen-mot-en-felles |url-access=subscription}}

The music video accompanying the song's release was directed by Andy Morahan, with its location footage filmed on England's East Anglia coast at Aldeburgh, Suffolk.'Six music videos you forgot were filmed in Suffolk and north Essex', East Anglian Daily Times, 7 June 2020. https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/ed-sheeran-a-ha-and-british-sea-power-music-videos-2675442

• 7-inch single: Warner Bros. / W 7936 United Kingdom

1. "Stay on These Roads" – 4:46
2. "Soft Rains of April" (original mix) – 3:18

Track 1 is the album version.

• 12-inch single: Warner Bros. / W 7936T United Kingdom

1. "Stay on These Roads" (extended remix) – 6:08
2. "Soft Rains of April" (original mix) – 3:18

Also released as a 12-inch picture disc (W 8405TP).

• 7-inch single: Warner Bros. / 7-27886 United States

1. "Stay on These Roads" (U.S. 7″ edit) – 3:54
2. "You'll End Up Crying" – 3:18

Track 1 is exclusive to this version.

• CD single: Warner Bros. / W 7936CD United Kingdom

1. "Stay on These Roads" (7″ version) – 4:46
2. "Soft Rains of April" (original mix) – 3:18
3. "Take on Me" – 3:50
4. "Cry Wolf" – 4:05

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Stay on These Roads"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|artist=a-ha|title=Stay on These Roads|award=Silver|type=single|relyear=1988|certyear=1988|certmonth=3|source=infodisc|access-date=15 December 2020}}

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Category:1988 singles

Category:1988 songs

Category:A-ha songs

Category:Music videos directed by Andy Morahan

Category:Number-one singles in Denmark

Category:Number-one singles in Norway

Category:Song recordings produced by Alan Tarney

Category:Songs written by Magne Furuholmen

Category:Songs written by Morten Harket

Category:Songs written by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy

Category:Warner Records singles