Songfacts®:

• This is the lead single from The Defamation Of Strickland Banks, the sophomore album from Brit singer/songwriter and rapper Plan B, known to his family and friends as Ben Drew. The record was produced by Paul Epworth (Friendly Fires, Jack Peñate, Florence And The Machine, Kate Nash). A month or so before the release of the single, Drew achieved his first UK Top 10 hit with "End Credits," a collaboration with Chase & Status.
• Australian electronic rock/drum 'n' bass group Pendulum produced a remix, their first for three years, which is included on some of the single formats.
• The song's music video, which was directed by Dan Wolfe, features as female lead Kaya Scodelario. She is best known for the character of Effy from the E4 teen drama series Skins.
• The Defamation Of Strickland Banks is a concept album about a Motown singer who gets sent to jail for a crime that he didn't commit.
• The Defamation Of Strickland Banks was the first #1 album from a British rap artist since The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living by The Streets in 2006.
• Plan B discussed the song's rock influence in an interview with Artist Direct: "Certain rock has soul influences. 'Stay Too Long' reminds me of 'Brown Sugar' by The Rolling Stones. For me, that isn't straightforward rock, it has a massive soul influence. Although the music of 'Stay Too Long' is a bit rock, the way I'm singing is still soul. I always thought 'Brown Sugar' had that feel to it. I kept 'Stay Too Long' on the record because the rapping is more like Rage Against the Machine. I've never been afraid to experiment with stuff. You can experiment with things and make them different. It doesn't necessarily mean it can't be on a soul album. I let that creativity flow. If we were writing a soul song that had a rock 'n' roll feel, I let it go."