“Stayaway” by Muna, Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Muna's 2019 album, Saves the World, holds an 86 percent on Metacritic, being hailed with "Universal Acclaim." The sad lyrics often, masked under upbeat electronic hooks, create a break-up album that hits in ways that are simultaneously depressing and empowering. The sadness felt on the album is in stark contrast to their follow up single "Silk Chiffon," an ode to the early stages of infatuation. But before the singer Katie Gavin can bring listeners to the Phoebe Bridgers-featured song, essentially a "getting back out there" anthem, she has to bring her audience to experience the heartbreak in Saves the World. 

IF I PLAY OUR SONG, I THINK I'LL LOSE IT. The annotator of the genius lyrics for this song said it best: "Muna creates the breakup edition of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie with 'Stayaway.'" The third track on Saves the World and the the third single released before the album was released, 'Stayaway" talks about the difficulty breaking up with someone. It's easy to say goodbye on a whim because you got fed up with a particular or a sum of behaviors. But "Stayaway" deals with the afterthoughts. Do you really want to give up someone? The reminders of that person are with "old friends," "music," and "bars" and "drinking." You start to miss your old friends, your old patterns. You think the easiest thing would be to get back together with this person, to forget the arguments and the legitimate reasons you have for breaking up. Trade your conviction for comfort and security. The breakup takes a toll on you, and you withdraw, sometimes to an unhealthy place. But you have to weigh how healthy it is compared to the relationship. Were you ever happy? Could it be repaired? Are you being honest with yourself?

NOW I'VE GOTTA DO WHAT'S HARD. After releasing their debut album in 2017 and opening for Harry Styles' 2017-2018 tour, the band went on hiatus until Katie Gavin started writing songs for 2019's Saves the World. Gavin calls the band her soulmates in an article in GQ and that she's never had a relationship as intense as the band. Saves the World is partly about the break up of the band as they went on hiatus. However, Gavin's relationship with the bandmates doesn't seem to be what "Stayaway" is about. For Katie, the relationship in this song is negative, and giving in would make the singer less of herself. She would come to regret the decision if she stayed. She stated on Twitter about the song: "Staying away for good requires a careful dismantling and reconstruction of the whole root system, down to the way we think. For us, today, this song is a reminder of how hard it once was. We listen to it and feel free, proud, and grateful." It may be hard to not meet up with friends who would drag you back to the old lifestyle, maybe even lead you to a romantic relationship with the same or virtually the same person. You have to put some pictures in a box and not look at them for years. You have to stop listening to some songs. You have to draw a bath, wash your hair, and go some place new.

https://genius.com/Muna-stayaway-lyrics