On February 27, 1968 RCA Victor released "Stay Away" / "US Male" to promote Elvis' forthcoming movie "Stay Away, Joe". On March 16th Billboard listed "Stay Away" at number 83 on the "Hot 100". The track stayed for five weeks and peaked at number 67. "US Male" entered the chart on March 23rd, enjoyed a run of nine weeks and made it from number 75 to number 28. On April 6th the track was also listed on the "Hot Country Singles Chart". Here it was listed for six weeks and peaked at number 55. In Great Britain "US Male" became a top 20 hit, in Canada and Australia it even made it in the top 10. Worldwide the single sold a million copies, which translates to 150 million paid streams. The relatively high chart position of "US Male" was caused by the radio stations, which played the song quite often. Nevertheless the sales didn't mirror Elvis' increasing popularity yet. A look at the figures provided by Spotify reveals, that "US Male" still is the more popular track. But it is popularity on a very low level. "US Male" was streamed 900,000 times while "Stay Away" accumulates 210,000 steams. To make it short: Nothing to write home about.

The photo on the front cover was made by MGM to promote "Stay Away, Joe". Elvis appeared more natural and modern than in recent years. The backside of the sleeve advertised the movie and the new longplayer "Elvis' Gold Records - Volume 4".

The single is not available on the streaming platforms, but both songs can be found on the CAMDEN album "Almost In Love" (1970). 

The ballad was written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett and is based on the British traditional "Greensleeves". Elvis recorded the song on January 16, 1968 at RCA Studio B in Nashville/Tennessee. The 15th attempt was approved for release. The narrator yearns to return home and see the canyons again. MGM used the song on the opening credits and showed great footage of Arizona's landscapes. Originally "Stay Away" was supposed to be released on the CAMDEN album "Almost In Love" (1970), but due to a mistake the record featured "Stay Away, Joe", which already had been issued on "Let's Be Friends" (1970). When CAMDEN re-released "Almost In Love" in 1973, they put the correct track on the record.

"US Male" was included on the budget album "Almost In Love", too. It was written by Jerry Reed, who was also the first to release it. The narrator talks to his rival and threatens him with a diversity of hardship if he doesn't stop paying attention to his wife. Elvis mimes the over-confident Southener with audible joy, performs the talking-blues in heavy accent and even moves the birthplace of the narrator from Georgia to Mississippi to match his own biography. Just like the track on the a-side, "US Male" was recorded on January 16, 1968 at RCA Studio B in Nashville/Tennessee. The king had Mr. Reed flown in to perform his guitar overdubs. On the same day he also overdubed "Stay Away" and needed three takes to get it right.