According to David Neal and his book Roots of Elvis, the writers of the song "seem to have been at the very least inspired by the old slave song, "Pick a Bale's o'Cotton"", a "folk-blues classic", originally recorded by Huddie Leadbetter (better known as Lead Belly) in 1935.[7]
According to George Batista Da Silva's book Música e Ecran (in Portuguese), "Stay Awaya, Joe" "can be considered a minor song in Elvis Presley's vast repertoire".
[9]