Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation. According to biographer John Swenson, Haley later adopted his distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye. The spit-curl caught on as a 50's style signature, although Haley and others had worn the hairstyle much earlier.
In 1946, Haley joined his first professional group, a Pennsylvania-based western swing band called The Down Homers run by Kenny Roberts. It has often been reported in musical reference works that Haley's first professional recordings were made with the Down Homers on a pair of singles released in 1946 by Vogue Records. This was later debunked by Roberts and others, stating Haley had already left the group by the time the singles were made. In the early 2000s, however, a set of 1946 radio recordings by the Down Homers were discovered and Haley is definitely present as he is identified by name and sings a solo number "She Taught Me to Yodel"; these recordings were commercially released for the first time in 2006.
After gaining experience with the Down Homers, Haley set out on his own, forming several groups such as the Range Drifters and the Four Aces of Western Swing. With the Four Aces, he made a number of regionally successful country music singles in the late 1940s for Cowboy Records while working as a touring musician and later a radio DJ at WPWA. (Many of Haley's early recordings from this period would not be released until after his death.) After disbanding the Four Aces and briefly trying a solo career using the names Jack Haley and Johnny Clifton (as chronicled in the biography Sound and Glory), Haley formed a new group called The Saddlemen in either 1949 or 1950 (sources vary as to the exact year); this new group recorded for several labels, including one single for Atlantic Records, Haley's first exposure to a major national record company. In 1951, Haley was signed to Dave Miller's Philadelphia-based Holiday Records and began to change musical styles, recording cover versions of "Rocket "88"" (previously recorded by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats), and in, 1952, "Rock the Joint", previously recorded by several bands including Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians. (By the time of "Rock the Joint", Haley had graduated from Holiday Records to Miller's larger Essex label.) The relative success of these recordings (both sold in the 75,000-100,000 copy range in the Pennsylvania-New England region) convinced Haley that his new and as-yet officially unnamed hybrid of country and rhythm and blues could be a commercial success.and some of his family lives in oklahoma and there is a road named after his family.
Sway With Me
Bill Haley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sway with me
It will be
Heavenly
Heavenly, sway with me
Hold me tight
Hold me tight
Sweet delight
Say you'll stay
Sway with me
Sway
Sway
Sway
Stay
Heavenly
Sway with me
Sway with me
Sway with me
It will be
Heavenly
Heavenly, sway with me
Hold me tight
Hold me tight
Make tonight
Sweet delight
Say you'll stay
Sway with me
The lyrics to Bill Haley's "Sway with Me" are a plea for someone to dance with the singer. The repeated use of the word "sway" evokes a sense of fluidity and rhythm, urging the listener to move their body to the beat of the music. The first verse emphasizes the heavenly nature of dancing, perhaps suggesting that it has the power to transport the dancers to another realm of pleasure and joy. The second verse urges the listener to hold the singer tight and make the night sweet, indicating a desire for intimacy and connection through dance. The repetition of "sway" and "stay" in the chorus reinforces the central message of the song - that the singer longs for someone to dance with and share a moment of transcendence with.
Overall, "Sway with Me" is a classic example of a dance song that seeks to create a sense of unity and connection through movement. The lyrics are simple and repetitive, but they are effective in conveying the message that dancing can be a powerful and transformative experience. Haley's upbeat vocals and the lively instrumentation of the song add to the sense of excitement and energy that the lyrics evoke.
Line by Line Meaning
Sway with me
Let's dance together and enjoy each other's company
Sway with me
Keep dancing with me, it's so beautiful
It will be
Our dancing will be amazing
Heavenly
Our dancing will be like we're in heaven
Heavenly, sway with me
Dance with me like we're in heaven, it's so beautiful
Hold me tight
Embrace me and don't let go
Hold me tight
Hug me closely and lovingly
Make tonight
This night will be unforgettable
Sweet delight
Our love and dancing will be pure bliss
Say you'll stay
Promise me that you won't leave
Sway with me
Let's keep dancing the night away
Sway
Dance beautifully with me
Sway
Let's move together with grace
Stay
Don't leave me, stay here with me
Heavenly
Our love and dancing will be extraordinary
Sway with me
Let's keep dancing like this
Sway with me
Let's enjoy each other's company while dancing
It will be
Our dance will be like a dream come true
Heavenly
Our dance will be like we're in paradise
Heavenly, sway with me
Dance with me like we're in heaven, it's so beautiful
Hold me tight
Wrap your arms around me and never let go
Hold me tight
Hold me close and show me your love
Make tonight
Let's make tonight unforgettable
Sweet delight
Our love and dance will be pure happiness
Say you'll stay
Promise me you'll never leave me
Sway with me
Let's dance and enjoy each other
Contributed by Daniel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Daniel Fatticci
Superbe travail du saxophone.
Susan Miskovski
Excellent tune. Could never understand why this never made it bigger in its era. Definitely one to "stroll" to!
Chris Gardner
It was in fact a big seller, as the B side of "Skinny Minnie" which was Bill's last big hit, in 1958. Billboard review: - SWAY WITH ME (78 points: “The Haley crew takes this ear-catching stroll effort and bands it a most attractive performance that could pay off for the group. With exposure this instrumental has a chance.”) and SKINNY MINNIE (76 points: “This Skinny Minnie is no relation to the one out on Victor with the Sprouts. It’s a swinging item, which the Haley combo sells in BONY MORONIE style. Listenable wax.”)
Joyce Heim
Awsome song!!!
Sam Simonsen
cool.....
germanico
🙋✌️ GRANDEE BILL HALLEY...CHILE 2020. MAYO....
Fabrinos Baptistas
rock n roll pure, its only rock an roll baby
elhayense
Why rock around the clock if you can sway with me?
Sweet bromine
Both are grand!