His first success came with a band, Th' Dudes, which he formed while still in school. Their hit song "Be Mine Tonight" won single of the year in 1979 in New Zealand, while singles "Walking in Light" and "Bliss" became popular anthems.
After Th' Dudes folded, Dobbyn formed pop group DD Smash. The band's first album Cool Bananas debuted in the New Zealand charts at number one. The band's hit singles included "Devil you Know", "Outlook for Thursday", and the violin-tinged "Whaling".
When DD Smash folded, Dobbyn began a successful solo career, by writing the soundtrack music for the animated feature film Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale in 1986. The film yielded two hit singles: "Oughta Be in Love" and the chart-topping "Slice of Heaven", recorded with the band Herbs. After the release of the film, Slice of Heaven became one of Dobbyn's best-known songs, frequently used in tourism advertisements aired on Australian television that encouraged people to visit New Zealand. As a result, many Australians jokingly referred to the song as the New Zealand National anthem.
At the 2001 New Zealand Music Awards Dobbyn won a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2005 and 2006 he won "Songwriter Of The Year" and "Best Male Solo Artist" respectively, both for his work on his 2005 album Available Light
Be Mine Tonight
Dave Dobbyn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A long talk- A few cans
If you can
Be my bare skinned baby
We're in for a long night- a strong night
You- Look what you've done to me
You lit me- You bit me- I'm rapt
Oh
You- Look what you've done to me
You lit me- You bit me- I'm rapt
Be mine- Be mine tonight (be mine tonight)
Oh come on- Come on
Another smoke- Another can
Another conversation- Maybe
I knew you- Not long
I knew you- You're so strong
Asian cigarettes
A long talk- A few cans
If you can
Be mine- Be mine tonight (be mine tonight)
All night
Another smoke- Another can
Another talk- maybe
You
I knew you- Not long
I knew you- You're so strong
Asian cigarettes
A long talk- A few cans
If you can
Be mine- Be mine tonight
I knew you- Not long
I knew you- You're so strong
So strong
The lyrics of Dave Dobbyn's song "Be Mine Tonight" tell the story of two people who meet, smoke Asian cigarettes, and have a few drinks while engaging in deep conversation. The singer asks the person to be their "bare skinned baby," expressing a desire to spend a long, strong night with them. The repeated line "You - look what you've done to me, you lit me - you bit me - I'm rapt" shows the singer's infatuation and the effect the other person has had on them.
The song captures the excitement of a new relationship and the intensity of the feelings that come with it. The singer acknowledges that they haven't known the other person long, but that they are already entranced by them. The lyrics highlight the sensuality of the moment, with references to cigarettes, alcohol, and bare skin.
Overall, "Be Mine Tonight" is a catchy, upbeat song that captures the essence of a passionate, spontaneous encounter with someone new.
Line by Line Meaning
Asian cigarettes
The singer is smoking cigarettes from Asia
A long talk- A few cans
The singer had a long conversation while drinking a few drinks
If you can
The singer is asking their partner if they can do something
Be my bare skinned baby
The artist is asking their partner to be with them without any clothes on
We're in for a long night- a strong night
The artist is implying that they will have a long and intense night together
You- Look what you've done to me
The singer is saying that their partner has changed them in some way
You lit me- You bit me- I'm rapt
The singer is saying that their partner has turned them on and made them excited
Oh
An expression of excitement or satisfaction
Be mine- Be mine tonight (be mine tonight)
The artist is asking their partner to be with them for the night
Oh come on- Come on
The artist is urging their partner to do something with them
Another smoke- Another can
The singer is suggesting that they have another smoke and drink
Another conversation- Maybe
The artist suggests they could also have another conversation
I knew you- Not long
The singer has not known their partner for very long
I knew you- You're so strong
The singer admires how powerful their partner is
Be mine- Be mine tonight
The singer is again asking their partner to be with them for the night
All night
The artist wants their partner to stay with them until the morning
You
The artist is addressing their partner again
So strong
The singer reiterates how impressed they are with their partner's strength
Contributed by Henry D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TheButlerNZ
I got soooo many words wrong in this song that I only corrected recently... In my mind the lyrics went as follows....
"AGE and Cigarettes" (Thinking it was a reference to what was taking it's toll....)
A long TIME, a few cans, if you can (Again, too much alcohol)
Be my FAIR skinned baby (Yeh just missed that)...
We're in for a long night- a strong night
You- Look what you've done to me
You HIT me- You bit me- I'm RARE (Volatile relationship)
Oh
,,,
Maybe ... (Love that drum break... short, simple but somehow different). Yeah so I went through life having a completely different take on the Lyrics...
But then again, Most people take their (IMO 'Biggest') hit "BLISS" as a drinking song, when I believe it was intended to be a poke at the drinking culture... Forget about the last one, get yourself another [drink].....
@CharlesOwenVALUEOFEVERYTHING
I'm from England, never heard of this before but believe it should have been a global number 1. I hope this genre of music has a revival and people realise what a gem this is.
@YOUNGLEGIONNAIRE
Awesome bro
@pukunui8802
Legendary. Teenage years. Couple car loads of boys in our Holden’s & valiants full of lion red & stienys. Weekends away up & down east coast beaches from Waipu to coromandel chasing the kotiros. BLISS.
@kelvinsarjeant9644
chur bro!
@kiwinesss
For me it was Speights.
@JagoHua
Chasings right breether chasing and losing kotiros to Tui crates and Fords once you hit Hawkes Bay 💪✌️✌️
@johndavies4498
Epic
@puppysoda7062
Steinies?? Really….South Island times better
@pandarosamusic5751
I have always been obsessed with this song - That final build up and climax, is almost proto-post rock, it's a window into the future
@BriantheLionNZ
. Yeah me too. Always loved the sound of a strat and his solo is just fantastic, I wish it was longer