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
Sway
Dave Dobbyn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't ever go away
I should be much to smart for this
You know it gets the better
Of me sometimes
When you and I collide
I fall into an ocean of you
Pull me out in time
Let me down
I say its all because of you and here I go
Losing my control
I'm practising your name
So I can say it to your face it doesn't seem right
To look you in the eye
And let all the things you mean to me
Come tumbling out my mouth indeed its time
Tell you why
I say its infinately true
Say you'll stay
Don't come and go
Like you do
Sway my way
Yeah I need to know
All about you
And there's no cure
And no way to be sure
Why everythings turned inside out
Instilling so much doubt
It makes me so tired
I feel so uninspired
My head is battling with my heart
My logic has been torn apart
And now
It all turns sour
Come sweeten
Every afternoon
Say you'll stay
Don't come and go
Like you do
Sway my way
Yeah I need to know
All about you
Say you'll stay
Don't come and go
Like you do
Sway my way
Yeah I need to know
All about you
Its all because of you
Its all because of you
The lyrics to Dave Dobbyn's song "Sway" explore the complexities of love and the internal struggle that one experiences when falling for someone. The refrain of "say you'll stay, don't come and go like you do, sway my way, yeah I need to know all about you" expresses the desire for stability and a deeper understanding of the person the singer is addressing. However, throughout the song, the singer also acknowledges the doubts and insecurities they have about the relationship, saying "there's no way to be sure why everything's turned inside out, instilling so much doubt, it makes me so tired, I feel so uninspired." They are fighting with their logic and emotions, trying to reconcile their rational thinking with their feelings for this person.
The reference to "practicing your name so I can say it to your face" and the anxiety that comes with confessing one's true feelings suggests a fear of vulnerability and the potential for rejection. The singer feels overwhelmed and out of control, saying "I'm losing my control," and the repetition of "it's all because of you" emphasizes the hold that this person has over them. The song ends on a bittersweet note, with the singer asking the person to "sweeten every afternoon" and expressing their hope that the other person will stay, but also acknowledging the uncertainty that comes with love.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't stray
Stay focused and committed to our relationship
Don't ever go away
Please don't leave me, I need you by my side
I should be much too smart for this
I know I should know better than to fall for you
You know it gets the better
Sometimes you have the power to overpower my thoughts and emotions
Of me sometimes
I admit that my feelings can sometimes cloud my judgment
When you and I collide
When we come together, sparks fly
I fall into an ocean of you
My love for you is deep and all-consuming
Pull me out in time
If I'm drowning in my emotions, save me from myself
Don't let me drown
Don't let me get lost in my feelings and lose sight of what's real
Let me down
Please don't disappoint me or break my heart
I say its all because of you and here I go
I attribute all of my intense feelings to you and I'm about to express them
Losing my control
I'm struggling to keep my emotions in check
I'm practising your name
I'm so enamored with you that I'm saying your name over and over again
So I can say it to your face it doesn't seem right
I want to be able to express my feelings to you in person, but it's not easy
To look you in the eye
It's difficult to be honest with you
And let all the things you mean to me
It's hard to express how much you truly mean to me
Come tumbling out my mouth indeed its time
It's time for me to finally speak my mind
Tell you why
Let me explain why you mean so much to me
I say its infinately true
My love for you is infinite and unconditional
Say you'll stay
Please assure me that you won't leave me
Don't come and go
I can't handle the uncertainty of our relationship
Like you do
Your unpredictable behavior is causing me distress
Sway my way
Let's be on the same page and approach our relationship in the same way
Yeah I need to know
I'm desperate for clarity and reassurance
All about you
I want to understand your thoughts, feelings, and intentions
And there's no cure
I'm hopelessly in love with you and there's no turning back
And no way to be sure
I can't predict the outcome of our relationship
Why everythings turned inside out
I'm confused and disoriented because my emotions are all over the place
Instilling so much doubt
My uncertainty about the future is causing me to doubt everything
It makes me so tired
The emotional rollercoaster is exhausting me
I feel so uninspired
My lack of direction and clarity is making me feel demotivated
My head is battling with my heart
My rational thoughts are in conflict with my emotional impulses
My logic has been torn apart
My usual way of thinking is ineffective when it comes to matters of the heart
And now it all turns sour
The uncertainty and doubt are beginning to negatively impact our relationship
Come sweeten
Please make things better and alleviate my fears
Every afternoon
I want you to be a constant presence in my life
Its all because of you
My deep emotions and uncertainty are a direct result of the impact you have on my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Christian Leuzzi, Desmond Child, Storm Lee Gardner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind