McGlashan won the 'Best Song' award in the 1982 New Zealand Music Awards, for the Blam Blam Blam song Don't Fight It Marsha, It's Bigger Than Both Of Us. In the 1989 awards, McGlashan, along with Harry Sinclair, received three awards for their work as The Front Lawn: 'Best Film Soundtrack / Compilation', 'Most Promising Group' and 'International Achievement'. In 1993, McGlashan's group The Mutton Birds won a further three New Zealand Music Awards: 'Album of the Year', 'Single of the Year' (for Nature), and 'Best Group'.
Warm Hand has been announced as a finalist for 'Album of the Year' in the 2006 awards. His work on the album has also placed him in the running for the 'Best Male Solo Artist' award. McGlashan, SJD and Ed McWilliams were nominated for the 'Best Producer' technical award, but did not win.
McGlashan won the 1994 APRA Silver Scroll, a prestigious award for songwriting, for Anchor Me - performed by The Mutton Birds. In 2006, McGlashan had two songs nominated for this award - a feat last achieved by Dave Dobbyn in 1995. Bathe in the River, written by McGlashan for the film No. 2, later won the award.
In 2011 McGlashan provided the score to the fireworks during the opening ceremony of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
http://www.donmcglashan.com/
I Will Not Let You Down
Don McGlashan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I will be coming through
I have burnt every bridge that I've crossed
There's no bridge from here to you
So I row to your isle
All that distance reconciled
Should my arms, shoulders fail
I need you to believe
That I will be coming through
I have carried my cross at each step
Apon my neck for you
Cause I will not let you down
I will not let you down
That's for sure
I will not let you down
I will not let you down
Any more
There's a tear in my eye
And an ocean of swallowed pride
There's a heart here that beats like a drum
As I sing the waters by
Ties that comfort
Ties that bind
There's a temple in my mind
With an altar
Set for you
So you know my word is true
And I will not let you down
I will not let you down
That's for sure
I will not let you down
I will not let you down
That's for sure
I will not let you down
I will not let you down
Any more
In "I Will Not Let You Down," Don McGlashan makes a promise of loyalty and support to someone important to him. He admits that he had burnt every bridge that he has crossed but insists he will make it to the addressee's shore despite not being able to cross it any other way. He apologizes for all the mistakes he has made and the pride he has swallowed as he sings the waters by. He concludes by assuring the addressee that he won't let him/her down anymore.
The song can be considered a declaration of devotion and commitment. The singer acknowledges their past mistakes, but knows that their love for the addressee is stronger than anything else. The "burning of the bridges" could be interpreted as the singer acting in a way that caused a breakdown of a relationship he/she had with the addressee, but that he/she still wants to make amends and prove their commitment. The singer acknowledges the difficulties of the journey and the possibility of failure, but shows a willingness to try to bridge the gap, even by a seemingly impossible means – wind and sail.
The song's theme is inspiring as it shows what love can do. The importance of believing in oneself and in love is emphasized in the song. The chorus is clear and easy to remember. The song's lyrics are raw and honest, and the melody is compelling.
Line by Line Meaning
You must try to believe
Believe in me and have faith that I will come through for you.
That I will be coming through
I will fulfill my promises and make it to you despite any obstacles.
I have burnt every bridge that I've crossed
I have left behind my past and severed all ties that led me away from you.
There's no bridge from here to you
I must travel a great distance to reach you, but I am willing to do so for our relationship.
So I row to your isle
I will use all my strength to reach you, no matter the obstacles in my way.
All that distance reconciled
I have come to terms with and accepted the distance between us.
Should my arms, shoulders fail
Despite any physical obstacles I may face, I will never give up on reaching you.
Put my trust in wind and sail
I will trust in fate and chance, and do everything possible to make it to you.
I need you to believe
It is important to me that you have faith in our relationship and in me.
I have carried my cross at each step
I have overcome every obstacle in my way and am prepared to face any challenges.
Apon my neck for you
I have gone through great hardships in the past but all of them for the sake of our relationship.
Cause I will not let you down
I promise that I will not disappoint you and come through for you.
That's for sure
There is no doubt in my mind that I will be able to successfully reach you.
There's a tear in my eye
My emotions and feelings for you are overwhelming and bring tears to my eyes.
And an ocean of swallowed pride
I may have had to set aside my pride to make it to you, but it is worth it for our relationship.
There's a heart here that beats like a drum
My heart is filled with so much emotion for you that it feels like it's beating out of my chest.
As I sing the waters by
As I travel by water, I am using my time to reflect and express my love for you.
Ties that comfort
Our relationship provides a sense of safety and comfort.
Ties that bind
Our relationship is strong and will last through any obstacle.
There's a temple in my mind
A reserved space in my thoughts that I reserve solely for our relationship.
With an altar
To honor our relationship and its value, I keep a dedicated place in my heart and soul for you.
Set for you
The temple I have created in my mind is solely for you.
So you know my word is true
I want to assure you that my promises will come to fruition as I truly mean them.
I will not let you down
I truly mean this - I will be there for you no matter what.
Any more
I may have let you down in the past, but I am committed to making it right and never letting it happen again.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: SEAN JAMES L DONNELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ChildOfTheEagle
This is one of the most beautiful songs i've ever heard. So true so deep it goes straight to your soul. Thank you Don.
@kittenmuck
Don must be the most under-rated and overlooked artist of the last 20 years. 'Warm Hand' is a fantastic album. Better than beer.
@SuperMrwhippy
Big call
But justifiable 👍
@juliansudano4453
An incredibly talented artist, musician and lyricist.
@markschaumann3012
Stunning song.
Stunning vid.
Stunning dancer.
Don. The Don of NZ music.
@AFAKASI61
Beautiful haunting song. Love it♥
@shawniemar
Another incredible song by this wonderful singer/songwriter. Don, you're the best!
@seagull51
This is an absolutely stunning ballad - fantastic stuff Don
@LuanaSousa17
Inexplicável a sensação que essa música traz ' ...
@jumma1972
some of the most beautiful lyrics i have ever heard