Sway

Album: Sway (1954)
Charted: 6 8
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about dancing, and being infatuated with your dance partner - Martin sings that when they sway together on the dance floor she is all he sees.
  • This song was written in 1953 as "Quien Sera" by the Mexican bandleader Pablo Beltran Ruiz. Norman Gimbel, who also wrote English lyrics for "The Girl From Ipanema," did the same for this song, which Martin Recorded.
  • Some of the popular singers who have recorded this include Bobby Rydell, Ben E. King, Michael Bublé and Cliff Richard. Jennifer Lopez recorded it for the 2004 movie Shall We Dance?, which she starred in with Richard Gere, but a version recorded by The Pussycat Dolls was used instead. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Donovan Berry - El Dorado, AR, for above 2
  • Michael Bublé's version was used on Malcolm in the Middle in the 2006 episode "Bomb Shelter," when Malcolm impresses a dance instructor with his smooth moves.

    Martin's rendition was used on the TV shows House ("The Down Low" - 2010) and Masters of Sex ("Thank You For Coming" - 2013). It was also featured in the movies Small Time (2014), Sexy Beast (2000), Beautiful Creatures (2000), and Payback (1999).
  • A version by Tribute Beat was used in the 2012 movie Silver Linings Playbook.

Comments: 9

  • Martin from GermanyDoes anybody know who plays the trumpet on this?
  • Sara from UsaIt was also in the movie My Summer of Love sung by Julie London.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1960 {November 18th} Bobby Rydell was the head-lining act* at a rock 'n roll revue show at the Memorial Auditorium in Utica, NY...
    At the time his covered version of "Sway" was at #40 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, four weeks later it would peak at #14 {for 2 weeks} and it spent eleven weeks on the Top 100...
    Between 1959 and 1965 the Philadelphia native had twenty-eight Top 100 records, six made the Top 10 with his biggest hit being "Wild One", it peaked at #2 for 1 week in 1960 {the week Wild One was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "The Theme from A Summer Place" by Percy Faith and His Orchestra}...
    He just missed having eight Top 10 records when both his "Kissin' Time" in 1960 and "Good Time Baby" in 1961 peaked at #11...
    Robert Louis Ridarelli will celebrate his 79th birthday in five months on April 26th, 2021...
    * Other acts that appeared were Johnny Tillotson, the Crests, Gerry Granahan, & Bobby Comstock and the Counts, plus at the time Mr. Tillotson's "Poetry In Motion" was at #2 {for 1 week} on the Top 100, and it was kept out of the top spot by "Georgia On My Mind" by Ray Charles...
  • Carl from UkAnyone know the name of the guitarist who plays the wonderful intro?
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 4th 1961, Bobby Rydell appeared as a guest on the NBC-TV program 'The Perry Como Show'...
    At the time his covered version of "Sway" was at #20 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; just over three weeks earlier on December 12th, 1960 it had peaked at #14 {for 2 weeks} and it stayed on the chart for 11 weeks....
    Seven years earlier in 1954 Dean Martin's version peaked at #15 on Billboard's Best Seller in Stores chart; and on November 27th, 1954 it reached at #1 {for 1 week} on the Australian Kent Music Singles chart.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 23rd 1960, Bobby Rydell was the headlined for three days for the 'Christmas Revue' concert at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn, New York...
    At the time his covered version of "Sway" was in its second of two weeks at #14 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, and that was also its peak position on the chart...
    His next release would be titled "Good Time Baby", and interestingly, it would peak at #11, spent 11 weeks on the Top 100, and was his 11th charted record...
    Between 1959 and 1965 he had twenty-eight Top 100 records; six made the Top 10 with his biggest hit being "Wild One", it peaked at #2 for 1 week in 1960 {the record that was at #1 when "Wild One" was at #2 was "The Theme from A Summer Place" by Percy Faith and His Orchestra}...
    He just missed having eight Top 10 records when both "Kissin' Time" in 1960 and "Good Time Baby" in 1961 peaked at #11.
  • Cherilyn from Houston/beaumont TexasGood ballroom dance tune. I'd like to dance with him (Dino) so handsome so sexy who else would?
  • Stephanie from Wigtown, United KingdomPlayed in the film "Sexy Beast" with Ben Kingsley and Ray Winston
  • Mark from Byrdstown, TnThis is one of the coolest songs ever.Dean Martin had one of the best voices of anyone who ever cut a record.This record still sounds fresh and modern even tho it was made over 50 years ago.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Evolution Of The Prince Symbol

Evolution Of The Prince SymbolSong Writing

The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.