Sway

Writer: 
Pablo Beltrán Ruiz/Norman Gimbel
Year: 
1953
Voices: 
Women's four part
Ranges: 

Tenor: E#4 - F#5
Lead: Fx3 - D#5
Bari: A flat 3 - C#4
Bass: F3 - A4

I had been listening to the Shaft version of this song since 1999, thinking 'ooh that dance tune would arrange a treat' when I eventually realised (somewhere around 2005) that it was a Dean Martin classic from the 1950s, and its arrange-ability suddenly became much less surprising. This version starts with a mysterious opening, then the rhythm gradually insinuates itself into your blood. It is moderately demanding vocally, but then the song itself demands a certain degree of panache and sexual bravado from its performers.

Here it is performed by Fascinating Rhythm in 2015: