Synopsis

In the better-known international video, Bic Runga quietly follows Jones, a shaggy-haired deli worker who seems to embody her ideal 1990s crush. Shot in black and white, the video turns an ordinary Italian grocery store into a wistful romantic world as Runga watches him from a distance and imagines a connection. The story shifts back to her home, where an unexpected pullback reveals the situation from a more surprising perspective.

Factoids & Trivia

• There are two official videos for "Sway." The first was made in New Zealand and uses a somewhat different recording of the song; the later international version was commissioned by Runga's American label.

• The New Zealand video is a colorful performance piece, combining band footage in an apartment and at a bar with scenes of Runga on Karekare Beach.

• Runga said the international shoot introduced her to a group of young American actors and students who became her friends. She recalled the production as an unusually expensive exercise because the record company made the video twice.

• The original version of "Sway" was recorded in Ireland at a studio associated with U2 before Runga took the song back to New Zealand and re-recorded it herself. She subsequently produced most of the album *Drive*.

• "Sway" gained an additional international audience after appearing on the soundtrack to *American Pie*. The song reached No. 7 in New Zealand, No. 10 in Australia and No. 26 in Ireland.

• At the 1998 New Zealand Music Awards, the song helped Runga win Single of the Year, Best Songwriter and Best Engineer. It was also voted sixth in APRA's 2001 poll of the best New Zealand songs.