Davis was a nationally popular country music and gospel singer from the 1930s into the 1960s, occasionally recording and performing as late as the early 1990s. He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Davis was born in 1899 to a sharecropping couple, the former Sarah Elizabeth Works and Samuel Jones Davis, in the now-ghost town of Beech Springs southeast of Quitman in Jackson Parish in north Louisiana. The family was so poor that young Jimmie did not have a bed in which to sleep until he was nine years old.
He graduated from Beech Springs High School and the New Orleans campus of Soule Business College. U.S. Representative Otto Passman also graduated from Soule but from the Bogalusa campus. Davis received his bachelor's degree in history from the Baptist-affiliated Louisiana College in Pineville in Rapides Parish. He received a master's degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. His 1927 master's thesis, which examines the intelligence levels of different races, is titled Comparative Intelligence of Whites, Blacks and Mulattoes.
During the late 1920s, Davis taught history (and, unofficially, yodeling) for a year at the former Dodd College for Girls in Shreveport. The college president, Monroe E. Dodd, who was also the pastor of the large First Baptist Church of Shreveport and a pioneer radio preacher, invited Davis to join the faculty.
Davis became a commercially successful singer of rural music before he entered politics. His early work was in the style of early country music luminary Jimmie Rodgers, and he was also known for recording energetic and raunchy blues tunes such as "Red Nightgown Blues". Some of these records included slide guitar accompaniment by black bluesman Oscar "Buddy" Woods. During his first run for governor, opponents reprinted the lyrics of some of these songs in order to undermine Davis's campaign. In one case, anti-Davis forces played some of the records over an outdoor sound system only to give up after the crowds started dancing, ignoring the double-entendre lyrics. Until the end of his life, Davis never denied or repudiated those records.
In 1999, "You Are My Sunshine" was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and the Recording Industry Association of America named it one of the Songs of the Century. "You Are My Sunshine" was ranked No. 73 on CMT's 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music in 2003. Until his death, Davis insisted that he wrote the song. In any case, it will forever be associated with him.
Davis became the popular "singing governor" of Louisiana who often performed during his campaign stops. While governor, he had a No. 1 hit single in 1945 with "There's a New Moon Over My Shoulder". Davis recorded for Decca Records for decades and released more than 40 albums. A long-time member of the Baptist faith, he also recorded a number of Southern gospel albums and in 1967 served as president of the Gospel Music Association. He was a close friend of the North Dakota-born band leader Lawrence Welk who frequently reminded viewers of his television program of his association with Davis.
A number of his songs were used as part of motion picture soundtracks, and Davis himself appeared in half a dozen films, one with Ozzie and Harriet. Members of Davis' last band included Allen "Puddler" Harris of Lake Charles, who had also been an original pianist of Ricky Nelson.
You Are My Sunshine
Jimmie Davis Lyrics
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I dreamed I held you in my arms
But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
And I hung my head and I cried
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You'll never know, dear, how much I love you
I'll always love you and make you happy
If you will only say the same
But if you leave me to love another
You'll regret it all some day
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You'll never know, dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
You told me once, dear, you really loved me
And no one else could come between
But now you've left me and love another
You have shattered all my dreams
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
The song "You Are My Sunshine" by Jimmie Davis was released in 1940 and has become a beloved classic. The song tells the story of a man who is deeply in love with someone who he sees as his only sunshine. The first stanza of the song describes how he had a dream about holding this person in his arms and when he woke up, he realized that it was only a dream. The second and third stanzas plead with this person not to leave him, as he promises to always love them and make them happy. He also warns about the regret that one will feel if they leave him to love someone else. The chorus repeats the phrase "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine" three times, emphasizing the depth of his feelings for this person.
The song has been interpreted in different ways by listeners over time. Some have seen it as a love song, while others interpret it as a parent's love for their child. The song has also been used in political campaigns, including the 1972 campaign of George McGovern.
The origins of the song are disputed, with some attributing it to Jimmie Davis himself, and others claiming that it was written by Paul Rice and Charles Mitchell. Regardless of the origins, the song has become deeply ingrained in popular culture and has been covered by countless artists in different styles.
Line by Line Meaning
The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping
I had a dream that I held you in my arms
But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
I woke up and realized that it was only a dream
And I hung my head and I cried
I was sad and cried because I couldn't hold you
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You are the most important and valuable thing in my life
You make me happy when skies are grey
You bring joy and happiness into my life even when things are tough
You'll never know, dear, how much I love you
It's impossible for me to express just how much I love and cherish you
Please don't take my sunshine away
I beg you not to leave me and take away the joy you bring to my life
I'll always love you and make you happy
I promise to always love you and do everything I can to make you happy
If you will only say the same
If you will commit to loving and staying with me forever
But if you leave me to love another
If you choose to leave me for someone else
You'll regret it all some day
You will realize one day that leaving me was a mistake and you will regret it
You told me once, dear, you really loved me
You said that you loved me and no one else could come between us
And no one else could come between
No one else could break the love we shared
But now you've left me and love another
But now you've broken your promise and left me for someone else
You have shattered all my dreams
Your departure has left me feeling broken and with shattered dreams
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Jimmie Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind