Davis, Jr. was born in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, to Elvera Sanchez, a dancer, and Sammy Davis, Sr., an African-American entertainer. The couple were both dancers in vaudeville. As an infant, he was raised by his paternal grandmother. When he was three years old, his parents split up. His father, not wanting to lose custody of his son, took him on tour. Sammy Davis Jr. claimed that his mother was Puerto Rican, however the 2003 biography In Black and White alleges that he made this claim due to the political sensitivities of the 1960s (during the Cuban Missile Crisis), and that his mother was born in New York of Cuban descent rather than in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
As a child he learned how to dance from his father, Sammy Davis, Sr., and his "uncle" Will Mastin, who led the dance troupe his father worked for. Davis joined the act as a young child in 1928 and they became the Will Mastin Trio. Throughout his long career, Davis included the Will Mastin Trio in his billing.
Mastin and his father had shielded him from racism. Snubs were explained as jealousy. But during World War II, Davis served in the United States Army, where he was first confronted by strong racial prejudice. As he said later, "Overnight the world looked different. It wasn't one color anymore. I could see the protection I'd gotten all my life from my father and Will. I appreciated their loving hope that I'd never need to know about prejudice and hate, but they were wrong. It was as if I'd walked through a swinging door for eighteen years, a door which they had always secretly held open.
The Tender Trap
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And suddenly you're sighing sighs.
You're thinkin' nothin's wrong,
You string along, boy, then SNAP!
Those eyes, those sighs -
They're part of the tender trap.
You're hand in hand beneath the trees,And soon there's music in the breeze.
You're actin' kind of smug
Until your heart just goes WHAP!
Those trees, that breeze -
They're part of the tender trap.
Some starry night,
When her kisses make you tingle,
She'll hold you tight
And you'll hate yourself for being single.
And all at once it seems so nice,
The folks are throwin' shoes and rice.
You hurry to a spot that's just a dot on the map.
You're hooked, you're cooked,
You're caught in the tender trap.
Some starry night,
When her kisses make you tingle,
She'll hold you tight
And you'll hate yourself for bein' single.
And all at once it seems so nice,
The folks are throwin' shoes and rice.
You hurry to a spot that's just a dot on the map.
It's too late now, there's no gettin' out -
You fell in love, and love is the tender trap.
The song "The Tender Trap" by Sammy Davis Jr. and Laurindo Almeida talks about the perils of falling in love. The lyrics describe how the sight of a pair of laughing eyes can make one feel happy and carefree, until they suddenly realize they have fallen into a trap. They become smug, thinking they have everything under control, until their hearts take over and they fall in love. They find themselves embroiled in a situation they cannot escape from and wonder how it all happened.
The chorus describes the feeling of being caught in the tender trap. The tender trap refers to the lure of love, the feeling of being captivated by someone's charms and unable to resist their affection. The lyrics suggest that falling in love can be both wonderful and dangerous, as it can lead to heartbreak and regret if not handled carefully.
Overall, the song captures the universal experience of falling in love, with its ups and downs, joys and sorrows. It reminds us that love is not always easy but is worth the risk.
Line by Line Meaning
Ya see a pair of laughing eyes,
When you notice someone's happy eyes,
And suddenly you're sighing sighs.
You start to feel emotionally affected.
You're thinkin' nothin's wrong,
You believe there is no danger.
You string along, boy, then SNAP!
You get caught in a trap that you can not escape.
Those eyes, those sighs -
The happiness in her/his eyes and your emotional response are
They're part of the tender trap.
ingredients to what's about to come.
You're hand in hand beneath the trees,
Walking with your beloved beneath the trees,
And soon there's music in the breeze.
Everything feels like music and joy that you feel.
You're actin' kind of smug
You start feeling good about yourself.
Until your heart just goes WHAP!
Suddenly, everything changes and you feel like you've been hit.
Those trees, that breeze -
The sounds, the environment contribute to emotional turbulence.
They're part of the tender trap.
All these things are leading to a trap.
Some starry night,
On a beautiful night
When her kisses make you tingle,
When her kisses provoke beautiful feelings
She'll hold you tight
She will embrace you tightly.
And you'll hate yourself for being single.
You'll start regretting your earlier single status.
And all at once it seems so nice,
It feels like everything is perfect.
The folks are throwin' shoes and rice.
Everyone is happily celebrating your union.
You hurry to a spot that's just a dot on the map.
You rush to a location, which is still insignificant.
You're hooked, you're cooked,
You are trapped and cooked like a bait.
You're caught in the tender trap.
You are subject to the tender trap is laid, and there's no escape.
And then you wonder how it all came about,
Suddenly, you start questioning your choices.
It's too late now, there's no gettin' out -
However, now it's too late to get out of the situation.
You fell in love, and love is the tender trap.
You have entirely fallen into the trap of love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, THE MUSIC GOES ROUND
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rodgerwitt9273
Sinatra's version was smooth but this has power and edge which better reflects the lyrics. Am. I right or am I right?
@corey-bird3489
You IZ right!
@resolutestct
When you're right, you're right.