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.
Begin The Beguine
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It brings back the sound of music so tender,
It brings back a night of tropical splendour,
It brings back a memory evergreen.
I'm with you once more under the stars,
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
And even the palms seem to be swaying
To live it again is past all endeavour,
Except when that tune clutches my heart,
And there we are, swearing to love forever,
And promising never, never to part.
What moments divine, what rapture serene,
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted,
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted,
I know but too well what they mean
So don't let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine.
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, make them play
Till the stars that were there before return above you,
Till you whisper to me once more,
"Darling, I love you!"
And we suddenly know, what heaven we're in,
When they begin the beguine
The song "Begin The Beguine" by Sammy Davis Jr. is a romantic ballad that speaks about the power of music to evoke strong emotions and memories. The song starts by talking about how the sound of the beguine, a dance style popular in the 1930s, reminds the singer of a beautiful and unforgettable night in a warm and tropical setting. The lyrics describe how the music brings back memories of being with someone special under the stars, listening to the music of an orchestra and feeling the rhythm of the palms swaying in the breeze.
The second verse talks about how the singer wishes to relive those moments of pure joy and love forever but how it is impossible except for when he hears the beguine tune, which has the power to transport him back to that time. He is aware that those moments were brief and temporary and when the memories begin to fade, it hurts him deeply. He implores the listener to not let the beguine begin again as it will only bring back painful memories of the cherished moments that have passed, but then he changes his mind and says, "Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, make them play", showing how he wants to relive the moments once again.
The song is a beautiful tribute to the power of music and how it can evoke strong emotions and memories. It speaks about the universal experience of cherishing those moments where we felt loved and wanted and how the memories of these times can be triggered by simple things like a melody or a tune. The song has been covered by many artists and has remained one of Sammy Davis Jr.'s most iconic songs.
Line by Line Meaning
When they begin the beguine
The start of the beguine, ignites memories of melodious music that holds a special place in my heart.
It brings back the sound of music so tender,
The beguine takes me back to a time when music was calm and had a loving touch.
It brings back a night of tropical splendour,
The beguine takes me back to a night filled with hazy memories of the tropical weather.
It brings back a memory evergreen.
The beguine takes me back to a timeless memory which remains evergreen.
I'm with you once more under the stars,
The beguine takes me back to a time when I was with my loved one, staring at the stars.
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
The beguine takes me back to a time when we were near the beach, and an orchestra played music.
And even the palms seem to be swaying
The beguine takes me back to a time when even the wind seemed to make the palm trees sway in rhythm.
When they begin the beguine.
The start of the beguine sets my mind going back in time to my dear moments.
To live it again is past all endeavour,
It is impossible to relive those moments again.
Except when that tune clutches my heart,
However, whenever I hear that tune, it brings back those memories and touches my heart.
And there we are, swearing to love forever,
In those memories, we swear eternal love to one another.
And promising never, never to part.
We promise to never, ever part from each other.
What moments divine, what rapture serene,
Those moments were glorious and full of serenity.
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted,
But like clouds in the sky, those joys were dispersed and became a thing of the past.
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted,
And now, when I hear others regret the lost opportunities of their pasts,
I know but too well what they mean;
I completely understand what they are feeling.
So don't let them begin the beguine
Therefore, I don't want to hear the beguine again, as it will only lead to longing and regret.
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember;
Let our love that once burned hot, now be a warm ember that we can still feel.
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
Let that feeling be a distant memory which does not affect me anymore.
When they begin the beguine.
If I hear the beguine, again those feelings will come rushing back.
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, make them play
But then again, let the beguine start, and let the music play.
Till the stars that were there before return above you,
Let the music play until the stars come out again to light up the night sky.
Till you whisper to me once more, "Darling, I love you!"
Let the music play until we can once again whisper to each other, "My darling, I love you!"
And we suddenly know, what heaven we're in,
When we say those words, we realize that we are in a special place, a heavenly realm.
When they begin the beguine.
All of this happens when the beguine starts to play.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danheitkamp506
I miss this multi- talented man and this kind of music.
@yannissakellarakis1798
A fantastic and talented artist, actor and singer!! He is missed.
@elfinia
You forgot something.
DANCER
@joshron99
Sammy was a driven perfectionist and usually succeeded with it.
@RedBud315
This was towards the end of his 60+ year career and he was tons better than his 1st year. The absolute G.O.A.T.
@maryreeder3805
Sammy could do it all act, dance and sing. He was always there to help out
for an important cause. We lost a great talent, but thanks to these videos he lives on. I loved that man...
@650gringo
I have been blessed to see this man twice at Phoenix Symphony Hall. I had of course heard him on the radio for years but I had no idea what an amazing vocal range he has. Just blew me away! Radio, phonograph, tape, digital, nothing can catch the sheer magnificence of his voice. In person he is a powerhouse. RIP Mr. Davis.
@jerrymariano402
He is pure class and talent.
@johnlewis9745
The ultimate entertainer.
@gemmamontoya9733
Excelente interpretación de Sammy Davis JR..❤