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.
Birth Of The Blues
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Were searching for a different tune
One that they could croon
As only they can
They only had the rhythm
So they started swaying to and fro
They didn't know just what to use
That is how the blues really began
Singing weird melodies
And they made that the start of the blues
And from a jail came the wail
Of a down-hearted frail
And they played that
As part of the blues
From a whippoorwill
Out on a hill
They took a new note
Pushed it through a horn
'Til it was worn
Into a blue note
And then they nursed it, rehearsed it
And gave out the news
That the Southland gave birth to the blues!
"The Birth of the Blues" is a song that was written by Buddy G. DeSylva, Lew Brown, and Ray Henderson in 1926. The song's theme is about the origins of blues music, and the lyrics describe how blues music emerged. The first verse sets the scene and describes people who were trying to find a different tune than what they were used to. They had only the rhythm, so they started swaying to and fro, without knowing what to use. Then they heard the breeze in the trees, singing weird melodies, and they made that the start of the blues. Later, the song tells us that the blues had come from a wailing sound of a down-hearted frail person in a jail, and a new note from a whippoorwill out on a hill. The blues evolved from this process.
The song is a nostalgic look at the beginning of the blues, and the lyrics contain much symbolism. The first verse establishes the mood and introduces the idea of a search for a new musical form. The second verse builds on this idea, describing how the blues emerged from the wailing sound of a down-hearted frail person in jail, and a new note from a whippoorwill out on a hill. The song suggests that blues music comes from the heart and soul of suffering people, and its beauty lies in its simplicity.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, they say some people long ago
According to legends, some people from long ago were on the lookout for a new style of music
Were searching for a different tune
They were looking for a unique melody that was not prevalent then
One that they could croon
A tune that suited their voices and singing style
As only they can
A style that was unique to them
They only had the rhythm
They had a rhythm, but without a tune or melody
So they started swaying to and fro
They started moving in a motion synchronized with the rhythm
They didn't know just what to use
They did not have an instrument to help them create the tune they were after
That is how the blues really began
This is how the Blues music genre originated
They heard the breeze in the trees
One day they heard the wind blowing through the trees and sensed a peculiar sound
Singing weird melodies
It sounded like an odd, but unique melody
And they made that the start of the blues
They incorporated that melody into their rhythm and dance
And from a jail came the wail
The mournful cry of a jailed prisoner was heard countryside
Of a down-hearted frail
It was the sound made by a dejected and broken-hearted individual
And they played that
They integrated that sound into their music
As part of the blues
And it became an essential element of the Blues genre
From a whippoorwill
They also heard a Whippoorwill's song on a nearby hill
Out on a hill
The bird's tweet sounds came from the surrounding hill
They took a new note
They developed the new and unique sound to create a different note
Pushed it through a horn
They used the horn instrument to produce the sound
Til it was worn
They persisted with the sound until they perfected it
Into a blue note
The sound they created became the fundamental element of Blue music genre
And then they nursed it, rehearsed it
They nurtured it and practiced it continually
And gave out the news
They let the world know about their unique music genre
That the Southland gave birth to the blues!
The Blues genre originated from the Southland part of the US
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: B.g. Desylva, Lew Brown, Ray Henderson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnsjohnson448
2:46 The Epic Crane Shot that has never been replicated by a Jib Arm. LOL The Camera person had to perform a rack focus which is difficult to achieve. This person made it look effortless. This is how LIVE Broadcast Television used to be. It was BIG. LOL.
@adielcohen2949
This guys voice never aged even before a few months of his death I love that show.
@ronaldjacobson2503
Greatest entertainer that ever lived
@penney304
I miss those years when we had real entertainers like Sammy Davis Jr.
Ahhh, so many others too during that era.
@Rob_Kates
He was the epitome of a fantastic entertainer. A world-class singer, dancer, actor, multi-instrumentalist, impressionist, he could do it all. He opened doors for people like Michael Jackson, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, and countless more. Just watch a few of the You Tube videos of Sammy, and one sees his mind boggling talent.
@shayswain365
Black magic babyyyyy😎😎😎
@williamgause4029
SAMMY
@veronicaalleyne
that was back when you couldn't get anywhere unless you were a triple threat, sing, dance & act
@doreenfewsdale4061
Just magnificent.......... He was the master and this song is my favourite.
@pushbikeman
tHANKS FOR THE POST FIRSTLY! - SAMMY DAVIS JUNIOUR AMAZING!