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.
Blue Velvet
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm so lonesome all the time
Since I left my baby behind on Blue Bayou
Savin' nickels, savin' dimes
Workin' till the sun don't shine
Lookin' forward to happier times on Blue Bayou
I'm goin' back some day, come what may, to Blue Bayou
Where you sleep all day and the catfish play on Blue Bayou
All those fishin' boats with their sails afloat, if I could only see
That familiar sunrise through sleepy eyes how happy I'd be
Oh, to see my baby again
And to be with some of my friends
Maybe I'd be happy then on Blue Bayou
I'm goin' back some day, gonna stay on Blue Bayou
Where the folks are fine and the world is mine on Blue Bayou
Ah, that girl of mine by my side
The silver moon and the evening tide
Ah, some sweet day gonna take away this hurtin' inside
I'll never be blue, my dreams come true on Blue Bayou
The song "Blue Velvet" by Sammy Davis Jr. speaks of a man who is feeling down and lonely since he left his baby behind on the Blue Bayou. He is working all day, saving up so he can go back to his loved one, where he can be with her and his friends, and where he can live a happy life. The Blue Bayou is painted as a kind of utopia where people can sleep all day, fish, and enjoy the sunrise, and where the world is theirs.
The singer is deeply in love with his baby, and the thought of being with her again, by the moon and the ocean, brings him immense joy. He yearns for the day when he can take away the hurting inside and live on the Blue Bayou forever. Moreover, the song is a poignant representation of people who have been separated from their loved ones in pursuit of greener pastures, only to find that there's no place like home.
In conclusion, the “Blue Velvet" song contains a message of hope for those struggling to find happiness and love. The Blue Bayou serves as a metaphorical representation of what life could be if one were to find their place in the world, surrounded by those they love. It speaks to people who understand that no matter where they go or what they do, they will always long for the feeling of home.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel so bad I've got a worried mind
I am feeling terrible, my mind is filled with anxiety and troubles.
I'm so lonesome all the time
I am lonely every moment of every day.
Since I left my baby behind on Blue Bayou
Ever since I left my loved one on Blue Bayou, my life has not been the same.
Savin' nickels, savin' dimes
I am saving as much money as possible.
Workin' till the sun don't shine
I am working tirelessly, even during the long hours of daylight.
Lookin' forward to happier times on Blue Bayou
I am eagerly anticipating a better and happier future on Blue Bayou.
I'm goin' back some day, come what may, to Blue Bayou
I am determined to return to Blue Bayou, no matter what obstacles may arise.
Where you sleep all day and the catfish play on Blue Bayou
At Blue Bayou, you can rest all day and watch the catfish play.
All those fishin' boats with their sails afloat, if I could only see
I wish I could see all the fishing boats with their sails in the air.
That familiar sunrise through sleepy eyes how happy I'd be
I would be ecstatic if I could see the familiar sunrise with my sleepy eyes.
Oh, to see my baby again
I long to reunite with my loved one.
And to be with some of my friends
I want to spend time with my friends.
Maybe I'd be happy then on Blue Bayou
Possibly, I might find happiness when I return to Blue Bayou.
I'm goin' back some day, gonna stay on Blue Bayou
I am committed to returning to Blue Bayou permanently.
Where the folks are fine and the world is mine on Blue Bayou
People are friendly, and I feel like I own the world on Blue Bayou.
Ah, that girl of mine by my side
It would be fantastic if I could have my loved one next to me.
The silver moon and the evening tide
I am mesmerized by the sight of the silver moon and the evening time.
Ah, some sweet day gonna take away this hurtin' inside
One day, somehow, my pain and suffering will disappear.
I'll never be blue, my dreams come true on Blue Bayou
On Blue Bayou, my dreams will become a reality, and I will never feel sad again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, DEMI MUSIC CORP. D/B/A LICHELLE MUSIC COMPANY, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind