Samuel George "Sammy" Davis, Jr. (born December 8, 1925 in Harlem, New York… Read Full Bio ↴Samuel George "Sammy" Davis, Jr. (born December 8, 1925 in Harlem, New York; died May 16, 1990 in Beverly Hills, California) was a Grammy Award winning singer, Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning actor, dancer, multi-instrumentalist and only black member of Frank Sinatra's The Rat Pack. Davis began his career with his father and uncle in the Will Mastin Trio and he toured nationally with them, only leaving due to military service. He became an overnight sensation following a nightclub performance at Ciro's after the 1951 Academy Awards, became a successful recording artist and then made his first film performances later that decade.

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.

I'll Know
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics

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How will I know
Are you kidding, I'll know

There'll she stand
Before my eyes one day
I won't need a second
Glance her way

I'll know when my loves come along
I'll know then and there
I'll know at the sight of her face
How I care, how I care, how I care
And I'll stop and I'll stare

And I'll know
Long before we can speak
I'll know with my heart
I'll know and I won't ever ask
Am I right, am I wise, am I smart
But I'll stop and I'll stare

At that face in the throng
Yes, I'll know when
My love comes along

Am I right, am I wise, am I smart
But I'll stop and I'll stare
At that face in the throng

Yes, I'll know when
My love comes along

Overall Meaning

Sammy Davis Jr.'s song "I'll Know" is a beautiful ballad about recognizing true love at first sight. The first two lines of the song, "How will I know? Are you kidding, I'll know" instantly convey the idea that the singer knows that when true love comes along, he will recognize it without a doubt. The rest of the song talks about how he will see the woman of his dreams and know that she is the one for him.

The first verse of the song talks about how he will see her standing before his eyes one day and won't need a second glance her way. He knows that when his true love comes along, he will know it right then and there. The second verse talks about how he will know with his heart, and won't have to ask if he's right, wise, or smart. He will simply stop and stare at her face in the crowd, knowing that she is the one he's been looking for.

The song's repetition of the phrase "I'll know" reinforces the certainty of recognizing true love. The melody is simple, yet rich, providing the perfect accompaniment to the lyrics. It's a timeless classic that resonates with anyone who's been in love, and stands as a testament to the power of love at first sight.

Line by Line Meaning

How will I know
I am curious about how I will know when I find my true love

Are you kidding, I'll know
I'm certain that I will know when I meet my true love

There'll she stand
My true love will be standing before me

Before my eyes one day
I will see her unexpectedly

I won't need a second
I will not need to look twice

Glance her way
I'll know she's the one as soon as I see her

I'll know when my loves come along
I will recognize my true love when she appears

I'll know then and there
I will know instantly

I'll know at the sight of her face
I will recognize her by her appearance

How I care, how I care, how I care
I will feel a great deal of love for her

And I'll stop and I'll stare
I will be completely captivated by her