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'm Not Anyone
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No not just anyone
I have the right to lead
A life fulfilled with every need
I'm not any man
Designed to fit someones plan
I have my own desires
Of the things a man aspiresI'll not be used
Misled, deceived or abused
No sir not me
I am free
And I'll not give away
The freedom I have is the same
To say I do I don't
I will or I won't
Know thyself
These words are true
Know thyself
I hope I do
Toil a while, but not in vain
I removed the child the man remains
Life is filled with those who fail
The weak the strong the meek the frail
And those who they refuse to try
And those who they never live then they die
I'm not I'm not one of those
I'm full of pride I suppose
I'll say it loud
I am proud
And I'll not I'll not be a space
A no one a number a face
No sir not me
No I'll not be used
Mislead deceived or abused
No sir not me not me
'Cause I'm
I'm free
In "I'm Not Anyone," Sammy Davis Jr. asserts his independence and freedom, declaring that he will not be confined to anyone's expectations or plans for him. In the first verse, he asserts his agency as an individual human being, asserting "I'm not anyone / No not just anyone / I have the right to lead / A life fulfilled with every need." He further emphasizes that he will not be defined by society or anyone else's intentions for him, singing "I'm not any man / Designed to fit someones plan / I have my own desires / Of the things a man aspires."
The second verse further emphasizes his own determination, refusing to let himself fall into the ranks of those who gave up on their dreams or resigned themselves to weakness. He reminds himself to "know thyself," and to continue working hard to become the best version of himself: "Toil a while, but not in vain / I removed the child the man remains. Life is filled with those who fail / The weak the strong the meek the frail / And those who they refuse to try / And those who they never live then they die." At the end of the song, Sammy Davis Jr. reaffirms his independence and freedom, declaring himself his own person and no one else's: "No sir not me / I am free / No I'll not be used / Mislead deceived or abused / No sir not me not me / 'Cause I'm / I'm free."
Overall, "I'm Not Anyone" is a powerful declaration of selfhood, independence, and freedom in the face of societal pressures and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not anyone
I am not just any random person.
No not just anyone
I am someone who is unique and special in their own way.
I have the right to lead
I am capable of leading my own life and making my own decisions.
A life fulfilled with every need
I deserve a life full of everything I need to be happy and successful.
I'm not any man
I am not just a generic man who fits into society's expectations and roles.
Designed to fit someones plan
I refuse to conform to someone else's expectations or plans for my life.
I have my own desires
I have my own unique goals and aspirations.
Of the things a man aspires
I want to achieve the things that any man would desire.
I'll not be used
I will not allow anyone to take advantage of me.
Misled, deceived or abused
I will not stand for being lied to, manipulated, or mistreated.
No sir not me
I am confident in my ability to stand up for myself and my beliefs.
I am free
I have the freedom to live my life as I choose.
And I'll not give away
I will not let anyone take away my freedom or control over my own life.
The freedom I have is the same
The freedom I enjoy is equal to the freedom that anyone else has.
To say I do I don't
I have the right to make my own choices, whether that means saying yes or no.
I will or I won't
I am empowered to either take action or abstain from it, as I see fit.
Know thyself
It is important to have a deep understanding of oneself in order to live a fulfilling life.
These words are true
This advice is reliable and worth taking to heart.
I hope I do
I aspire to achieve a deep understanding of myself.
Toil a while, but not in vain
It is worthwhile to exert effort and work hard, as long as it is done with purpose.
I removed the child the man remains
I have shed the immaturity of youth and grown into a mature, responsible adult.
Life is filled with those who fail
Not everyone succeeds in life.
The weak the strong the meek the frail
People of all different strengths and weaknesses exist in society.
And those who they refuse to try
There are some people who give up before even making an effort.
And those who they never live then they die
Others may exist without ever truly experiencing all that life has to offer.
I'm not I'm not one of those
I refuse to fall into the categories of people who never try or never fully live.
I'm full of pride I suppose
I am proud of who I am and what I stand for.
I'll say it loud
I am confident in my convictions and will not hide them.
I am proud
I carry myself with pride and dignity.
And I'll not I'll not be a space
I refuse to be just another face in the crowd.
A no one a number a face
I am not willing to be dehumanized or reduced to just a statistic or appearance.
No sir not me
I am committed to being an individual and not just another follower.
Cause I'm
This is who I am.
I'm free
I am free to be who I choose to be and live the life I want to live.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Johnny Harris, Paul Anka
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind