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.
Once In A Lifetime
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A man knows a moment
One wonderful moment
When fate takes his hand
And this is my moment
My once in a lifetime
When I can explore a new and exciting land
I feel like a giant
I soar like an eagle
As though I had wings
For this is my moment
My destiny calls me
And though it may be just once in my lifetime
I'm gonna do great things
The lyrics to Sammy Davis Jr.'s song, Once In A Lifetime, are a powerful testament to the fleeting, but powerful nature of destiny. The song tells the story of someone who has finally found their moment, a short window of time when all their hopes, dreams, and ambitions can come to fruition. As the lyrics progress, the singer describes the feelings of empowerment, invincibility, and excitement that come with this moment.
More than anything else, the song is about the power of fate and the importance of seizing one's opportunities. For the singer, this might be the culmination of years of effort and hard work, or it might be something that simply springs up out of nowhere. Regardless of how it comes about, the moment is a turning point, a chance to push beyond the bounds of the ordinary, and make something truly great happen. Ultimately, the song is a reminder to all of us that, no matter how challenging life might be, there is always the possibility of greatness lurking just around the corner.
Line by Line Meaning
Just once in a lifetime
There's only one chance in life
A man knows a moment
Opportunities are gender-neutral
One wonderful moment
The opportunity is a good one
When fate takes his hand
When luck seems to favor
And this is my moment
The singer feels he is in such an opportunity
My once in a lifetime
It's the only chance I have
When I can explore a new and exciting land
The opportunity allows for new and exciting experiences
For once in my lifetime
I have never felt like this before
I feel like a giant
I feel powerful and larger than life
I soar like an eagle
I feel like I can conquer anything, free and unbounded
As though I had wings
I feel like I have the power to rise above the ordinary
For this is my moment
The opportunity belongs to me alone
My destiny calls me
I feel like this opportunity is meant for me
And though it may be just once in my lifetime
Although this opportunity may never come again
I'm gonna do great things
I plan on making the most of it
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Anthony Newley, Leslie Bricusse
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robertrothberg8678
Sammy Davis Jr.was the greatest entertainer that ever lived.
@renelaboy1517
Simply, the greatest entertainer of all time.Pure artistry on display!!
@user-lp4mg5jo3f
SO glad I was raised in this Era of entertainment. Sammy WILL ALWAYS BE THE GOLD STANDARD. RIP SIR. 😌
@timothyjcrabb190
Pure class..miss him. When America was America 🇺🇸
@willwetherell7265
A point worth repeating. The Greatest entertainer ever. ❤️
@casparillo987
What a wonderful voice, Sammy had....
@kattrakee
Epic song , made extra epic
with Sammy singing it !!!!!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🎵🎶🎶🎶🎵🎵🎶🎵♥️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
@brianbrooks9855
Saw him in mr wonderful in New York 1957. Brilliant
@BedfordFalls7
He is a Legend. Fantastic entertainer.
@ChristianMcBrideTV
There’s so much greatness in this video, it’s hard to point it all out. First of all, Sammy. Anything Sammy does - sing, dance, act - it’s beyond comparison. But considering (I don’t believe) the orchestra used monitors back then (maybe only for the vocalist?), do you know how HARD it is to play a tempo this fast and have everyone be in perfect lockstep! Kudos to all of the musicians for having sensitivity, listening skills, and Sammy having perfect time!