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.

Spoken For
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics

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Spoken For
The lady′s been
Spoken For

More and more
I find I adore her

She's mine to miss

The lady is mine to miss
And I know what
A careless kiss can do

I know I′ll never forget her
I'll act my age
And behave

I'll set a flame to her letters
Just like they do on the stage

Laughing eyes
The lady has laughing eyes
Paradise
Can never be mine

So I′ll stand back
And be one of the pack
And want her each day
More and more

Cause the lady I love
Has been spoken for

So I′ll stand back
And be one of the pack

And want her each day
More and more

Cause the lady I love
Has been spoken for

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sammy Davis Jr.'s song "Spoken For" depict a love story where the singer finds himself falling for a woman who is already in a committed relationship. The repeated refrain "The lady's been spoken for" emphasizes the understanding that this woman is already taken and unavailable. Despite this knowledge, the singer cannot help but admire and adore her. He knows that a careless kiss could lead to complications and regrets, so he decides to act his age and behave responsibly.

The line "I'll set a flame to her letters, just like they do on the stage" suggests that the singer will try to extinguish his feelings and any evidence of their connection. This could be a metaphorical act of letting go, similar to how actors burn love letters on stage to symbolize the end of a relationship. The lyrics also mention the woman's laughing eyes, which the singer finds captivating. However, he understands that paradise (a romantic relationship with her) can never be his because she is already spoken for.

Ultimately, the singer resigns himself to the reality of the situation. He decides to step back, be part of the crowd, and experience the pain of longing for her more and more each day. This decision stems from his acknowledgement that the woman he loves belongs to someone else, and he must respect that.

Line by Line Meaning

The lady's been
The woman I love belongs to someone else

More and more
As time goes on

I find I adore her
I realize how much I love her

She's mine to miss
I can only long for her because I cannot have her

And I know what
I am aware of the consequences

A careless kiss can do
The potential harm that a thoughtless act of affection can cause

I know I'll never forget her
I am certain that I will always remember her

I'll act my age
I will behave responsibly

And behave
And conduct myself properly

I'll set a flame to her letters
I will destroy the love letters she sends me

Just like they do on the stage
Like they do in theatrical performances