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.
Sweet Gingerbread Man
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
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Feel like I'm made out of gingerbread
Uh huh (uh huh), uh huh (uh huh)
Crumb pickin' lip lickin' gingerbread
Uh huh (uh huh), uh huh (uh huh)
Can't think about rainy weather now
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
I'm twirlin' a cane made of peppermint
Uh huh (uh huh), uh huh (uh huh)
Nice sticky hands, sticky peppermint
Uh huh (uh huh), uh huh (uh huh)
Spun sugary cloud I'm floatin' on
Sun's spreadin' my suit of sugar coatin' on
All tasty and tan, sweet gingerbread man
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
I've got a feelin' wouldn't trade for anything
For all the peas (for all the peas)
For all the greens (for all the greens)
For all the world, world
Ooh, baby
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Feel like I'm made out of gingerbread
Uh huh (uh huh), uh huh (uh huh)
Crumb pickin' lip lickin' gingerbread
Uh huh (uh huh), uh huh (uh huh)
Won't think about rainy weather now
I've finally got myself together now
All tasty and tan, sweet gingerbread man
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
All tasty and tan, sweet gingerbread man
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
Gingerbread, gingerbread, gingerbread man
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
Sweet gingerbread man
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
In Sammy Davis Jr.'s song "Sweet Gingerbread Man," the singer expresses feeling like he is made out of gingerbread, emphasizing the texture of crumb-picking and lip-licking. The song seems to be a celebration of being carefree and indulgent, without any worries about the rainy weather or the outside world. The singer describes himself as a freshly baked gingerbread man, dressed in a suit of sugar coating, with a peppermint cane and sticky hands. The sugary clouds are carrying him away, alluding to a dream-like state of happiness and joy.
The singer seems to be in a state of pure bliss, with an unquenchable feeling that he wouldn't trade for anything in the world; a sentiment that is repeated in the song's chorus. This feeling is in line with the overall theme of the song, which seems to be about embracing the present moment, not worrying about the future and indulging in what makes you happy. The song celebrates indulgence and carefreedom, and can be interpreted as a metaphor for living life to the fullest, without any regrets.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Expressing enthusiasm or excitement about something
Feel like I'm made out of gingerbread
Feeling light and airy, like the singer is made of a fluffy and sweet pastry
Uh huh (uh huh), uh huh (uh huh)
Affirming the previous statement or agreeing with something
Crumb pickin' lip lickin' gingerbread
Describing the experience of eating gingerbread, with crumbs on one's lips and the urge to lick them off
Can't think about rainy weather now
Blocking out negative thoughts or distractions and focusing on the present positive moment
I've finally got myself together now
Feeling organized and in control of one's life
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
Referring to the singer as being newly created, warm, and delicious
I'm twirlin' a cane made of peppermint
Imagining oneself as a fancy and fun character, twirling a candy cane like a cane
Nice sticky hands, sticky peppermint
Enjoying the sweet stickiness of a peppermint candy and its texture on the artist's hands
Spun sugary cloud I'm floatin' on
Painting a picture of a dreamy and delicious world that the artist is enjoying, like floating on a fluffy sugar cloud
Sun's spreadin' my suit of sugar coatin' on
Describing the warmth of the sun on the singer's skin as if it were melting and spreading the sugar coating on the gingerbread
All tasty and tan, sweet gingerbread man
Repeating the idea that the artist is a delicious, warm, and fresh gingerbread
I've got a feelin' wouldn't trade for anything
Expressing a feeling of contentment and satisfaction with the current situation that the singer wouldn't want to change
For all the peas (for all the peas)
Using a creative and humorous way to say that the feeling is worth more than anything, even if it were expressed in green peas, a common food item
For all the greens (for all the greens)
Another way to say that the feeling is invaluable, even if it were compared to green items or money
For all the world, world
Saying that the feeling is priceless, even if it were to be traded for the entirety of the world
Won't think about rainy weather now
Repeating the idea of blocking out negative thoughts and focusing on the present moment
All tasty and tan, sweet gingerbread man
Repeating the idea that the singer is a freshly baked, delicious, and warm gingerbread
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
Repeating the idea that the singer is newly created and still warm and delicious
Gingerbread, gingerbread, gingerbread man
Repeating the word 'gingerbread' as a fun and upbeat way to celebrate the artist's identity
Sweet gingerbread man
Repeating the idea that the artist is a delicious and sweet gingerbread
Fresh out of the pan, sweet gingerbread man
Repeating the idea that the artist is a newly created, warm, and delicious gingerbread
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Jean Legrand, Michel Legrand
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind