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.
The Lonesome Road
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before you travel on.
Look down, look down that lonesome road
Before you travel on.
Look up, look up and greet your maker,
For Gabriel blows his horn.
Weary, totin' such a load,
Travelin' down that lonesome road,
Look down, look down that lonesome road
Before you travel on.
Weary totin', it's such a load,
Whike I'm travelin' down, travelin' down that lonesome old road,
Look down, look down that lonesome road
Before you travel on.
The lyrics in the song "Lonesome Road" by Sammy Davis Jr. is a reflective and contemplative piece about a person's journey through life. The song urges the listener to look down the lonesome road of life before traveling on and to take account of their actions and how they affect their soul. The first verse suggests that it is important to consider where we are heading in life and to ensure that our actions align with our values. The second verse suggests that we should take the time to acknowledge our creator before our time comes.
The third and final verse laments how difficult the journey can be, with the weight that we carry on our shoulders while traveling down the lonesome road of life. Still, the song urges us to keep journeying, and to ensure that our feelings of weariness and burden do not turn us away from our path.
Overall, "Lonesome Road" is a song about the human condition, and how we must take responsibility for our actions as we journey through life.
Line by Line Meaning
Look down, look down that lonesome road
Pause and reflect upon your journey ahead, and take stock of the potential difficulties and challenges that may lie on this lonely path.
Before you travel on.
It is important to be aware of what is ahead of you when embarking on any journey or task.
Look up, look up and greet your maker,
Take a moment to pay homage to a higher power or God as you begin your journey.
For Gabriel blows his horn.
This is a reference to the biblical story of the Archangel Gabriel, who blew his horn to signal the end of the world. It serves as a reminder that all things must come to an end and we must be prepared for that inevitability.
Weary, totin' such a load,
The road can be tiring and burdensome, we carry our own weight and are responsible for our own progress along it.
Travelin' down that lonesome road,
The road is not only weary but also solitary, and we must make our own way down its path.
Look down, look down that lonesome road
The repetition here emphasizes the importance of remaining focused on the road ahead and not getting too caught up in distractions or side paths.
Before you travel on.
This line serves as a warning to take heed of what's ahead before proceeding.
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, NATHANIEL SHILKRET MUSIC CO., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gene Austin, Nathaniel Shilkret
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tobiasboston5663
Underrated song
@NotHarpoGroucho
Tobias Boston Not at the time
@shivani41
Still simpatico with Sammy Davis, to me a unique entertainer who gave so much, and it wasn't easy. He gave his all and made it look easy, everytime. Remarkable man to see.
@Mr1223able
love it