Early life
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis, Jr. was born in New York City, New York to Elvera Sanchez (1905-2000)[1], a Puerto Rican tap dancer, and Sammy Davis, Sr. (1900-1988), 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. During his lifetime Sammy Davis, Jr. stated that his mother was Puerto Rican and born in San Juan.[2] As a child he learned how to dance from his father and his "uncle" Will Mastin, who led the dance troupe his father worked for. Davis joined the act as a young child 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, for instance. When Davis served in the United States Army during World War II however, he was 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."
Career
While in the service, however, he joined an integrated entertainment Special Services unit, and found that the spotlight removed some of the prejudice. "My talent was the weapon, the power, the way for me to fight. It was the one way I might hope to affect a man's thinking," he said.[3]
Sammy Davis, Jr. (left) with Roy Wilkins (right) at the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C.
After he was discharged, Davis rejoined the dance act which played at a wide variety of spots around Portland Oregon, and began to achieve success on his own as he was singled out for praise by critics. The next year, he released his second album. The next move in his growing career was to appear in the Broadway show Mr. Wonderful in 1956.
In 1959, he became a member of the Rat Pack, which was led by his old friend Frank Sinatra, and included such fellow performers as Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Shirley MacLaine. Initially, Sinatra called the gathering of fast-living friends "the Clan," but Sam voiced his opposition, saying that it invoked thoughts about the Ku Klux Klan. Sinatra renamed the group "the Summit"...but nevertheless, the media kept on calling it the Rat Pack all along.
Davis was a headliner at The Frontier Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada for many years, yet was required to accept accommodations in a rooming house on the west side of the city, rather than reside with his peers in the hotels, as were all black performers in the 1950s. For example, no stage dressing rooms were provided for black performers, so they were required to wait outside by the swimming pool between acts. [4]
During his early years in Las Vegas, he and other African-American artists like Nat King Cole and Count Basie could entertain on the stage, but often could not reside at the hotels at which they performed, and most definitely could not gamble in the casinos or go to the hotel restaurants and bars. After he achieved superstar success, Davis refused to work at venues which would practice racial segregation. His demands eventually led to the integration of Miami Beach nightclubs and Las Vegas casinos. Davis was particularly proud of this accomplishment. [5]
Although James Brown would claim the title of "Hardest Working Man in Show Business," the argument could be made that Sammy Davis, Jr. deserved it more. For example, in 1964 he was starring in Golden Boy at night and shooting his own New York-based afternoon talk show during the day. When he could get a day off from the theater, he would either be in the studio recording new songs, or else performing live, often at charity benefits as far away as Miami, Chicago and Las Vegas, or doing television variety specials in Los Angeles. Even at the time, Sam knew he was cheating his family of his company, but he couldn't help himself; as he later said, he was incapable of standing still.
Although still a huge draw in Las Vegas, Davis' musical career had sputtered out by the latter years of the 1960s, although he had a #11 hit (#1 on the Easy Listening singles chart) with "I've Gotta Be Me" in 1969. An attempt to update his sound and reconnect with younger people resulted in some embarrassing "hip" musical efforts with the Motown record label.[6] But then, even as his career seemed at its nadir, Sammy had an unexpected worldwide smash hit with "Candy Man". Although he didn't particularly care for the song and was chagrined that he was now best known for it, Davis made the most of his new opportunity and revitalized his career. Although he enjoyed no more Top 40 hits, he did enjoy some extra popularity with his performance of the theme song from the T.V. series Baretta (1975-1978) which was not released as a single but was given extensive radio play and he remained a successful live act beyond Vegas for the remainder of his career. He would still occasionally land television and film parts, including high profile visits to the All in the Family series playing himself. In the 1970s, he also appeared in a series of memorable commercials in Japan for Suntory whiskey.
On December 11, 1967, NBC broadcast a musical-variety special entitled Movin' With Nancy. In addition to the Emmy Award-winning musical performances, the show is famous for Nancy Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. greeting each other with a kiss, one of the first black-white kisses in U.S. television history.[7]
In Japan, Davis appeared in television commercials for coffee, and in the U.S. he joined Sinatra and Martin in a radio commercial for a Chicago car dealership.
Davis was one of the first male celebrities to admit to watching television soap operas, particularly the shows produced by the American Broadcasting Company. This admission led to him making a cameo appearance on General Hospital and playing the recurring character Chip Warren on One Life to Live for which he received a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1980. He was also a game show fan, making a cameo on the ABC version of Family Feud in 1979, and hosting a question with Richard Dawson watching from the sidelines. He appeared on Tattletales with third wife Altovise Davis in the 1970s. He also made a cameo during an episode of the NBC version of Card Sharks in 1981.
Davis was an avid photographer who enjoyed shooting family and acquaintances. His body of work was detailed in a 2007 book by Burt Boyar. "Jerry [Lewis] gave me my first important camera, my first 35 millimeter, during the Ciro's period, early '50s," Boyar quotes Davis. "And he hooked me." Davis used a medium format camera later on to capture images. Again quoting Davis, "Nobody interrupts a man taking a picture to ask... 'What's that nigger doin' here?' ". His catalogue of photos include rare shots of his father dancing onstage as part of the Will Mastin Trio. Also, intimate snapshots of close friends: Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, James Dean, Nat "King" Cole and Marilyn Monroe. His political affiliations also were represented in his images of: Robert Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. His most revealing work comes in photographs of wife May Britt and their three children, Tracey, Jeff and Mark.
(Credit Wikipidia.org)
Chicago
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had to stop and stare
I saw a man dancing with his own wife
And you'll never guess where
Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin' town, that toddlin' town
Chicago, Chicago, I'll show you around, I love it
Betcha bottom dollar you'll lose your blues
The town that Billy Sunday could not shut down
On State Street, that great street
I just want to stay, I just want to stay
They do things they don't do on Broadway, say
They have the time, the time of their life
I saw a man who danced with his wife
In Chicago, Chicago, Chicago, Chicago
Free and easy town, brassy, breezy town
Chicago, Chicago
Let me cool my heels right down at Marshall Field
Come and walk with
Along the lake, to the drake
Hollar and hoot, all through the loop
Shout out now to Mrs. O'Leary's cow
No she-she, life is peachy
Chicago, we'll meet at the Pump Room Ambassador East
To say the least
On shishkabob and breast of squab we will feed and get free
Don't tell me sin is rampid and right
Think of that man who danced with his wife
In Chicago, Chicago
I feel sympathy for that wonderful, windy town!
The song "Chicago" by Sammy Davis Jr. is an ode to the city of Chicago, celebrating its vibrance and liveliness. The opening lyrics describe the surprise of the singer upon seeing a man dancing with his own wife, a sight that apparently defies expectation. This sets the stage for the rest of the song, which highlights the energy and excitement of Chicago through a series of vignettes.
The chorus of "Chicago" repeats the phrase "that toddlin' town," referring to an old slang term for a lively and entertaining city. Throughout the song, Davis Jr. namechecks various landmarks and aspects of Chicago, such as State Street and Marshall Field. He also mentions Billy Sunday, a controversial evangelical preacher who attempted to shut down the city's saloons and gambling houses in the early 20th century.
Line by Line Meaning
I got the surprise, the surprise of my life
I was pleasantly surprised beyond my expectations
I had to stop and stare
I couldn't help but pause and admire what I was seeing
I saw a man dancing with his own wife
I witnessed a lovely sight of a husband and wife dancing together
And you'll never guess where
It's in the unique city of Chicago where I least expected it
Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin' town, that toddlin' town
Chicago is a one-of-a-kind city known for its vibrant nightlife and entertainment
Chicago, Chicago, I'll show you around, I love it
I have great affection for Chicago and would be happy to introduce it to others
Betcha bottom dollar you'll lose your blues
Chicago is so exciting that you'll forget all your troubles
In Chicago, Chicago / The town that Billy Sunday could not shut down
Chicago is a city with a rich history; for instance, during the prohibition era, even with the efforts of Billy Sunday, prohibited items were readily available
On State Street, that great street / I just want to stay, I just want to stay
State Street is such a fantastic location that I never want to leave
They do things they don't do on Broadway, say / They have the time, the time of their life
The entertainment and fun experiences in Chicago surpass that of Broadway shows
I saw a man who danced with his wife
I saw another example of marital bliss in Chicago
In Chicago, Chicago, Chicago, Chicago / Free and easy town, brassy, breezy town / Chicago, Chicago
Chicago is a lively metropolis that fosters a carefree and fun atmosphere
Let me cool my heels right down at Marshall Field / Come and walk with / Along the lake, to the drake
I want to relax and take a stroll with someone at Marshall Field, then walk near Lake Michigan to see the Drake Hotel
Hollar and hoot, all through the loop
The energy and enthusiasm in the downtown area called The Loop is something different
Shout out now to Mrs. O'Leary's cow / No she-she, life is peachy / Chicago, we'll meet at the Pump Room Ambassador East / To say the least
Even with the infamous fire caused by Mrs. O'Leary's cow in 1871, Chicago is still thriving, and we can celebrate it by meeting up at the Pump Room cocktail lounge in the Ambassador East Hotel
On shishkabob and breast of squab we will feed and get free / Don't tell me sin is rampid and right / Think of that man who danced with his wife / In Chicago, Chicago
We'll have a wonderful meal and get a hearty laugh in Chicago, where the joy of life is more prominent than any wickedness
I feel sympathy for that wonderful, windy town!
I feel great compassion and admiration for Chicago, a city that is marvelous despite its recurrent bouts of windiness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CEVIN N FISHER, PETER GRIFFITHS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind