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)
Guys and Dolls
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll tell ya what's playin' at The Roxy.
A picture about a Minnesota man
So in love with a Mississippi girl
That he sacrifices everything
And moves all the way to Biloxi.
That's what's playin' at The Roxy.
I'll tell ya what's in The Daily News.
A story about a guy
Who bought his wife a small ruby
With what otherwise woulda been his union dues.
That's what's in the Daily News.
What's happenin' all over?
I'll tell ya what's happenin' all over.
Guy sittin' home by a television set
Who once used to be something of a rover.
That's what's happenin' all over.
Love is the thing that has licked 'em.
And it looks like Nathan's another victim.
When you see a guy
Reach for stars in the sky
You can bet that he's doin' it for some doll
When you spot a John
Waitin' out in the rain
Chances are he's insane
As only a John
Can be for a Jane
When you meet a gent
Payin' all kinds of rent
For a flat that could flatten the Taj Mahal
Call it sad
Call it funny
But it's better than even money
That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
When you see a Joe
Savin' half of his dough
You can bet there'll be mink in it for some doll
When a bum buys wine
Like a bum can't afford
It's a cinch that the bum
Is under the thumb
Of some little broad
When you meet a mug
Lately out of the jug
And he's still liftin' platinum falderal
Call it Hell
Call it Heaven
It's a probable twelve to seven
That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
When you see a sport
And his cash has run short
You can bet that he's bankin' it with some doll
When a guy wears tails
With the front gleaming white
Who do you think
He's tickling pink
On Saturday night?
When a lazy slob
Gets a good steady job
And he smells of Vitalis and Barbasol
Call it dumb
Call it clever
But you can get odds forever
That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
Some doll
Some doll
The guy's only doin' it for some doll!
The song "Guys and Dolls" by Sammy Davis Jr. is a classic tune that speaks of men doing everything they can for love. The lyrics describe a man who is so in love with a woman from Mississippi that he moves to Biloxi to be with her. The song also mentions a man who spends his union dues on a small ruby for his wife, and various other scenarios where men are doing things for the women they love. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "some doll," which is a slang term for a beautiful woman.
The song is essentially about the lengths men will go to for love, even if it means sacrificing everything they have. It highlights the idea that love can be both wonderful and foolish, and it can make people do things they wouldn't normally do. The lyrics are fun and catchy, and the melody is upbeat and lively.
Overall, "Guys and Dolls" is a timeless classic that has been beloved by generations of music lovers. It continues to be a popular song today, and its message about the power of love is still relevant. The song is a testament to the enduring power of music to move and inspire people, and its message about love is one that will never go out of style.
Line by Line Meaning
What's playin' at The Roxy?
Do you know what they're showing at the Roxy theater?
I'll tell ya what's playin' at The Roxy.
I know what's playing at the Roxy, would you like me to tell you?
A picture about a Minnesota man So in love with a Mississippi girl That he sacrifices everything And moves all the way to Biloxi.
The movie being shown is about a man from Minnesota who loves a woman from Mississippi so much that he moves to Biloxi for her.
What's in The Daily News?
Have you read the Daily News?
I'll tell ya what's in The Daily News.
I have read the Daily News and can tell you what's in it.
A story about a guy Who bought his wife a small ruby With what otherwise woulda been his union dues.
There is a story in the Daily News about a man who used his union dues to buy his wife a small ruby.
What's happenin' all over?
Do you know what's happening everywhere?
I'll tell ya what's happenin' all over.
I know what's happening everywhere and can tell you.
Guy sittin' home by a television set Who once used to be something of a rover.
There are many men who used to be adventurous but now sit at home watching TV.
Love is the thing that has licked 'em. And it looks like Nathan's another victim.
Many of these men have been tamed by love, and it seems that Nathan is the latest to fall victim to it.
When you see a guy Reach for stars in the sky You can bet that he's doin' it for some doll
If you see a man aiming high, it's probably because he's doing it for a woman.
When you spot a John Waitin' out in the rain Chances are he's insane As only a John Can be for a Jane
When you see a man waiting out in the rain for a woman, he's probably crazy in love with her.
When you meet a gent Payin' all kinds of rent For a flat that could flatten the Taj Mahal
If you meet a man who is paying a lot of rent for a very fancy apartment, it's probably because he wants to impress a woman.
Call it sad Call it funny But it's better than even money That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
Some might find it sad or funny, but it's highly likely that the man's actions are all for the sake of a woman.
When you see a Joe Savin' half of his dough You can bet there'll be mink in it for some doll
If you see a man saving a lot of money, it's probably because he wants to buy a fur coat for a woman.
When a bum buys wine Like a bum can't afford It's a cinch that the bum Is under the thumb Of some little broad
If you see a poor man buying expensive wine, it's probably because he is being controlled by a woman.
When you meet a mug Lately out of the jug And he's still liftin' platinum falderal
If you meet a man who has just gotten out of jail but is still spending money on expensive things, it's probably because of a woman.
Call it Hell Call it Heaven It's a probable twelve to seven That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
Whether you see it as a good or bad thing, the chances are high that the man is doing everything for the sake of a woman.
When you see a sport And his cash has run short You can bet that he's bankin' it with some doll
If you see a man who has run out of money, it's probably because he has spent it all on a woman.
When a guy wears tails With the front gleaming white Who do you think He's tickling pink On Saturday night?
If you see a man wearing a fancy suit, it's probably because he wants to impress and please a woman on a Saturday night.
When a lazy slob Gets a good steady job And he smells of Vitalis and Barbasol
If you see a lazy man who suddenly has a good job and is well-groomed, it's probably because of a woman.
Call it dumb Call it clever But you can get odds forever That the guy's only doin' it for some doll
Whether you see it as foolish or smart, the chances are always high that the man is doing everything for the sake of a woman.
Some doll Some doll The guy's only doin' it for some doll!
The woman in question is often referred to as 'some doll'. This phrase reiterates the idea that everything a man does is for her.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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