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)
Love Me or Leave Me
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Billie Holiday
(Walter Donaldson / Gus Kahn)
This affair is killin' me
I can't stand uncertainly
Tell me now I've got to know
Whether you want me to stay or to go
Love me or leave me
Or let me be lonely
You won't believe me, I love you only
I'd rather be lonely
Then happy with someone else
You might find the night time
The right time for kissin'
But night time is my time
For just reminiscin'
Regrettin' instead of forgettin'
With somebody else
There'll be no one
Unless that someone is you
I intend to be independently blue
I want your love
But I don't want to borrow
To have it today to give it back tomorrow
For your love is my love
There's no love for nobody else
The lyrics of Sammy Davis Jr.'s "Love Me or Leave Me" is a plea for clarity in a tumultuous relationship. The singer is unsure of their partner's intentions and asks them to make a decision whether to love them or leave them. The first two lines, "This affair is killin' me, I can't stand uncertainly," establish the song's overall mood of desperation and longing. He implores his partner to be truthful with him, asking them to let him know whether they want him to stay or go.
The chorus of "Love Me or Leave Me" is a repeating request for his partner to make up their mind. The singer expresses his devotion, "You won't believe me, I love you only," and unwillingness to settle for anyone else, "I'd rather be lonely than happy with someone else." The final lines of the chorus are a summation of the singer's feelings about the situation.
The second verse of "Love Me or Leave Me" reveals more about the singer's specific circumstances within the relationship. He and his partner seem to have different schedules, as she likes to kiss at night while he prefers to reminisce. The line, "Regrettin' instead of forgettin' with somebody else," hints that while the singer may be alone, he is not necessarily lonely. He concludes that he wants love, but not just for the sake of having it. The final two lines once again assert his devotion to his partner and his unwillingness to settle for anyone else.
Line by Line Meaning
This affair is killin' me
I cannot bear uncertainty anymore
I can't stand uncertainly
My heart cannot take the unknown
Tell me now I've got to know
Please put me out of my misery
Whether you want me to stay or to go
Let me know if you want me to move forward or away
Love me or leave me
Choose me or let me go
Or let me be lonely
I would rather be alone than a second choice
You won't believe me, I love you only
My love for you is sincere, I need you to see that
I'd rather be lonely
I am rejecting you before you reject me
Then happy with someone else
I cannot bear the thought of being with another person
You might find the night time
Perhaps you enjoy these private moments
The right time for kissin'
And find them romantic enough to hold and maybe kiss me.
But night time is my time
But nighttime is when I start to think
For just reminiscin'
And remember our moments together
Regrettin' instead of forgettin'
But it also feels like I am mourning what could have been
With somebody else
With someone who is not you
There'll be no one
I do not want anybody else.
Unless that someone is you
I am holding out for you
I intend to be independently blue
I am determined to go it alone if necessary
I want your love
But this fight is worth it if I can have your love.
But I don't want to borrow
I refuse to be a fleeting fancy
To have it today to give it back tomorrow
Only to be disposed of when I am no longer convenient
For your love is my love
My love is for you and no one else will ever have it
There's no love for nobody else
I am hung up on you and only you
Lyrics © DONALDSON PUBLISHING CO, TOBAGO MUSIC COMPANY, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yd8390
Love me or leave me
Or let me be lonely
You won't believe me
But I love you only
I'd rather be lonely, then happy with somebody else
You might find the night time
The right time for kissing
But night time is my time
For just reminiscing
Regretting instead of forgetting with somebody else
Now there be no one unless that someone is
You, You, You
I intend to be independently
Blue, Blue, Blue
I want your love
But I don't want to borrow
Have it today
Give back tomorrow
More love, for my love, its your love or nobody else
Now there be no one unless that someone is
You, You, You
'Cause I intend to be independently
Blue, Blue, Blue
@royhepper6215
This mans voice is timeless......i have been listening to him sing since i was 10 years old and i am now nearing my 74th birthday. Luv yer Sam!
@tankjohnson5857
SHUT UP YA SAP 😠 😡
@tankjohnson5857
U OLD GEEZER SHUT UP
@treseancann1261
@@tankjohnson5857 Why don't you piss off!
@treseancann1261
@@tankjohnson5857 Why don't you piss off!
@voicegirl555
Gone 28 years! Still the best! Miss you Sam!!!!
@tankjohnson5857
BILLY BARTY IZZ DA DA BEST ENTERTAINER OF ALL TIME BAR NONE, DUMMY!
@yd8390
Love me or leave me
Or let me be lonely
You won't believe me
But I love you only
I'd rather be lonely, then happy with somebody else
You might find the night time
The right time for kissing
But night time is my time
For just reminiscing
Regretting instead of forgetting with somebody else
Now there be no one unless that someone is
You, You, You
I intend to be independently
Blue, Blue, Blue
I want your love
But I don't want to borrow
Have it today
Give back tomorrow
More love, for my love, its your love or nobody else
Now there be no one unless that someone is
You, You, You
'Cause I intend to be independently
Blue, Blue, Blue
@catman916
Sammy was a wonderful singer.
@camerondunn9757
What a Talent Is Sammy