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)
New Yorks my home
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a rumour going round
That some of you good people
Want to leave this town
Well, you better consult with me
Before you go (yeah)
Cause I been to all those places
(Chicago) well, Chicago's all right
It's got Marshall Field and
Soldier's Field and it's
On a nice lake
But it hasn't got
The hansoms in the park
It hasn't got a skyline after dark
(That's why New York's his home)
Let me never leave it
New York's my home, sweet home
(San Francisco)
San Francisco is a lovely place
It's got lots of hills
And lots of thrills and it's
Near an ocean of some size
But it hasn't got
The Bowery or The Bronx
It hasn't got the Harlem honkytonks
(That's why New York's his home)
Yeah, it's my favorite city
New York's my home, sweet home
(St.Louis)
Lots of people like St.Louis
It's got lots of shoes
And the St.Louis blues and one
Of our larger rivers runs by
But let's face it
It hasn't got the opera in The Met
It hasn't got a famous string quartet
(That's why New York's his home)
No, not a place to visit
New York's my home, sweet home
(Hollywood) Hollywood
Hollywood's got movie stars and
Movie czars and cocktail bars and
Shiny cars and a wonderful climate
(Cough, cough) they say
But it hasn't got
The handy subway trains
You seldom find a taxi
When it's pouring down rain
(That's why New York's his home)
Yeah, take your California
New York's my home, sweet home
So, save your time and trouble
Save your railroad fare
I said save your time and trouble
Save your railroad fare
Cause when you leave New York
Man, you don't go anywhere
It's a city where a man
Can fulfill his dreams
The only town that's left
That's got three baseball teams
(That's why New York's his home)
Let me never leave it
New York's my home, sweet home
"New York's My Home" is a song that was released by Sammy Davis Jr. in 1961. This song represents the love that the artist has for the city of New York, and in the lyrics, Sammy Davis Jr. tries to persuade all his fellow New Yorkers who are considering other cities that they should stay in New York. He wants them to be aware of what they will be missing out on if they leave the city.
The song starts with Davis addressing all the New Yorkers, telling them of a rumor that some of them are considering leaving the city. He urges them to consult with him first because he knows all those other cities, and there is no comparison to New York. He then proceeds to compare other cities to New York, starting with "Chicago," which he describes as a beautiful city with a nice lake but lacks a beautiful skyline after dark and hansoms in the park. Davis goes ahead to compare other cities such as San Francisco, St. Louis, and Hollywood with New York and asserts that none of the cities have what New York has.
The song represents Sammy Davis Jr.’s intimate feelings towards New York City. He describes New York as a unique city that offers unmatched opportunities, from the Hansoms in the park to the bustling nightlife skyline. He loves New York for reasons that range from the beautiful skyline after dark to the Opera in The Met. In short, New York is Sammy Davis Jr.'s sweet home, and he wouldn't leave it to go anywhere.
Indeed, Sammy Davis Jr.'s "New York's My Home" recalls that time and its accompanying cultural uplift. The song is a hymn to his hometown, naming the attractions and bemoaning the cities that lack them. New York City is a place where you can make it if you try, whether you want to be a star on Broadway, a financier on Wall Street, or a criminal on the waterfront.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen all you New Yorkers
He is addressing all the New Yorkers and asking them to pay attention to what he has to say.
There's a rumour going round
There is a rumor circulating that some New Yorkers want to leave the city.
That some of you good people
He is sarcastically calling the New Yorkers who want to leave the city as the 'good people.'
Want to leave this town
He is talking about how some New Yorkers want to leave the city.
Well, you better consult with me
He is saying that before leaving the city, the New Yorkers should consult him because he has been to all the other places and knows them well.
Cause I been to all those places
He has visited all the other places that the New Yorkers might consider moving to.
And I know
He is confident that he knows which is the best city to live in.
(Chicago) well, Chicago's all right
He is talking about how Chicago is an alright city to live in.
It's got Marshall Field and
He is listing some of the places in Chicago that are famous.
Soldier's Field and it's
He is describing Soldier's Field as a famous location in Chicago.
On a nice lake
He is talking about how Chicago is located on a nice lake.
But it hasn't got
He points out some of the things that Chicago doesn't have which New York has.
The hansoms in the park
He is talking about how Chicago doesn't have the Hansoms which is a type of horse-drawn carriage found in New York parks.
It hasn't got a skyline after dark
He is saying that the Chicago skyline looks dull after dark unlike New York's.
(That's why New York's his home)
He is saying that this is why he prefers New York over Chicago.
Let me never leave it
He never wants to leave New York.
New York's my home, sweet home
He loves New York and considers it his home-sweet-home.
(San Francisco)
He is now talking about San Francisco.
San Francisco is a lovely place
He thinks San Francisco is a beautiful place.
It's got lots of hills
He is describing how San Francisco has lots of hills.
And lots of thrills and it's
He is suggesting that San Francisco is an exciting city.
Near an ocean of some size
He is talking about how San Francisco is located near an ocean.
But it hasn't got
He is pointing out some of the things that San Francisco doesn't have which New York has.
The Bowery or The Bronx
He is talking about how San Francisco doesn't have neighborhoods like The Bowery or The Bronx which are specific to New York.
It hasn't got the Harlem honkytonks
He is saying that San Francisco doesn't have clubs like the Harlem honkytonks which are unique to New York.
(That's why New York's his home)
He is saying that this is why he prefers New York over San Francisco.
Yeah, it's my favorite city
He loves New York and considers it his favorite city.
New York's my home, sweet home
He loves New York and considers it his home-sweet-home.
(St.Louis)
He is now talking about St. Louis.
Lots of people like St.Louis
He is saying that many people like St. Louis.
It's got lots of shoes
He is jokingly referring to St. Louis being famous for its shoe factories.
And the St.Louis blues and one
He is talking about the famous blues music scene in St. Louis.
Of our larger rivers runs by
He is talking about the fact that one of the larger rivers in the US runs close to St. Louis.
But let's face it
He is shifting away from the good things about St. Louis and hinting that there are some things St. Louis doesn't have that New York does.
It hasn't got the opera in The Met
He is saying that St. Louis doesn't have an opera like The Met which is a famous opera house in New York.
It hasn't got a famous string quartet
He is pointing out that St. Louis doesn't have something that New York has which is a famous string quartet.
(That's why New York's his home)
He is saying that this is why he prefers New York over St. Louis.
No, not a place to visit
He doesn't like St. Louis as much as he likes New York.
New York's my home, sweet home
He loves New York and considers it his home-sweet-home.
(Hollywood)
He is now talking about Hollywood.
Hollywood's got movie stars and
He is talking about the movie stars, movie czars, cocktail bars, and shiny cars which make Hollywood famous.
Movie czars and cocktail bars and
He is listing some of the things that Hollywood is famous for.
Shiny cars and a wonderful climate
He is describing how Hollywood has a great climate and people like to show off their shiny cars there.
(Cough, cough) they say
He is sardonically coughing to indicate that Hollywood might not be as glamorous as people think it is.
But it hasn't got
He is pointing out some of the things that Hollywood doesn't have which New York has.
The handy subway trains
He is talking about how Hollywood doesn't have a subway train system like New York does.
You seldom find a taxi
He is saying that it's tough to find a taxi in Hollywood when it's pouring down rain.
When it's pouring down rain
He gives an example of when it might be tough to find a taxi in Hollywood.
(That's why New York's his home)
He is saying that this is why he prefers New York over Hollywood.
Yeah, take your California
He is telling people to keep their preference for California but he still loves New York.
New York's my home, sweet home
He loves New York and considers it his home-sweet-home.
So, save your time and trouble
He is advising the New Yorkers not to waste their time in searching for a better city than New York.
Save your railroad fare
He is suggesting that the New Yorkers should save their railroad fare as they won't find a better city than New York.
Cause when you leave New York
He is suggesting that when people leave New York, they won't find a better city.
Man, you don't go anywhere
He is saying that there is no better city than New York, so even after lots of traveling, it's still the best place to stay.
It's a city where a man
He is talking about how New York is a city that offers many opportunities to people to fulfill their dreams.
Can fulfill his dreams
He suggests that New York is the city where a person's dreams can come true.
The only town that's left
He is suggesting that all the other cities are not as good as New York.
That's got three baseball teams
He is talking about how New York has three major league baseball teams.
(That's why New York's his home)
He is again stating why he loves New York so much.
Let me never leave it
He again declares that he never wants to leave New York.
New York's my home, sweet home
He concludes by saying that he loves New York and it is his home-sweet-home.
Contributed by Molly B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mustafa Jackson
Love this song, nobody swings a song like SAMMY DAVIS JR.
lee shafer
Did jenkins write this? buster pointdexter does the best version and second place-ray charles
The45Prof
Yes, he did (see the written description).