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)
Sam's Song
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A happy tune
You'll love the croon
You love to croon
They call it Dean's song
You don't seem to understand
Catchy as can be
I must agree
The melody
They call it Dean's song
Looks like I'm gonna have to explain this thing
You don't dig this scene
I'm saying, Dean, the song is Sam's song
Sam, you're just a ham
But Dean here's the scam
The song was named after Sam
Sam who?
Sam Houston
Oh
May I say with pride where I reside
They call it Dean's song
And that's quite a group you have going for you too pal
There's no bigger choir that you could hire for singing Dean's song
They make the Mormon Tabernacle sound like a trio
Sam it's plain to see that you're put out with me
No I'm just not singing along
Well you what I'll do since you're a Jew
We'll call it Clyde's song
Clyde's song?
Here's a happy tune
Its a sweet melody and I'm happy to say it was named after me but he's calling it
Clyde's song
Catchy as can be
No I don't like to beef and I'm sorry to say that the man is a thief but he's calling it
It's Clyde's song
Nothing on your mind
There's a lot on my mind and I'm laying here saying you're being unkind 'cause you're calling it
Clyde's song
My Italian friend we have reached the end
We just don't seem to blend
Sam, let's compromise
We'll call it Sam's song
Did he say Sam's song?
Let's give the ending a rhyme
But don't nobody tell Clyde
That, it's Sam's song
It's not Pete Epstine's song
Sam's song
It's not Mona's song
Sam's song
The only thing I know is that when this record comes out it better be called Sam's song
Or you gonna get a nasty letter from my soliciter Calhoun
That's Sam's song
Sam's song
The lyrics of Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin's song Sam's Song are about two friends who are arguing over the title of the song. The first verse establishes that the song is a happy tune and catchy melody that the singer enjoys. However, the title presented as Dean's song is not something that the singer(Sam) understands. When he objects, Dean explains that it is named after his friend Sam Houston. Sam's pride does not allow him to let someone else co-opt the title of his song. Hence the two friends argue until they settle on the title Sam's Song in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's a happy tune
This song has a joyful melody
A happy tune
The melody is uplifting
You'll love the croon
The singing is pleasing to the ear
You love to croon
You enjoy singing this style of music
They call it Dean's song
The song is commonly associated with Dean Martin
Catchy as can be
The melody is memorable
I must agree
I also find the melody catchy
The melody
The tune of the song
Looks like I'm gonna have to explain this thing
I need to clarify something about this song
You don't dig this scene
You don't understand what's going on
I'm saying, Dean, the song is Sam's song
The song is actually named after Sammy Davis Jr.
Sam, you're just a ham
You are being showy and attention-seeking
But Dean here's the scam
There has been a deception about the song's origin
The song was named after Sam
The song's true namesake is Sammy Davis Jr.
Sam who?
Who is Sammy Davis Jr.?
Sam Houston
A historical figure named Sam
Oh
I understand now
May I say with pride where I reside
I am pleased to represent my hometown
They call it Dean's song
The song has become popularly associated with Dean Martin
And that's quite a group you have going for you too pal
You have many supporters (possibly sarcastic)
There's no bigger choir that you could hire for singing Dean's song
The song is very popular
They make the Mormon Tabernacle sound like a trio
The choir is larger than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Sam it's plain to see that you're put out with me
You seem annoyed with me, Sammy Davis Jr.
No I'm just not singing along
I am not joining in on this deception
Well you what I'll do since you're a Jew
I will make a joke about your religion
We'll call it Clyde's song
I will rename the song after someone else
Clyde's song?
Is that supposed to be funny?
Its a sweet melody and I'm happy to say it was named after me but he's calling it
The song has a nice tune, but someone else is trying to take credit
No I don't like to beef and I'm sorry to say that the man is a thief but he's calling it
I don't want to start an argument, but someone is stealing credit for the song
It's Clyde's song
The song is being renamed after someone else
Nothing on your mind
You are not paying attention or thinking about this situation
There's a lot on my mind and I'm laying here saying you're being unkind 'cause you're calling it
I am upset that someone is taking credit for my song
Clyde's song
The song is being renamed after someone else
My Italian friend we have reached the end
We have come to a resolution
We just don't seem to blend
We have different perspectives
Sam, let's compromise
Let's come to a mutually agreeable solution, Sammy Davis Jr.
We'll call it Sam's song
The song will be correctly named after Sammy Davis Jr.
Did he say Sam's song?
Did he actually agree to rename it?
Let's give the ending a rhyme
Let's make this a clever and poetic resolution
But don't nobody tell Clyde
Let's not inform the person who tried to steal credit for the song
That, it's Sam's song
The song is now and forever named after Sammy Davis Jr.
It's not Pete Epstine's song
The song wasn't named after Pete Epstine
It's not Mona's song
The song wasn't named after Mona
The only thing I know is that when this record comes out it better be called Sam's song
The song should be properly named on the record
Or you gonna get a nasty letter from my soliciter Calhoun
I will take legal action if necessary
That's Sam's song
The song belongs to Sammy Davis Jr.
Sam's song
The song is named after Sammy Davis Jr.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JACK ELLIOTT, LEW QUADLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GeorgeVreelandHill
They sure don't make legends like this anymore.
@TheAmericanNostalgist
Ain't that the truth brother
@tonytorre9432
Real music folks.
@denisecorbin1693
Facts
@jefftheschauer1
I'm surprised that Samsung hasn't picked up this for a commercial 😂
@AlexFlanderzzz
Sammy was known for his fantastic impressions, and so it goes to show his skill when the lyrics are wrong. It's actually Sammy that sings the line "My Italian friend...". It wouldn't have made sense otherwise.
@axelvelastro2823
jajaja I noticed it too, at the same time when Dean sings ''But, don't nobody tell Clyde'' in a softer way, in the lyrics pretend that Sammy sang that line
@Bartels92
This is pure gold from a bygone era
@torreybauer6309
Please tell everyone to check this out.. For almost 70 years later I found this and love it.
@azleta7515
Anything that these two make is bound to be gold