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)
Talk
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I could talk to the animals.
Just imagine if.
Chatting with a chimp chimpanzee.
Imagine talking to the tiger.
Chatting with the cheetah.
What a neat achievement it would be.
If we could talk to the animals.
And learn there languages.
Maybe take an animal to agree.
I'd study elephant and eagle.
Buffalo and beagle.
Alligator, guinea pig , and Flea.
I would converse in Polar bear pathon(?).
I wouldn't curse in fluent Kangaroo.
If people asked me can you speak rhinoceros.
I'd say of causurus.
Can't you.
If I could flirt with a fury friends.
Man the animal.
Think of the amazing repartee.
If I could walk with the animals.
And talk with the animals.
Grunt,
Squeak
And squawk with the animals.
And love they could talk to me.
(Instrument Solo)
If I could talk to the animals.
Think what fun we'd have.
Asking over crocodiles for tea.
Or maybe lunch with two or three lions.
Walruses and sea lions.
What a lovely place the world would be.
If I spoke slang to an orangutan.
Oh the advantages.
Any fool on earth can plainly see.
Discussing ease and art and dramas.
With intellectual llamas.
That's a big steep for a dual of three.
I'd learn to speak in antelope and turtle.
My Pekinese would be extremely good.
If I were asked to sing in Hippopotamus
I'd say why-not-amus
And I would.
Stop and think of it .
There's no doubt of it.
I could win a place in history.
If I could walk with the animals.
And talk to the animals.
Grunt, Squeak,
And squawk with the animals.
And they could. Squeak, and Squawk,
and Speak , and Talk To me
They would talk too.
Sammy Davis Jr.'s "Talk To The Animals" is a delightful and lighthearted song about the fantasy of being able to converse with animals. In the song, Davis expresses his desire to talk to all kinds of creatures, including chimpanzees, tigers, cheetahs, elephants, eagles, buffalos, alligators, guinea pigs, fleas, polar bears, kangaroos, and rhinoceroses. He imagines having a witty and intelligent conversation with these animals, discussing everything from art to drama to politics.
The song is a celebration of the fantastic and the surreal, and it taps into the childlike wonder that many of us have about the natural world. It's an invitation to imagine a world in which we can communicate with animals, and it's a reminder that the world is full of magic and mystery.
Line by Line Meaning
Whoa,
Expressing excitement or astonishment at the possibility of talking to animals.
If I could talk to the animals.
Hypothetical situation of having the ability to communicate with animals.
Just imagine if.
Invitation to ponder the potential opportunities of talking to animals.
Chatting with a chimp chimpanzee.
Visualizing a conversation with a chimpanzee.
Imagine talking to the tiger.
Envisioning a dialogue with a tiger.
Chatting with the cheetah.
Anticipating a chat with a cheetah.
What a neat achievement it would be.
Acknowledgment of the uniqueness and coolness of being able to talk to animals.
And learn their languages.
Expanding knowledge and understanding of animals by learning their forms of communication.
Maybe taking an animal to agree.
Possibly coming to an understanding with an animal.
I'd study elephant and eagle.
Showing interest in studying how these animals communicate.
Buffalo and beagle.
Expressing the desire to learn how to communicate with these animals.
Alligator, guinea pig, and Flea.
Curiosity about communicating with a range of animals, including small ones like guinea pigs and fleas.
I would converse in Polar bear pathon(?).
Desire to speak the language of polar bears.
I wouldn't curse in fluent Kangaroo.
Showing respect for the animals by not using inappropriate language.
If people asked me can you speak rhinoceros.
Hypothetical situation of someone asking about the ability to communicate with rhinos.
I'd say of causurus.
Response indicating that one can indeed speak rhinoceros.
If I could walk with the animals.
Imagining the possibility of interacting with animals on a deeper level.
And talk with the animals.
Conversation being a two-way street between humans and animals.
Grunt, Squeak and squawk with the animals.
Acknowledging that animals have their own forms of communication beyond vocalization.
And love they could talk to me.
Desire to connect and bond with animals on a deeper level.
Think what fun we'd have.
Anticipation of enjoyable experiences talking to animals.
Asking over crocodiles for tea.
Playful idea of having tea with crocodiles.
Or maybe lunch with two or three lions.
Another playful idea of having lunch with lions.
Walruses and sea lions.
Additional animals that one might want to chat with.
What a lovely place the world would be.
The world would be a nicer place if humans could connect with animals on a deeper level.
Oh the advantages.
Noting the benefits of being able to communicate with animals.
Any fool on earth can plainly see.
It's clear that there would be benefits to being able to talk to animals.
Discussing ease and art and dramas.
Talking about different subjects with different animals.
With intellectual llamas.
Even llamas could be part of an intellectual conversation.
That's a big steep for a dual of three.
Curiosity about the possibility of having intellectual conversations with different animals.
I'd learn to speak in antelope and turtle.
Showing the interest and dedication needed to learn how to communicate with these animals.
My Pekinese would be extremely good.
Anticipating being able to communicate very well with one's own dog.
If I were asked to sing in Hippopotamus, I'd say why-not-amus.
Playful response to the ridiculous idea of trying to sing in the language of hippos.
And I would.
Showing a willingness to try anything.
There's no doubt of it.
Clearly believing in the advantages of being able to talk to animals.
I could win a place in history.
The potential impact on the world of being known as someone who could talk to animals.
And they could.
Animals would be able to communicate back.
Squeak, and squawk and speak and talk to me.
Animals would have a voice and be able to communicate with humans on a deeper level.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Leslie Bricusse
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Man-Bag Dammit
Love this man. So honest and well spoken. He had more talent in his pinky nail then 99% of entertainers today. These were stars ! The big entertainers of that era were worth your time and energy. RIP Sammy.
Jene Anderson
This guy had more talent in his little finger than anyone in Hollywood NOW. No doubt in my mind
Capitalizing Capitalist
Richard Page Foxx doesn't have near the level of charisma.
Downtown Bobby Brown
Dam right ! I just wish he did 'nt smoke those f 'in cigs !
David Benitez
Well your out of your mind with that statement
Jason Ferguson
I subscribed to your channel because you said this Jene!
Isabella Lundgren
Besides the fact that Sammy is one of the greatest entertainers in history, this interview also highlights another admirable aspect of who he was. He was not trying to portray himself as perfect, and despite the fact of discussing very unflattering aspects of his personality, he was not defensive or combative. He was brave, vulnerable and integrated- and therefor a true role model. I can´t imagine seeing a contemporary public person behaving in this matter, with such wisdom, truthfulness and self-reflection.
Jim Elmore
Sammy was an all around talent. Sing, dance, comedy and just generally entertaining to watch.
dwsan1tx
Excellent interview. Listening to him reveal himself was gold. He reflects on his life and freely admits his human flaws and successes. Very interesting man.
mysterytrain3
Love this guy. He truly was intelligent, in spite of what he thought about himself. Listen to the performers of today. Not many are even as close to being as articulate as Sam was in this interview. Not even close. RIP. You were the real thing, Sammy.