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)
Up And Away
Sammy Davis Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Would you like to glide in my beautiful balloon?
We could float among the stars together, you and I
For we can fly, we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
For we can fly, we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
Suspended under a twilight canopy
We'll search the clouds for a star to guide us
If by some chance you find yourself loving me
We'll find a cloud to hid us, keep the moon beside us
Love is waiting there in my beautiful balloon
Way up in the air in my beautiful balloon
If you'll hold my hand we'll chase your dream across the sky
For we can fly, we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
The song Up And Away by Sammy Davis Jr. is an optimistic, uplifting tune about taking a ride in a beautiful balloon. The lyrics capture the spirit of adventure, escapism, and romance. It describes the experience of floating with a loved one among the stars, singing songs, and enjoying the beauty of the world from above. The singer expresses how the world looks nicer and friendlier from a bird's eye view, and love is waiting up there in the sky for those who are willing to take the chance.
The song creates a vivid image of being "suspended under a twilight canopy," searching for a star to guide them. It speaks to the power of love to transcend the boundaries of the earth and reach for the heavens. The final lines are a call to action, inviting the listener to take a chance, hold hands, and chase their dreams across the sky. The song's message is timeless and universal, reminding us of the wonder and possibility that exists in the world if only we are willing to take a leap of faith.
Line by Line Meaning
Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?
Do you want to join me on this adventure?
Would you like to glide in my beautiful balloon?
Do you want to soar with me?
We could float among the stars together, you and I
Let's experience this together and explore the universe.
For we can fly, we can fly
We have the ability to take off and explore.
Up, up and away
Let's soar high and discover new things.
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
This journey is a thing of beauty and wonder.
The world's a nicer place in my beautiful balloon
Seeing the world from above makes it seem more beautiful.
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
From this perspective, the world seems more serene.
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
Let's enjoy the moment by singing while soaring.
Suspended under a twilight canopy
We are peacefully connected to the beauty of the sky.
We'll search the clouds for a star to guide us
Let's search for a guide and explore the unique features of the clouds.
If by some chance you find yourself loving me
If a connection is made, the journey will be even more special.
We'll find a cloud to hid us, keep the moon beside us
Together, we'll find a place to be alone and admire the beauty of the moon.
Love is waiting there in my beautiful balloon
There's an unspoken romance in this adventure.
Way up in the air in my beautiful balloon
This journey takes us to new heights.
If you'll hold my hand we'll chase your dream across the sky
Let's work together to pursue your dreams and make them come true.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jimmy Webb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Enzo GD
He was a real and extremely talented SHOWMAN !!! Such a cool cover and performance !
Fitness Model
Sammy David Jr. totally ROCKS this song. The Go-Go dancers need totally different costumes but this is vintage Sammy! He totally rocks!!!
Loneliness in Milan
No autotune for our Sammy!
Leslie
BEST version ever made of that song! He was so great in his youth also..i live to see him tap dance!
juanunderground
Before BRUNO MARSH, and more before a MICHAEL JACKSON, There was a SAMMY DAVIS JR who as showman was the innovator who really opened the door for the next generations.And more, he was completed because not only was a complete singer, but a remarkable actor.
LesGeaux
Sammy was rocking that Jimi Hendrix look.. Haha love it!
Rynostar
Holy Hell in a Handbasket! I have been looking for this since Tom Middleton played it in his Essential Mix back in 2001. Much Love.
myeyesinside out
DAMM THAT BEAT IS ON POINT AND SAMMY .. WELL JUST THE SHIT .. U GO SAMMY
boodabill
Another perfect impersonation by the great Sammy Davis Jr: the cool cat hippy! I mean I can dig it!
Fitness Model
THIS IS THE ONLY VERSION OF THIS SONG WHICH MATTERS!!! Sammy ROCKED THIS! I tell everyone skip the Fifth Dimension version and only watch this one! #EPIC