In 1955, DeSanto did some touring with The Johnny Otis Revue after being given the nickname Sugar Pie by the bandleader. In 1960, DeSanto rose to national prominence when her single, "I Want to Know," rose to number four on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart. DeSanto continued to write & release popular songs throughout the 1960's, including some collaborations with Etta James.
From 1959-1960, she toured with The James Brown Revue, where she was known to perform backflips on stage. DeSanto is proud to say, despite numerous proposistions, she stayed professional, and claims to be the only woman in his revue who never slept with the lascivious Brown, nor any of the other "old goats" like Willie Dixon, and Muddy Waters she met on the met on the blues touring circuit while supporting her Chess recordings. Sugar Pie went along on the 1964 Folk-Blues Fest tour of Europe, but as the only female artist, and basically an opening act... She also let the other musicians on that run she wasn't part of the backstage buffet, telling the SF Bay Guardian in 2004 "I refused all them old goats,"
She cut 30 sides for Chess records, most of which were shelved and never hit the streets. Occasional Sugar Pie tracks did surface, but mostly her career was a footnote in at a label. While Sugar Pie got a $10,000 advance from the stingy Chicago honchos that ran the label when she signed on, they stiffed her on royalties for decades, even though she wrote many songs for other artists including Fontella Bass, Etta James, Little Milton and Minnie Ripperton. She recorded for other labels besides Chess including Brunswick in 1967.
By the early seventies she'd settled back into the San Francisco Bay Area for good, and over the next 35 some years has made some sporadic funky & bluesy efforts for her manager/husband's Jasman Records...
Despite hitting octogenarian status, she still performs gigs including the ceremony for receiving her 2008 R&B Foundation Pioneer Award at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, the June 2008 Chicago Blues Festival, and 2007 San Francisco Blues Festival with Jimmy McCracklin, and remains a highly energetic and comedic performer.
2. Sugar Pie DeSanto was born on October 16th, 1935 as Umpeylia Morsema Balinton in New York. She had 6 brothers and 3 sisters. Her father a Phillipino, was not musical but her (African) mother was a miracle child. Sugar Pie "My mother was talented. Already at the age of five she was a concert pianist, fantastic. I definitely inherited my talents from her." Also, other children from this family inherited some of this talent. "I have brothers in the music business, but the two who really continued in it is my brother and Little Domingo and myself. Domingo is also very talented. Now-a-days he leads the band (Little Domingo and Friends featuring Sugar Pie DeSanto). Oh yes and another brother of mine plays the conga and drums. Yes, it actually was a musical family." Her mother especially encouraged Sugar Pie to sing. Therefore, her latent talent was stimulated, which soon blossomed and became fruitful. The influences that Sugar Pie received were from her mother and artists such as Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washing and Sarah Vaughn. Another influence came from a young dancer, Eartha Kit, who was a member of the Katherine Dunham Dance Ensemble at that time. The saucy and shameless elements of sex, which Eartha Kit employed in her flirtations, is still present in Sugar Pie's act of today. "When I was approximately eleven, I got lessons from my mother. She taught me how to sing, mainly standards. I began to participate in talent searches in San Francisco, which I won several times. My career started this way. Because my mother was a concert pianist, I did more ballads than blues." The blues aroused her interest through her later (ex)husband, singer/guitarist Pee Wee Kingsley: " Oh goodness, when I met him, I became more interested in the blues. we did a show together and since then I continued to do the blues." The primitive-rapper "Sugar is Salty," Sugar Pie's most recent release for Jasman Bears witness again to her immense talent. Both versions of "Hello San Francisco" are on this superior mix of souls, ballads, blues, R&P, funk and even rap. Sugar Pie: "I always did rap but it wasn't fashionable for a very long time with the younger public. Now they are following me, not me following them. One can't tell much about the CD. Go to the store and buy it I would say. As far as I am concerned it is one of my better performances. Yet, the sequel will be a lot better. I have already started with the recording. I enjoyed the musicians as well as choosing the materials together with my manager. It took me a couple of years but trust me. I don't know yet what I am going to call this new CD but so far the recording is going smoothly." An important aspect of "Sugar is Salty" is the fact that except for "Hello san Francisco" she co-wrote the songs. Thus proves that her creativity, which, again, attributes to her mother, is still intact. "The inspiration came from my mother. She not only taught me how to sing a ballad, but how to build a song. Consequently, I started at a very young age." During her more than 40 year career, she has shared the stage with the greatest. She stood before sold out crowds in the most legendary theatres and wooed the public with her explosive combination of impudence, sex, humor and unbridled talent. "I have done the Apollo theatre more than twenty times, perhaps thirty. I have performed with Jackie Wilson, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Patti LaBelle and many more. Naturally, I have performed at other renowned theatres: the Regal in Chicago, the uptown Philly, the Howard in Washington and a couple of others where you only arrive after you have finished a hot record, but the Apollo in New York is the hardest on the artist. If you are talented, you are accepted. If you don't have that, you can expect rotten eggs. And then you have to rush off the stage otherwise they whip you off. And if the critics don't like you there, then you might as well forget it." Now-a-days, Sugar Pie works in the Bay Area together with her brother, one of the most talented bass players on the West Coast. She is still as popular ever over there. Also her European public has been able to see her. In Ultrecht, she ignited the theatre with fire and flames with her saucy, acrobatic and exciting show. She explained it thus:" Yes, I have to let go of some energy during my sixties. I am still quite wild. But you can expect that during my performance. I have my power and my experience. I sing full blast and give a spectacular show." Sugar Pie's sense of humor remains with me the most. Just before her performance, I asked her if she gets along with Jack Owens, because his name is also on the billboard. Her answer:"Well, I am not a spring chicken, but that guy is more than ninety years old! And he still pinches my ass. Wouldn't you just want to wring his neck?" Having just said that she exits the dressing-room in order to address Chris Millard. And with a lascivious grin yells:"Let's go kick ass!"
Do I Make Myself Clear
Sugar Pie DeSanto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The bad things about you
Oh, no, now
Cause if they're true
I'll have to get along without you
Oh, ooh, now
The song about the things you do
Moving and a grooving
Using and a fooling
Chasing around every skirt in town
If it's true, you'll be on your way
Do I make myself clear
Do I make myself clear
I said you're gonna have to
Stop and check yourself
Oh, yeah, now
I'm not gonna have a man
That's got somebody else, oh, no
Oh, you tell him now, girl, now, now
So if you're running around, baby
Thinking of putting me down
You're wrong
Taking away what belongs to me
Giving to her when I'm in need
If it's true, you'll be on your way
Do I make myself clear
Do I make myself clear
I said, do, do I
Do I make myself clear
Do you understand me
Do, do I, do I make myself clear
Oh, you better listen to her now
Oh, yeah, ohh, yeah, now
Oh, oh, oh...
So why won't you try to do
Something to change it
Yeah, yeah
And make me know it's not
The way they claim it, oh, yeah
Now let me tell you something
All I wanted you to be true, honey
Love me like you say you do, oh, yeah
And I won't care for what they say
Instead, I'll turn my head and walk away
But if it's true, you know what to do
Do I make myself clear
Do I make myself clear
I said, do, do I
Do I make myself clear
And oh, oh, oh, yeah, now
Oh, oh...
I said do, do, do, do
Do I make myself clear
The lyrics to Sugar Pie DeSanto's "Do I Make Myself Clear" capture the confusion and fear that come along with being in a relationship where your partner's loyalty is questionable. The singer does not want to believe the negative things they have heard about their partner, but if they turn out to be true, they will have to end the relationship. The second part of the song focuses on confronting the partner and demanding that they stop their cheating ways. The refrain of "Do I make myself clear" is a powerful statement of the singer's resolve to hold their partner accountable for their actions and to demand respect and loyalty in their relationship.
Throughout the song, Sugar Pie DeSanto's voice is both strong and vulnerable, conveying the emotional complexity of the lyrics. The lyrics have a narrative structure that builds towards a climax, as the singer confronts their partner and makes their demands clear. The repeating refrain adds to the intensity of the song, driving home the singer's resolve and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna believe
I am hesitant to accept the bad things that I've heard about you
The bad things about you
The negative rumors circulating about you
Cause if they're true
If the rumors are correct
I'll have to get along without you
I would rather leave and not deal with a problematic partner
The song about the things you do
The tune discussing your questionable behavior
Moving and a grooving
Dancing and having a good time
Using and a fooling
Taking advantage of others
Chasing around every skirt in town
Attempting to seduce every eligible woman
If it's true, you'll be on your way
If the rumors are verified, you will leave
Do I make myself clear
Am I being direct and easy to understand?
I said you're gonna have to
I am firm on my previous statement
Stop and check yourself
Take a close examination of your actions and motives
I'm not gonna have a man
I will not be with a partner
That's got somebody else, oh, no
Who is cheating or seeing someone else
So if you're running around, baby
If you are cheating on me
Thinking of putting me down
Intending to harm my feelings
Taking away what belongs to me
Stealing my possessions or relationships
Giving to her when I'm in need
Providing for someone else while neglecting me
Do, do I
Do I really
Do you understand me
Are you following my train of thought?
Oh, you better listen to her now
You should heed her warning
So why won't you try to do
Why don't you attempt to fix things?
Something to change it
A step in the right direction
And make me know it's not
Assure me that the rumors are invalid
All I wanted you to be true, honey
All I want is for you to be honest with me
Love me like you say you do, oh, yeah
Treat me with care and affection
Instead, I'll turn my head and walk away
If the rumors are true, I'll leave without another word
But if it's true, you know what to do
If the rumors are accurate, you must go
And oh, oh, oh, yeah, now
Oh yeah
I said do, do, do, do
I repeat
Writer(s): Shena Demell, Sugar Pie Desanto
Contributed by Alyssa S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BrideofPFunk
I love this beautiful track from Sugar Pie. Blues, Jazz and Northern...and so political...
aceq aceq
lol . i was searching smth another but found this )