Just For Lovers - Sammy Davis, Jr.

 

Happy Ending

Just For Lovers

Sammy Davis Jr.

Decca Records DL 8170

1955

From the back cover: When Sammy Davis, Jr. made his first recording for Decca, everybody knew that it would be a hit. However, no one knew how great a sensation Sammy would swiftly become. Everything he did was spectacular, from the quiet authority of "And This Is My Beloved" to pounding excitement of "Birth Of The Blues." The album entitled "Starring Sammy Davis, Jr." (DL 8118) received such an instantaneous and wide response that another collection was demanded. The present album, including some of the greatest standards of our time, is the answer.

Biographically speaking, Sammy was born in 1926 in New York City. Sam Davis, his father, and Elvira Davis, his mother, were both in show business. He celebrated his first birthday in a crib in a dressing room of the old Hippodrome Theatre. An ambitious show man, Will Mastin, had formed the vaudeville circuits. The Davises were part of the group, and young Sammy became a professional at four when Mastin included the boy in his new act. At five, Sammy's dancing and singing brought him to Hollywood, where he appeared with Ethel Waters.

With the Davises, Will Martin weathered the depression. He made the act a trio, and the tree performers played night clubs and theaters all over the country. Meanwhile, Sammy, Junior, continued to develop his talents. He perfected his dancing by training with one of the greatest technicians in the field, the late Bill ("Bojangles") Robinson. His voice developed new proportions, and his comedy routines included a series of amazing imitations. In 1946 the Will Mastin Trio tackled the big time; they opened at Slapsie's Maxie's in Hollywood and followed their success with a series of record-breaking dates all the way from El Rancho in Las Vegas to Bill Miller's Riviera in Fort Lee, New Jersey. It was not long before Sammy started to record. His first Decca Record, "Hey There!" from "The Pajama Game," was a revelation. 

On November 19, 1954, the career of Sammy Davis, Jr., almost came to a sudden and tragic close; Sammy was the victim of an automobile smash-up and narrowly escaped death. He was so seriously injured that his left eye had to be removed. In spite of the terrible shock, Sammy rallied and went on with his work; he even insisted that he was "the luckiest guy in the world."

Since his accident, Sammy's courageous spirit and ever-growing talent have won him increasingly enthusiastic audiences. These new recordings are a renewed proof of his popularity.

From Billboard - October 1, 1955: Sammy Davis Jr. comes thru with another sock album performance, calculated to put this album up on the best-seller charts right alongside his last package "Starring Sammy Davis Jr." This LP features showmanly vocals on 10 great standards, including "You Do Something To Me," "Get Out Of Town," "These Foolish Things" and "Body And Soul," plus one Sylvia Fine tune, "Happy Ending." Stand-out backing is provided by Sy Oliver and Morty Stevens, while Davis, Jr. displays new versatility on some quieter tender arrangements, as well as his usual sock showmanship on the flashier selections.  Sammy Davis, Jr. is one of the few pop singers who sells as well on albums as he does on singles, and dealers should take advantage of the opportunity to make single customers album buyers.

You Do Something To Me

You're My Girl

Come Rain Or Come Shine

Body And Soul

It's All Right With Me

Get Out Of Town

These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)

When Your Lover Has Gone

The Thrill Is Gone

Tenderly

Happy Ending