Sammy Davis discusses significance of BoJangles

[TribeLamont]

tears...he is such an honorable and tender hearted man....

[wendyverdades]

Trust that there's a heaven for dancers Sammy! Believe. Because I want to study from you!

[klwewf]

@ThatsThuckingAwesome You're either the worst Internet Troll ever. Or, one of the dumbest fuckers on this planet. Either way, it's pitiful.

[peppersax007]

@ThatsThuckingAwesome Oh, you mean your Mother right? I bet she fucked a donkey. Is that how you came into the world? Ha Ha, what a loser you are LoL

[peppersax007]

Sammy was the greatest entertainer ever! He was the consummate performer. He could dance, sing, do impressions, act, play multiple instruments....THE BEST!!!

[TLEEWHITE123]

Love the song, and no performs it like Sammy. The amazing thing about this life is that at the end you have to thank God for giving us gifts such as Sammy, Michael, and countless others to lift our sprits and to help get us through the ruff times. For each individual God allows us to see a great film of his wonders. again Thank God.

[jeprice08]

Don't worry, Sammy, I don't think that did or will ever happen to you. You are going to be remembered and loved forever.

[LiznDavid1]

Unbelievable!  Can't believe I have never realised the genius of the man before!

[TribeLamont]

GOD I LOVE HIM...THE MOST RESPECT EVER

[vexviper]

I love you Sammy dig it!!

[wendileona]

Thats heavy 1:42 ... wiped up from a changing of times. Times do change, very fast. One can't fight the times they a'change... you have to ride them, change with them, be part of the here and now.

On the other hand, Sammy was of certain kind of performer that was just class man. He connected with the audience, he was as one, making each member of that audience feel like he was performing for just YOU. And he was humble, modest and down to earth and genuine.

You just dont see that anymore.

[silkywilly47]

♫ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY ♫ - Sammy Davis Jr

Would be 85 today - 8th Dec 2010!

We miss you Sammy! ♡

[dandman1575]

Damn, that man could sing and dance, and he gave it his all. I for one, am eternally grateful, for Sammy Davis Jr.

[177coc]

Quelle merveille cet artiste ! Quel danseur ! Quelle voix ! Définitivement je vous adore MONSIEUR SAMMY DAVIS JR !

[SunnyNLisa1]

It may surprise some of those who responded to this video that the person about whom Jerry Jeff Walker wrote this song was NOT Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. In the days in which JJW was arrested in New Orleans, the jail cells were still segregated. As Walker tells it, the song is about an old white man - also an accomplished street dancer - who so admired Robinson as to have "borrowed" his nickname.

[DrinkingStar]

I prefer Bobby Cole's version but this a truly moving video. Sammy Davis talking about Bojangles sends chills up and down my spine. Thumbs up for this video ...thnx.

[Shabannie]

Thank you for posting this interesting clip!

-------Ellen

[Zebonka]

He's like Yoda, man ... little guy with funny eyes, but once he cuts loose? Get the hell out of the way.

[meanwiddlekid]

Unfortunately they don't make them like this anymore. But don't worry. We have that really talented Kid Rock to take up the slack.

[Zebonka]

@meanwiddlekid beautiful, ha ha ha!!!

[wendileona]

@meanwiddlekid Seriously. Kid Rock... thats what its become, lets see who else...

[bronzegrass]

awesome soul shines so bright

[pamhoerauf]

Amazing, amazing, amazing. Today's "entertainers" have so much to learn!

[MrRibb32]

beautiful!!!

[MrRibb32]

Beautiful.

[arlenerogerswilhite]

His fear became one of his greatest performances!!!!!!

[NachosFairy]

I really enjoyed watching this video. Thanks, gattino12.

You know, Sammy Davis Jr. says here that he worried he would become Mr. Bojangles himself down the road, but instead he lived to the age of 65 and passed away before that could ever have a chance of occurring. It highlights that we should try not to worry about the What Ifs, and just enjoy where we are -- because today is all we really have... The rest is just an idea.

[TheLastIndian71]

Sammy Davis JR! Please come back & dance! R.I.P Sammy!

[hardin54]

Yes He is the Original Greatest Entertainer in the world, my first musical hero !!! He lovingly passed the torch to Michael Jackson !!! May they both rest in glorious peace !!!

[biolawyer1]

I had the honor of meeting Sammy Davis Jr. on several occasions. He was a friend of my mother's close friend, so he would visit our home whenever he traveled through our town. I was a kid and did not know who he really was, but I loved him and his visits because he was kind to me, told stories, and once even brought me on stage with him. He was an OUTSTANDING human being!!!!!! RIP my friend.

[TheMichiganDJ]

Sammy Davis....becoming Mr.Bojangles? No way, he will be a headliner for generations to come! He was headlining before I was born and his work will always be timeless. They don't make ENTERTAINERS like that anymore!

RIP...it's well deserved.

[roknsoul1]

Bless you man made me cry

[pitti2009]

RIP Sammy...

[mft760]

Sammy.. you didnt end up as Mr Bojangles.. you were larger than life.. god bless

[Blackjesus3]

really good video

[Krehyv]

That song always gets me.

Truly a one of a kind artist, and what a voice... straight to the heart every time he sang out !

[MrUtete]

THANK YOU SAMMY R.I.P

[eyhehashereyheh]

I am old enough to remember both of them, but didn't leave the world with the talent they had. Sammy, is the Greatest All Around Entertainer of ALL TIME. I mean, ALL AROUND. There isn't ANYTHING he couldn't do, check him out. Still don't know why he died so young. He should had a funeral down the streets of NY city like Bojangles Robinson. It is truly amazing Bill Bojangles Robinson, in those days, was honored that way. Let's not forget the great Lady Hattie McDaniel too.

[tonopahbarry]

i spent a lot of years as a carnie during the '70s, and even though i could never dance a lick, this song still touches the old carnie in me. and oh yeah, i'm grateful to have been born at a time that allowed me to appreciate sammy from a rat packer right through some of his best work, but sometimes i really wish i hadn't out-lived him.

[dnnylee]

Mr. Sammy Davis Jr. was a class act all the way, RIP thank you for the memories

[dnnylee]

Who cares about who owns this song also,, this song is not a black or white issue I don't hear anything about color to me it's more than that way more, growing old with your dog and accepting it and doing your best until that day comes..

[derwojetztdaist]

ich liebe diesen song, ich liebe seine musik

[karenKristal]

aww I absolutely love him!

[koikoiboi]

Where can I get this entire show????

[gattino12]

It depends what show you mean. The one in which he's talking is clearly a 1970s chat show, and I have no idea. The compilation itself including photo montage etc are part of the 60th anniversary tribute show made just before he died. From tv all copies are essentially pirated (notice the french subtitles on mine), but should be easy to find on ebay. If not just google sammy davis 60th anniversary and you'll doubtless find someone selling copies.

[goldenroberson84]

@gattino12 actually the montage is during 1990 right before he died there was a anniversary for him being in the business 60 years

[TEEYEASCHOOLS]

Happy Birthday Mr. Sammy Davis Jr. True legend.

[MrUtete]

@TEEYEASCHOOLS WHEN WAS HIS B DAY?

[TEEYEASCHOOLS]

@MrUtete It was December 8th.

[MrUtete]

@TEEYEASCHOOLS THANKS FOR THE REPLY

[TEEYEASCHOOLS]

@MrUtete You welcome.

[mrmazine]

thank you for entertaining us happy birthday samuel!

[websurfer1001]

What a talented Man! God bless him! I will never forget Sammy Davis jr. !

[DawnGinNH]

What an unreal talent! I so love him. He was way ahead of his time.

[scott1and1ben]

One Man, One legend, What a life, What a talent. he is one of the reasons I do what i do, and probably my favourite song of all time

[ExAxLxPx12]

@scott1and1ben yeah that is probably my favorite too:)

[kevinbluth]

Nice

[mft760]

what a legacy..the man needed no introduction

[barak9876]

It seems to me that one of our problems in society today is the over-analyzing and hyper scrutiny that we subject everything to. Sammy Davis was one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Bill Robinson was one of the greatest tap dancers ever. Savion Glover is one of the greatest tap dancers ever and is going to be one of America's greatest choreographers, regardless of his race or hair length. Just sit back and enjoy the memories and the music. Don't scrutinize, please do enjoy!

[vivalareason]

@barak9876,

You left out Gene Kelly

[kevinatkinson65]

robbie

[chowitis]

Thanks for posting !

[granako]

really nice... thanks:)

[RK807]

A conk was slang in the African-American community for "processed" or straightened hair. Strong chemicals were used to straighten the hair. One famous and widely used product was Posner's. You'd probably see the ads many years ago in Ebony. Read about it in Malcolm X's autobiography. You're probably too young to know who Malcolm X was though.

[leojerdi]

i checked in internet and it seems u are right about the writer of the son. How ever dont sure is there any othere performance f the track, before sammy davis

[RK807]

Sammy Davis, Jr. doesn't own this song. It was written well after he was grown, and was really owned by the writer, folksinger Jerry Jeff Walker, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who recorded the hit in the late '60's. That's not to diminish the difficulty of being black when SD, Jr. was coming up.

[chowitis]

RK807, I believe if anyone said 'own' they meant in a slang way to express that they thought he performed the song excellently...don't get all bent out of shape.

[RK807]

From Wikipedia: According to Walker, a murder on the 4th July weekend of 1965 precipitated the arrest of all the street people in the area. In the crowded cell, a disheveled homeless old man began to talk to Walker who had been arrested earlier for drunkenness. The man told various stories of his life but the tone darkened after 'Mr Bojangles' recalled his dog who'd been run over. Someone then asked for something to lighten the mood and the man obliged with a tap dance. The man was white.

[RK807]

None of you have any idea where this song came from. It was written by a white singer, Jerry Jeff Walker, who spent a short time in the New Orleans jail. In the jail was an old white man who kept tap dancing and talking about his beloved dog who had been hit by a car some years before. He was still grieving about the loss of his dog. In no way was the subject a black man, and it had nothing to do with the famous Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.

[ladylestat01]

This song is about an old dancer who used to be somebody. But over the years he's been forgotten, beaten down, and lives now on old memories of what he used to be fueled by drinking.

And the reason Mr. Davis owns this song is because he grew up during a time when his father,uncle and himself were considered seond class citizens but who because of their talent were allowed to preform. And if not for Sammy alot of people would have forgotten about all those great dancers who came before him.

[ncbloom]

no disrespect to sammy , but nina simone owns this song!!!!

[actingproductions]

I think not., I think Sammy would be the owner. I believe the reference to minstrel shows leads a person to believe that he was Black, not the wino reference. Of course minstrels originally were white men in black face doing caricatures of blacks. The other thing is for me Sammy made the song famous, hadn't heard any other version until recently, still think that his version is the best. Lastly, the association of William "Bojangles" Robinson. Hoffer dancing with shirley Temple.

[ncbloom]

just go listen to the nina version. musically it cannot be surpassed. she sings not just rambles.

[actingproductions]

No offense to Ms. Simone, but I am really not feeling her version of the song. It has more of a South African feel to it. I do like Timothy Moloi's version though, I think he sings it how Donny Hathaway would have sung it.

[tonypauldunn]

This is a great version of this song, I've always loved Sammy. I do find it interesting that people tend to associate the character of "Mr. Bojangles" with a black man when the writer, Jerry Jeff Walker makes it plain the real Mr. Bojangles was white. Perhaps it's all too easy to assume a broken down old tap dancing wino in a jail cell would be black. Still it's a touching song and means a lot to a lot of different people I suppose.

[DEADHEROS81]

What does race have to do with it? Did you just want to point out the person who wrote it was white to try to diminish Sammy? The song is great, but the performer brings the song to life. Sammy made Mr.Bojangles his trademark, and I'll bet that writer is very happy for it.

[tonypauldunn]

No, not at all. Don't get your over sensitive politically correct panties in a wad just because I mentioned it. I was just surprised to learn the story behind the song that's all. BTW, whatever success the late great Sammy Davis Jr. had with the song, it was the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band who had the commercial success with it. So they might argue who's trademark it was. Either way I'm sure Jerry Jeff Walker was very happy for it to earn royalties from anyone.

[tonypauldunn]

For the record, Mr. Davis himself not only assigns race to "Mr. Bojangles" in this video but makes him the "culmination of all these black entertainers". I was merely furthering that discussion.

[DEADHEROS81]

It's not a song about being white, it's a song about a man on his way down. Did you listen to Sammy just say this?

[DEADHEROS81]

Yeah, I just said all that.

Whatever man.

[lilHippo]

when i believe when ppl think of Mr. Bojangles they see the man whos drunk on the corner, subway, airport, etc

[PaulTettam]

so much will always be lost in translation.

Yours truly,

J edgar Hoover

ps. just kidding

[BLUFISH61]

Beautiful.

[naomidga]

Wow...that was amazing. Thanks for posting. RIP Sammy, we love you!

[mft760]

Sammy lived 1000 lifetimes...

[Candygirl820]

oh wow that was so sad....wow thanks for posting this very important footage.

[natedog1025]

this was great

[motowngirl65]

I remember the big deal they made out of his marriage to May Britt. Today it would be no big deal.

[freddy77777]

One of the boys

[mft760]

sammy your legend lives on...man gj.. i shed a tear..peace all

[williwins]

His mother was Puerto Rican. Check the impersination video.

[bigpopslaflare]

he had to of been half white look at his hair

[gattino12]

His mother was hispanic. And what are we looking for in his hair? He straightened it.

[chowitis]

@gattino12 cuban-american (black)

[froff69]

he prolly did a conk as far as the hair goes, it was from what I understand fairly common for black people to have conks, back in those days, cab calloway had one, so did malcolm x

[gaiagale]

what is a conk? please

[ABattle4]

What difference does it make?

[chowitis]

@bigpopslaflare his mother was cuban (black) and his father was african-american...

[FLL999]

Tears rolled down my eyes when I watched and heard Sammy Davis in this video. We all have our individual Bo Jangles in life--- in one way or another. He gave his performances such power because he gave of himself. He was such a great human being and, as he says in the video, he gave it all whenever he performed. We are fortunate to have his legacy. New generations must be exposed to his work. Thank you, Gattino12, for uploading this powerful performance.

[ch5224]

I had the honor of seeing Sammy Davis Jr live in concert 3 times.

Simply the Greatest

[AL15BQMA]

This is really very beautiful - thank you.

[rossmcl177]

Thanks for this. Its so moving.

[spooncvc]

Other videos of Sammy singing Mr. Bojangles got me emotional. But this one, seeing the meaning of this song in his eyes, brought me to tears. There will never be another performer like him. Miss your performances, Mr. Davis Jr.

[motowngirl65]

How Cool. I'm glad I found this piece. Makes me understand and appreciate this song even more.

[roydon0526]

at 2 18 when was that?

[gattino12]

The black and white bit where he's spinning around? I believe its from oneof those rare (and mostly awful quality)surviving film clips of the rat pack in vegas. Which would make it about 1963.

[roydon0526]

cool, thanks

[gattino12]

I base that on the fact that it appears to be part of the same clip that's at 0.30 ...if you watch that bit you can see Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin standing behind him....

[roydon0526]

ya i saw that i was guessing that was at the sands hotel in the early 60's

[5e8938e6]

legend

[Efrasnel]

Too bad he didn't make it until 70. Miss the guy, ultimate performer.

[mitts61]

No better number than this.

[mcan4287]

This guy had the right attitude to show business. I'm sure plenty could learn from him.

[bevrich]

Sammy was a TRUE entertainer! There will never be anyone like him again

[Lereula]

Great vid!

Thanks :)