Customer Reviews

I've Gotta Be Me: Best of Reprise

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD is not only a wonderful collection of 15 terrific songs; it is a true celebration of the life and spirit of the uniquely gifted Sammy Davis, Jr. The story and meaning of this album are told extremely well in the extensive liner notes included with it. All of these recordings were made under Frank Sinatra's Reprise label in the early 1960s, a decade in which popular music celebrated communal living and shared nonconformity rather than individualism. Sammy's message of empowerment, truth to oneself, and triumph over all the obstacles in one's path are thus much more significant when viewed in this light. Sammy overcame tremendous roadblocks on his way to success: born a poor, black child in a white society, Sammy was battling and overcoming racism long before Martin Luther King brought the issue of civil rights to the forefront; his conversion to Judaism only increased the prejudice he had to overcome in life. This is a man whose loss of one eye in a tragic auto accident sidelined him only a few weeks. Having pushing himself to achieve everything he set out to do, remaining true to himself all the while, he made himself a source of great inspiration to those of us who came after him. Sammy made a number of mistakes along the way, as he freely admitted, but he overcame even these self-imposed obstacles and truly lived every day of his life. This collection of life-affirming songs is truly one of the best Sammy CDs I have found.

Many of these songs are actually show tunes from such Broadway productions as Stop the World-I Want To Get Off, Oliver, The Roar of the Greasepaint-The Smell of the Crowd, and Golden Boy. "Yes I can" was Sammy's mantra, and as such this song best summarizes the spirit of this collection. Once in a Lifetime is filled with energy, encouragement, and self-realization, as is the gospel-based Gonna Build a Mountain. What Kind of Fool Am I? comes off not as a self-deprecating song of regret but as a beacon of self-realization and self-improvement. I've Gotta Be Me will forever stand as an anthem for those who refuse to subjugate their individualism to the fickle whims of the crowd. Any thoughts of brashness or inflated egotism on Sammy's part are beautifully banished by such tunes as Who Can I Turn To, Lush Life, As Long As She Needs Me, I Want To Be With You, and The Shelter of Your Arms. One particularly noteworthy track is Here's That Rainy Day, which comes from Sammy's album of songs performed to the accompaniment of the amazing Laurindo Almeida's guitar and nothing else. Stranger in Town is a wonderful jazz song written by Mel Torme. If I Ruled the World is the perfect way in which to end this album of diverse yet meaningfully related songs.

Sammy wasn't just an incredible singer and performer; his songs meant something, and the upbeat message of Sammy's music and life is a continuous source of inspiration and great pleasure to myself and to all those devoted to this man who showed us how to live life to the fullest, stand up for one's self, and, when encountering criticism, work even harder to prove the critics wrong. Sammy truly was the greatest entertainer to ever live, as this CD does much to prove.

This, I imagine, is what Vegas sounded like in the years when Vegas was really VEGAS. It's whiskey-and-cigarette two a.m. music at it's most dramatic.

"Lush Life" meanders a bit, but "A Stranger In Town" begins to pick up the pace, and Davis begins to pull out the stops on "What Kind Of Fool Am I."

"I've Gotta Be Me" is an absolute masterpiece, a powerful cry of self-impowerment that is as stirring today as it was upon it's release. Is it a tad over-dramatic? Maybe--after all, it's a Broadway tune. But, for those of us who got downright nauseous listening to "Candy Man" four million times, "I've Gotta Be Me" is a revelation, a vocal so big and full of life that it just can't be overlooked. It's old-style Hollywood, old-time Vegas.

By the way--anybody else remember watching Davis shoot his six-guns on the old Merv Griffin show? That was great stuff.

Whether you are new to Mr. *D* or an old fan, you will find "I've Gotta Be Me: The Best of Sammy Davis, Jr. on Reprise" as Sammy's best work.
First the sound quality is very good, something that is somewhat lacking on the live CDs. Second the time and effort that Sammy and his orchestrators put into this great work is obvious. Sammy's timing, his heartfelt vocals, and emotions pour out in all its glory. To say it's a first rate performance is an understatement.
The selection of songs is wonderful-- from Billy Strayhorn's sad and depressing "Lush Life", to Lee Adam's upbeat "Yes I Can!"
If I was to buy only 1 Sammy CD, this would be it ...with "The Wham of Sam" a close #2.

Sammy Davis Jr never seems to get the credit he was due, but the man could truly SING. A couple of years ago, TVLand showed a concert featuring Davis, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra performing for charity in St Louis. While Frank and Dean were their usual relaxed and confident selves, Sammy seemed to be on a different plane of intensity. Growing up in the 60's, I tended to define his sound by the narrow parameters of "Candy Man" and "I've Gotta Be Me". While that latter cut is included here (and is a highlight as his voice soars over a powerful arrangement), there is SO much more.

First let me say that I completely agree with the liner notes that say "no one celebrates the self as gloriously as Sammy Davis Jr." Because what this set is about is the power of the individual: "Yes I Can", "Gonna Build a Mountain" and "If I Ruled the World" are moving testaments to that faith, and they ought to be everyone's anthems. But there are also some fabulous ballads here, foremost among them the Anthony Newley gems, "Who Can I Turn to" and "What Kind of Fool Am I".

Isn't it ironic, in a sense, that although the music of the Sixties seemed to glorify non-conformity, thirty or so years later much of the "rock" produced then (with notable exceptions of course, such as The Beatles) falls into a rather dull and predictable collectivist mindset, even down to a dress code of sorts featuring long hair, beads, tie dyes, etc, while the supposedly "staid" adult sounds of the period featured an artist who sang of the possibilities and inherent power of the creative individual.

Somehow, this stuff doesn't seem half as dated as groups like Strawberry Alarm Clock or Iron Butterfly. I never would have believed it back then...

To quote Sammy: "A star is the fool who will try anything in public and the genius when it works."

Sammy Davis Jr. often introduced as the greatest- all- around entertainer of all time was always trying harder than anybody else. He started out as the kid hoofer in his uncle's 'Will Masten Trio' and somehow through thousands of performances, not always in the most wonderful venues he made it to the top. His energy level was about ten times beyond the ordinary.
As a singer he often shries( i.e. cries out too loud in a slightly off- tune way) but gets right into the kishkes( guts). He had such great feeling, and was projecting that feeling all the time. Some of the songs here really reflect his life. The great Anthony Newley songs seem especially Sammy at his best. "What Kind of Fool I am " is penultimate here. Sammy was always overcoming all the insults and prejudices from without, and the sense of inferiority of the little black guy within. He had what is called real moxie. And when he sings 'I've got to be me'he is not only standing up and saying an affirmative what to what he is now he is telling us all the stuff that he has overcome to get where he is.
This work was made under the auspices of Sinatra's ' Reprise records'. I always felt a bit uncomfortable seeing Sinatra and Sammy together. You could see Sammy flattering and so much wanting to please.
When he sang he sang his heart out. And at its best it is wrenchingly moving.
The songs won't relax and give you calm pleasure, but they will make for powerful feeling.

This Sammy collection is better than many out there, but it still lacks some classics.

Reprise recorded some of his best stuff, but Decca first recorded "Birth of the Blues," my favorite Sammy track. The collection is distinguished by "I've Gotta Be Me," Sammy's own "I Did it My Way." Actually, I like this one better than Frank's song, but for some reason time is forgetting Sammy's work.

Sammy is referred to as "underrated." He was the butt of satire and ridicule. However, you'll see that his work improves with the passage of time, and you'll be glad you bought this collection.

He did it first, he was truly Mr. Entertainment. He was an early pioneer. If Sammy had not stood strong and sure, in the grim face of all of the ugly racism of the 60s. We would never have had the chance to hear one of the world's greatest performers. Nor would many of those who would come after him, ever have recieved a shot at fame. I have the box set, and about ten other SDJ cds, but as far as single disc are concerned this is one of my favorites. It is one of the few cds that I must have in my collection. Another of my favorites would be "The Wham Of Sam". Mr. Davis was a master at the craft of wooing an audience. He was a born entertainer. He went out of his way every night to ensure that the crowd left more than satisfied. Now some people are of the state of mind that he was some how a carbon copy of Sinatra (no pun intended) and even out of his league. But I assure you that the guy was no slouch on stage, he was incredible, to see and hear.


Peace:
The*Hot*Wax*Kid

I have always loved Sammy's voice, and felt his singing talents were underplayed within the Rat Pack. I looked for a Sammy Davis Jr. CD for a long time and was glad to have found this one. It provides a wide range of songs; some of which were made famous by him. Best of all, it excludes the "chatty verbage" and jazzy arrangements often included in live performances that can make a song sound so dated. I particularly love "As Long as She Needs Me."

A wonderful range of classic numbers by the great Sammy Davis Jr. The only one missing, that I also love is "Mr Bojangles", but I'm sure I'll pick that up on another one of your great Cds. Thanks for the music and the memories.

There are some great songs on here that you won't hear anywhere else. "Night Song" is a wonderfully evocative impressionistic portrait of a city in the evening, the kind of song they can't write anymore. All of the Bricusse/Newley songs are great especially "Someone Nice Like You" with its clever tag - "But who wants Freud's advice/I know it works with mice/ but not for someone nice like you."

And if you don't like "I Gotta Be Me," you're either dead or you're lying to yourself.