Search - Sammy Davis Jr :: Mr Bojangles

Shammy davis junior , man

mason williams | bloomington, in USA | 11/28/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"with three songs pulled from the incredible "now" l.p. (that's three more than the box set has .) this cd is a must own for hipsters . sammys "shaft" cover makes me smile just thinking about it . i'm in heaven . please reissue the whole "now" album , please , please ."

I'm just talkin' 'bout Sammy

Daniel Jolley | Shelby, North Carolina USA | 03/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Shaft is just one of the incredible theme songs that make this Sammy collection wonderful, memorable, and more than worth its bargain price. All eleven songs included here are just fantastic. As a big fan of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, it is a great thrill to hear Sammy perform Love Is All Around and show what a great song it truly is in its own right. The theme from Shaft is great fun indeed; such a hip song being sung by the coolest cat of them all is a special treat. I also have nothing but praise to shower upon Sammy's amazing live version of Over the Rainbow. Few indeed are the singers I would allow to sing Judy Garland's trademark song, and my immense confidence in Sammy is more than justified here. The song begins with over a minute's worth of material unknown to me, and from this great beginning Sammy transitions into one of the most emotional, passionate performances of Over the Rainbow I have ever heard; it is simply incredible. One of the most amazing songs on this album is MacArthur Park, a moving song which Sammy infuses with touching nostalgia and melancholia. Two less familiar tracks shine among the gems of this collection: Keeping Out of Mischief Now and All the Things You Are (which is not the more famous song of that title I was expecting). That's Entertainment is a short song, but the background of a full chorus makes it quite distinctive. The Candy Man and The People Tree are great songs available elsewhere, The Birth of the Blues is a show-stopper strewn throughout any number of Sammy CDs (although the version on this CD is a less familiar live version of the track), and Mr. Bojangles is easily recognizable as the song that came to define Sammy Davis Jr. toward the end of his life. The combination of familiar favorites and fascinating, unique tracks of some rarity (all of which date back to the early 1970s with the exception of 1964's Keeping Out of Mischief Now) makes this particular CD a marvelous addition to the music library of any Sammy enthusiast."