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Nearly all of the Universal Music Group's releases under its discount-priced reissue series 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection are given the generic title "The Best of...," including this one on Sammy Davis, Jr. Although several of Davis' many label affiliations are now to be found in the Universal vaults, including Decca and Motown, this collection selects only from Davis' recordings for the MGM Records label in 1972 and 1973. As it happens, that brief tenure marked a commercial comeback on records for him, including his biggest single hit, the gold-selling, chart-topping "The Candy Man." But the early '70s was a confusing time for pre-rock pop singers like Davis, and that confusion is reflected in the diversity of styles found here. Davis essays familiar-sounding material like "I'll Begin Again" and "I'm Not Anyone," the sort of self-dramatizing ballads at which he excels. But there are also country-styled numbers ("Have a Little Talk with Myself," "[I'd Be] A Legend in My Time"), the folk-pop standard "Mr. Bojangles" (which Davis turned into something of a signature song), and a version of Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft" retitled "John Shaft" and produced by Hayes himself. A live segment at the end including a "Porgy & Bess Medley" gives a sense of Davis' impressive on-stage skills. Although it was often atypical stylistically, the MGM period was an interesting one in Davis' long career, and fans will welcome the CD reissue of some of these tracks.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
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Anthony Newley, ComposerLyricist - Leslie Bricusse, ComposerLyricist - Sammy Davis Jr., Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - DON COSTA, Producer - Mike Curb, Producer - The Mike Curb Congregation, Chorus, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1972 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Leslie Bricusse, ComposerLyricist - Sammy Davis Jr., MainArtist - Jimmy Bowien, Producer - Michael Viner, Producer
℗ 1971 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Sammy Davis Jr., MainArtist - Ray Stevens, ComposerLyricist - Jimmy Bowen, Producer - Michael Viner, Producer
℗ 1972 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bettye Jean Crutcher, ComposerLyricist - Isaac Hayes, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sammy Davis Jr., MainArtist - Onzie Horne, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1972 Geffen Records
Anthony Newley, ComposerLyricist - Leslie Bricusse, ComposerLyricist - Sammy Davis Jr., MainArtist - DON COSTA, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Curb, Producer - Val Valentine, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Viner, Producer - The Mike Curb Congregation, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1972 Geffen Records
Jerry Jeff Walker, ComposerLyricist - Sammy Davis Jr., Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - DON COSTA, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Curb, Producer - Val Valentine, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Viner, Producer
℗ 1972 Geffen Records
Don Gibson, ComposerLyricist - Sammy Davis Jr., MainArtist - DON COSTA, Producer, Co-Producer - Mike Curb, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1973 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Paul Anka, ComposerLyricist - Sammy Davis Jr., MainArtist - DON COSTA, Producer, Co-Producer - Johnny Harris, Producer, Co-Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1973 UMG Recordings, Inc.
George Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Ira Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Dorothy Heyward, ComposerLyricist - Dubose Heyward, ComposerLyricist - Gary Smith, Producer - Sammy Davis Jr., MainArtist - Dwight Hemion, Producer
℗ 1973 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Orlando Murden, ComposerLyricist - Gary Smith, Producer, Co-Producer - Sammy Davis Jr., MainArtist - Ron Miller, ComposerLyricist - Dwight Hemion, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1973 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Walter Marks, ComposerLyricist - Gary Smith, Producer - Sammy Davis Jr., MainArtist - Ray Henderson, ComposerLyricist - Lew Brown, ComposerLyricist - Buddy DeSylva, ComposerLyricist - Dwight Hemion, Producer
℗ 2002 Universal Motown Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
Nearly all of the Universal Music Group's releases under its discount-priced reissue series 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection are given the generic title "The Best of...," including this one on Sammy Davis, Jr. Although several of Davis' many label affiliations are now to be found in the Universal vaults, including Decca and Motown, this collection selects only from Davis' recordings for the MGM Records label in 1972 and 1973. As it happens, that brief tenure marked a commercial comeback on records for him, including his biggest single hit, the gold-selling, chart-topping "The Candy Man." But the early '70s was a confusing time for pre-rock pop singers like Davis, and that confusion is reflected in the diversity of styles found here. Davis essays familiar-sounding material like "I'll Begin Again" and "I'm Not Anyone," the sort of self-dramatizing ballads at which he excels. But there are also country-styled numbers ("Have a Little Talk with Myself," "[I'd Be] A Legend in My Time"), the folk-pop standard "Mr. Bojangles" (which Davis turned into something of a signature song), and a version of Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft" retitled "John Shaft" and produced by Hayes himself. A live segment at the end including a "Porgy & Bess Medley" gives a sense of Davis' impressive on-stage skills. Although it was often atypical stylistically, the MGM period was an interesting one in Davis' long career, and fans will welcome the CD reissue of some of these tracks.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:42:37
- Main artists: Sammy Davis, Jr.
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Polydor
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2002 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 2002 Universal Motown Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
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