If you based your opinion of Sammy Davis Jr. on his rock era top tens (this and “The Candy Man”), you would believe that he was bipolar. His “Something’s Gotta Give” has a real smoky nightclub feel. The same lyrics that yield almost nothing in the McGuire Sisters’ version take on an almost sexual nature in Sammy’s version. Sammy also throws himself into the song; he toys with lines and showcases vocal chops that outshine even Dean and Frank. It still isn’t rock ‘n roll, but it’s headed that way. You can feel Chuck Berry just around the corner.
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