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Just Say Maybe: Sammy Davis Jr.

'The Candy Man'
--Sammy Davis Jr. (1972)

The accusation: Dope dealers are often known as "the candy man" (see: Grateful Dead, Mississippi John Hurt, etc.).

The defense: It's from 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,' for Pete's sake!

The verdict: Guilty. In the movie 'Madagascar,' when Alex the lion gets shot with a tranquilizer dart, the song plays as he hallucinates.

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Nan

How can they use the defense of a movie that was made 20 or 30 something AFTER the song was written???

This thing just sucks you in further and further. Waste of time. OMG I used the word WASTE. Does that mean I am WASTED?? Give me a BREAK!

Different lyrics can mean MANY different thing to MANY different people.

February 24 2010 at 10:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mzrhondda

I agree with the others who say "the Candyman" is NOT about drugs. The song came out the same time as the movie "Willy Wonka and the chocolate Factory did". Are these writers so brain dead. This reminds me of the mid 50s (yes I am THAT old) when songs were actually banned from the airwaves because some uptight dipstick thought the lyrics were vulger. One Classic exapmle "Willie and the hand Jive" by Johnny Otis, a dee-jay on KFOX in Long Beach Ca. This song was slammed because it was suppossed to be about masterbaiting (sp?)

May 13 2009 at 5:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
G-man

My wife and I were just talking this morning about that extra-large, sculpted pinkie fingernail that Sammy Davis had. He was really singing about the "Nose Candy Man". Go Ratpack!

October 27 2008 at 7:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Cynthia

This is THE stupidest website ever. You guys make the WORST lists. Here's an idea: WRITE AN ARTICLE instead of making more bad lists. Are you guys all fresh out of college? Grow up!!!

October 26 2008 at 1:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Cynthia's comment
redonionsauce

Got that right. They must be that young or they would know the truth when they write it.

October 27 2008 at 6:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
yaya

Hey! Just give it up. These people are not going to be happy until they can drag our Music, Mores, and everything else through the mud so they can stand ,point fingers and say Ha! It must be awful to live without talent or worse in a peer dominated social atmosphere that does not support talent without body functions,blood, and the F & N bombs. We changed our world for the better and look what you're doing to it. Next they'll be claiming the same thing about "You Light Up My Life" Seems this generation could be perfect examples of why some species eat their young.

October 25 2008 at 11:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jay

the writers are sicko

October 25 2008 at 10:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike Lewis

Ah come on! Its Anthony Newley!
Written for a scene in a candy shop!
Sometime a cigar is a cigar!

October 25 2008 at 9:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Samantha

what the fuck!! just because they made fun of it in a stupid kids movie doesnt mean its actually about drugs!!!!

September 20 2008 at 6:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Samantha's comment
lubahlu

I totally agree. The song is from Willy Wonka and actually has everything to do with being a candy man in a candy shop for kids. The fact that it was eventually used as an extended metaphor to entertain adults in a kids movie doesn't change its original intended purpose.

September 24 2008 at 11:37 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply