DESCRIPTION:
This short but groovy version of "The Joker" from "The Roar Of The Greasepaint, The Smell Of The Crowd", was recorded for Newley's Album "Who Can I Turn To", 1965. "The Joker" was one of his most beloved songs - and symbol for himself - "they don`t see his painted heart break...!"
All film clips of Anthony Newley are from "Playboy After Dark" 1969.
During watching this show (with Sammy Davis jr), I suddenly realized, that Anthony Newley was looking sometimes very unhappy, even sad, especially when Sammy Davis jr. was singing a medley of his hitsongs. I think for Newley it always was a permanent wound, to see that others, like Tony Bennett, Andy Williams and especially Sammy Davis jr. had the great success with his songs . But he always made a funny, smiling face, but how he looked inside - we can only think and imagine.
Of course in this time his marriage with Joan Collins was crumbling, but this is only one aspect of his sadness. More important is his poor childhood, the strange family surroundings. His whole life was a permanent struggle for survival & appreciation and influenced his whole work and caused his sadness and in the end his illness.
"The poor painted fool " - therefore I cut in between filmclips of Mario Lanza in "Pagliacci" singing "Vesti La Giubba"(from his last movie "For The First Time", 1959).
"Ridi Pagliacci..." "Laugh Pagliacci"- this came to my mind when I saw the sad face of Anthony Newley in "Playboy After Dark." Laughing although you want cry !
And in MY provoking opinion Sammy Davis jr. always (ab)used Anthony Newley's creative abilities and artistic genius to refresh his tumbeling career. From "What Kind Of Fool Am I" to "The Candy Man". Anthony Newley was always so proud that the the GREAT Sammy D. jr. was singing his songs and was becoming his dear friend, that he never (or too late) realized that he only was exploited (emotionally and artistically) by him.
In my opinion his version of "Stop The World..." is not so overwhelming, although he pressed out a new song for this show from Anthony Newley & Leslie Bricusse - "Life is a woman". Why he - Sammy Davis jr. - needed a new song ?? Even its inventor - Anthony Newley - needed no new song in his own musical !!
And Sammy Davis jr.destroyed his "friendship" with Anthony Newley, after Newley dared to refuse his will to direct his show of "Stop the World..".
I know some will hate me because of this, but this is my point of view and Sammy Davis jr is not sacrosanct !
And Sammy Davis jr is not the only artist who exploited Anthony Newley's creativity without any scruple.
The dance sequences are from Bob Fosse's "Sweet Charity" (1969). A man who also was a big disappointment for Anthony Newley , because he had stolen some of his ideas ! But this is ANOTHER story !

And content ID - Music - SME - again !! blocked in Germany !!