Sam M. Lewis
Encyclopedia
Sam M. Lewis was a Jewish-American
singer and lyricist
, born in New York City
, New York
as Samuel Levine
, Bert Grant, Harry Warren
, Jean Schwartz
, Ted Fiorito
, J. Fred Coots
, Ray Henderson
, Victor Young
, Peter DeRose
, and Harry Akst
. He also contributed to the Broadway musical The Laugh Parade, and Hollywood
musicals such as Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweep
, The Singing Fool
, Wolf Song, and Spring is Here
. His songs have been used in more modern movies, such as Big Fish
and The Pelican Brief
. Sam Lewis was a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
in 1914, and was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. He died in New York City.
Songs include:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as Samuel Levine
Biography
Lewis began his music career by singing in cafes throughout New York City, and began writing songs in 1912. He wrote numerous songs, and collaborated with other song writers, most frequently with Joe Young, but also with Fred Ahlert, Walter DonaldsonWalter Donaldson
Walter Donaldson was a prolific United States popular songwriter, composing many hit songs of the 1910s and 1920s.-History:...
, Bert Grant, Harry Warren
Harry Warren
Harry Warren was an American composer and lyricist. Warren was the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song eleven times and won three Oscars for composing "Lullaby of Broadway", "You'll Never Know" and "On the Atchison,...
, Jean Schwartz
Jean Schwartz
Jean Schwartz was a songwriter.Schwartz was born in Budapest, Hungary. His family moved to New York City when he was 13 years old...
, Ted Fiorito
Ted Fiorito
Theodore Salvatore Fiorito , known professionally as Ted Fio Rito, was an American composer, orchestra leader and keyboardist who was popular on national radio broadcasts in the 1920s and 30s...
, J. Fred Coots
J. Fred Coots
John Frederick Coots was an American songwriter. He wrote over 700 songs.He is most famous for the song "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", a song that became one of the biggest best sellers in American music history....
, Ray Henderson
Ray Henderson
Ray Henderson , was an American songwriter.Born Raymond Brost in Buffalo, New York, Henderson moved to New York City and became a popular composer in Tin Pan Alley...
, Victor Young
Victor Young
Victor Young was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. He was born in Chicago.-Biography:...
, Peter DeRose
Peter DeRose
Peter DeRose was an American Hall of Fame composer of jazz and pop music during the Tin Pan Alley era.-Biography:DeRose was born in New York City and as a boy exhibited a gift for things musical...
, and Harry Akst
Harry Akst
Harry Akst was an American songwriter, who started out his career as a pianist in vaudeville accompanying singers such as Nora Bayes, Frank Fay and Al Jolson.-Life and career:Akst was born in New York, United States....
. He also contributed to the Broadway musical The Laugh Parade, and Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
musicals such as Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweep
Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweep
Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweep is a 1922 British silent comedy film directed by George Pearson and starring Betty Balfour, Fred Groves and Hugh E. Wright. Squibs wins a large sum of money on a horse race. It was the sequel to the 1921 film Squibs....
, The Singing Fool
The Singing Fool
The Singing Fool is a 1928 musical drama Part-Talkie motion picture which was released by Warner Brothers. The film starred Al Jolson and was a follow-up to his previous film, The Jazz Singer...
, Wolf Song, and Spring is Here
Spring Is Here
"Spring is Here" is a 1938 popular song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the musical I Married an Angel , where it was introduced by Dennis King and Vivienne Segal.-Notable recordings:...
. His songs have been used in more modern movies, such as Big Fish
Big Fish
Big Fish is a 2003 American fantasy adventure film based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Daniel Wallace. The film was directed by Tim Burton and stars Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange and Marion Cotillard. Finney plays Edward Bloom, a former traveling salesman from...
and The Pelican Brief
The Pelican Brief (film)
The Pelican Brief is a 1993 legal crime thriller based on the novel of the same name by John Grisham. Directed by Alan J. Pakula, the film stars Julia Roberts in the role of young law student Darby Shaw and Denzel Washington as Washington Herald reporter Gray Grantham...
. Sam Lewis was a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization that protects its members' musical copyrights by monitoring public performances of their music, whether via a broadcast or live performance, and compensating them...
in 1914, and was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. He died in New York City.
Songs include:
- "For All We KnowFor All We Know (1934 song)"For All We Know" is a popular song published in 1934. The music was written by J. Fred Coots and the lyrics by Sam M. Lewis.The first charting versions in 1934 were by Hal Kemp and Isham Jones . A version by Dinah Washington reached #88 on the chart in 1962...
" - "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (song)"Has Anybody Seen My Gal?" was a popular song of the 1920s, music by Ray Henderson, lyrics by Sam M. Lewis & Joseph Widow Young, first recorded by The California Ramblers in 1925 on their self-titled album The California Ramblers...
" - "I'm Sitting on Top of the WorldI'm Sitting on Top of the World"I'm Sitting on Top of the World" is a popular song.The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. The song was published in 1925.The song was first recorded by either Art Gillham or Al Jolson...
" - "Just FriendsJust Friends (1931 song)"Just Friends" is a popular song that has become a jazz standard. The song was written in 1931 by John Klenner with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. Although introduced by Red McKenzie and His Orchestra in October 1931, it first became a hit when singer Russ Columbo performed it with Leonard Joy’s...
" - "Gloomy Sunday(English version)Gloomy Sunday"Gloomy Sunday" is a song composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and published in 1933, as "Vége a világnak" . Lyrics were written by László Jávor, and in his version the song was retitled "Szomorú vasárnap"...
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