Sam M. Lewis was born and educated in New York City. He got his start in the music profession singing in cafes, eventually turning to writing lyrics for popular songs. He is well known for his hits “Street of Dreams” (1931), “Just Friends” (1931), and “For All We Know” (1934). He frequently collaborated with lyricist Joe Young, producing such well-known songs as “Rockabye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody” (1918), “In a Little Spanish Town” (1930), “Dinah,” and “I’m Sitting on Top of the World” (1924).

He also wrote English lyrics for Hungarian Rezso Seress’ composition, known as “the suicide song.” As “Gloomy Sunday” it was recorded in 1936 and was banned from the airwaves because of its depressive nature. In 1941 Billie Holiday recorded it in a somwhat revised version.

Samuel Lewis was a charter member of ASCAP and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

- Jeremy Wilson