Saturday, May 19, 2007

My Father's Shadow - Dawn Williams on Ted Lewis

If you want your story told sometimes you have to do it yourself. Many of us have heard the song "Me and My Shadow" in cartoon parodies and old movies.


Dawn William wrote a book on her father, Ted Lewis. As I recall, she was frustrated that she couldn't get any publishers interested in the book so she decided to start a small publishing company.

There was a real life performer and person behind the song. It is hard to find a legal copy and I have been to the YouTube well once too often this month so these are the lyrics. If you are old enough, the music will pop into your head.

Me and my shadow,
Strolling down the avenue,
Me and my shadow,
Not a soul to tell our troubles to . . .

And when it's twelve o'clock,
We climb the stair,
We never knock,
For nobody's there . . .

Just me and my shadow,
All alone and feelin' blue . . .

(Musical Bridge)

And when it's twelve o'clock,
We climb the stair,
We never knock,
For nobody's there . . .

Just me and my shadow,
All alone and feelin' blue . . .

This is an interview I did with her at the L.A. Times Festival of Books 2006. I found it in my pile of I should get to this one of these days. Ah, it is good to be a pack rat. If you would like more information about Ted Williams you can purchase her book on Amazon.com

4 comments:

  1. I just found your comment on the termite tv blog regarding the City Harvest clip. What video festival are you talking about? The video has been completed. I couldn't find your email address to respond. You can email me from my profile on the Termite Tv site.
    http://www.termite.org/members/deb/index.html

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  2. I love that song! Thanks for posting the lyrics. I promise I will use them only in my home.

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  3. Dawn Whipple Williams is someone's illegitimate daughter, but definitely not Ted Lewis'. This libelous book "Me and My Father's Shadow" is full of inaccurate information and assumptions based on word of mouth. Ted Lewis was one of the greatest performers of all time and deserves a real biography rather that this pitiful attempt to latch onto his fame. If you want the real story of Ted Lewis, visit the Ted Lewis Museum in "the capital of the world," Circleville, Ohio. There is an arrest warrant out for Dawn Williams in Circeville, she will be arrested if she tries to step foot in the town.

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  4. My grandmother is also Ted Lewis' daughter. Shes not interested in writing a book about a man she didnt know but would like to get in touch with his family, if anyone knows any remaining relatives please get in touch

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