The Shadow Knows!

bycosmicradio

5.9K followers

8 years ago

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?"

It was a famous opening line, first heard way back in 1930, on radio's Detective Story Hour. The rich, young man about town's name was Lamont Cranston, and his alter ego was THE SHADOW!

The Shadow was not only a top-notch detective, skilled in weaponry and martial arts, he also had the remarkable ability, as a master hypnotist, to make himself nearly invisible, as well as the power to "cloud men's minds."

Dressed in a wide brimmed black hat and a black cloak, The Shadow operated in the dark of night, terrifying criminals in his quest for justice.

Probably the best known voice of The Shadow on radio was the 22-year-old (who would come to be known as a famed actor and director) Orson Welles, in 1937 and 1938.

Following each episode were the famous words "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay...The Shadow knows!"

And would you believe there are two things I've written having to do with shadows?

Sometimes I forget about some of the stuff we don't perform...

I LOST MY SHADOW (A spoken word piece)

I was walkin' down the sidewalk, one warm, sunshiny day,

And glancin' down at my feet, I shouted "What the Hey?!"

I think there's something missing here, something's just not right,

Perhaps it's just some kinda trick of early morning light!

My shadow's gone, my shadow's gone, My God, how can that be?

No discernible shadow...would I still be me?

And still no short, dark twin appeared, as high noon fast approached,

With nary a cloud in the sky, 'tis a problem ne'er been broached,

And nothing was there to stretch out long, as the day grew old and rare,

There was something very wrong...My shadow was not there!

My shadow's gone, my shadow's gone, My God, how can that be?

No discernible shadow...would I still be me?

Then I recalled with sudden clarity, at a pawn shop I'd hoped to hock it,

And for ease of transportation, rolled it up and put it in my pocket,

My shadow's gone, my shadow's gone, but no tragic end befell it,

Just a result of my desire to pick it up and sell it!

SHADOW MAN

Now you see me, now you don't, next to nothin', I ain't there,

Reflecting on reflections, vanishing in thin air,

All but gone, nobody's home, echoes of echoes in the dark,

Stack a' bones, rack a' bones, a phantom on a lark,

I'm a shadow man, doin' what I can,

Shadow man, I said shadow man,

Neither here nor there,

Suspicious of suspicions,

Apparition without a care.

I'm camped out on your trail, treading close in the mist,

Pale rider on your track, A stalking ghost, stealing a kiss,

Following in the black, moonless, starless night,

Inch by inch, drop by drop, bit by bit, bite by bite,

I'm a shadow man, doin' what I can,

Shadow man, I said shadow man,

Neither here nor there,

Suspicious of suspicions,

Apparition without a care.

Shrouded Angel on the Stygian shore, a dreamlike Jordan's bank,

Standing in the valley of the Shadow of Death, You've got me to thank,

Illusions at the journey's end, The passing of the soul,

The way of flesh, that dreamless sleep, Grasping fingers, Oh, so cold,

I'm a shadow man, doin' what I can,

Shadow man, I said shadow man,

Neither here nor there,

Suspicious of suspicions,

Apparition without a care.

Success, like a shadow, cannot be caught.

Follow your dream, and walk in your own way, and it will come to you!