William Denight Cobb (July 5, 1876 – January 20, 1930) was an American lyricist and composer. He and a partner, Ren Shields, produced several popular musicals and musical comedies in the early 20th century.[citation needed] Cobb also had a long-run collaboration with Gus Edwards.[1]
He is responsible for writing the line still sung by schoolchildren in the United States, "School days, school days; dear old golden rule days. Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic; taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick," which came from his song, "School Days", published in 1907.[3]
In 1897, Cobb wrote the lyrics and Paul Barnes[a] composed the music to the Spanish–American War-era song "Goodbye, Dolly Gray." In the early 1900s, the song was adopted with re-written lyrics, as the theme song for the Australian Football League club, Collingwood.[4][5]
Productions
Broadway
Tintypes — Musical revue featuring songs by Will D. Cobb – October 23, 1980 – January 11, 1981[1]
The French Doll — Musical with lyrics by Will D. Cobb – February 20, 1922 – June 3, 1922[1]
Ziegfeld Follies of 1913 — Musical revue with additional music by Will D. Cobb – June 16, 1913 – September 6, 1913[1]
Ziegfeld Follies of 1910 — Musical revue featuring songs by Will D. Cobb – June 20, 1910 – September 3, 1910[1]
The Boys and Betty — Musical featuring songs with lyrics by Will D. Cobb – November 2, 1908 – February 6, 1909[1]
School Days — musical, lyrics for Sunbonnet Sue by Will D. Cobb – September 14, 1908 – October 10, 1908[1]
The-Merry-Go-Round — musical comedy, lyrics to The Shop Window Girls by Will D. Cobb – April 25, 1908 – July 18, 1908[1]
A Parisian Model – musical comedy with interpolated songs by Will D. Cobb – January 6, 1908 – January 25, 1908[1]
His Honor the Mayor — musical comedy revival with music by Cobb and Shields – November 25, 1907 – December 7, 1907[1]
Hip! Hip! Hooray! — musical comedy, lyrics for You'll Never Know What Love Is Until I Love You by Will D. Cobb – October 10, 1907 – December 7, 1907[1]
The Gay White Way — musical revue featuring Dixie Dan by Will D. Cobb – October 7, 1907 – January 4, 1908[1]
The Girl Behind the Counter — musical comedy featuring The Cherry in the Glass by Will D. Cobb – October 1, 1907 – June 6, 1908[1]
Ziegfeld Follies of 1907 — musical revue featuring songs with lyrics by Will D. Cobb – July 8, 1907 – November 10, 1907[1]
His Honor the Mayor — musical comedy with music by Cobb and Shields – June 3, 1907 – June 15, 1907[1]
A Parisian Model — musical with additional numbers by Mr. Cobb – November 27, 1906 – June 29, 1907[1]
About Town – musical revue, with additional lyrics by Will D. Cobb – November 15, 1906 – December 29, 1906[1]
His Honor the Mayor — musical with Music by Cobb and Shields – September 17, 1906 – September 29, 1906[1]
About Town — musical revue with additional numbers by Will D. Cobb – August 30, 1906 – November 10, 1906[1]
His Honor the Mayor – musical comedy with additional lyrics by Cobb and Shields – May 28, 1906 – August 25, 1906[1]
Woodland — musical, featuring songs with lyrics by Will D. Cobb – November 21, 1904 – Aug 1905[1]
Mrs. Black Is Back musical, featuring songs with lyrics by Will D. Cobb — November 7, 1904 – April 1, 1905[1]
^ abcdefParker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music – Volume 1. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 41, 194, 198, 214, 339, 426. ISBN978-0-7864-2798-7.
^ abcdeParker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music – Volume 2. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 476, 545, 650, 759, 823. ISBN978-0-7864-2799-4.
