Clay Boland (October 25, 1903 – July 23, 1963) was a dentist and composer of popular songs. He was born October 25, 1903, in Olyphant, Pennsylvania, United States.[1]
He studied dentistry at the University of Philadelphia. In 1924, he won a university competition for a prom song with a composition entitled Dreary Weather.[2] He then composed music for the university's Mask and Wig Club, collaborating especially with lyricist Moe Jaffe in writing the songs for many of their shows. He also performed as a pianist with leading big bands of the era and was noted for his skills as an arranger. He subsequently practised as a dentist in Ardmore, Pennsylvania but continued to compose and participate as a partner in the music publishing business.[3]
During World War II, he served as a lieutenant commander in the US Navy's Dental Corps, and was called up again for active duty in 1950 at the time of the Korean War.[4]
In later life, he lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey and died on July 23, 1963, aged 59, in the Naval Hospital of St. Albans, Queens.[5]
Compositions edit
- "An Apple a Day"[5][6]
- "Delightful Delerium"[6]
- "Midnight on the Trail"[5]
- "The Gypsy in My Soul"[5]
- "Too Good to Be True"[5]
- "The Morning After"[5]
- "Something Has Happened to Me"[6]
- "Stop Beating Around the Mulberry Bush"[5]
- "Stop, It's Wonderful"
- "Tell Me at Midnight"[6]
- "When I Climb Down from My Saddle"[6]
Shows edit
- This Mad Whirl[6]
References edit
- ^ IMDB
- ^ "Dr. Clay Boland", Time, vol. 47, p. 423, 1946
- ^ Henry F. Unger (1948), "Hit-Parade Dentist", Tic Magazine
- ^ "Music—As Written", Billboard, vol. 62, no. 43, p. 20, October 28, 1950
- ^ a b c d e f g "Dr. Clay Boland 59, a writer of songs", The New York Times, July 25, 1963
- ^ a b c d e f Warren W. Vaché (2000), The Unsung Songwriters, Scarecrow Press, pp. 33–35, ISBN 9780810835702