Will D. Cobb (July 6, 1876 – January 20, 1930) was an American lyricist and composer. He had a writing partnership with Ren Shields that produced many popular musicals and musical comedies at the start of the 20th century. He also had a long time collaboration with Gus Edwards.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 6 July 1876, he apparently went to Girard College in Philadelphia. He grew up in Philadelphia, but lived several decades in New York City. Before becoming a songwriter, he worked as a salesman in a department store. He died in New York City in 1930, and was buried in Arlington Cemetery in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.
Cobb was a prolific lyricist and composer in the early 1900s. His career spanned from approximately 1901 through the late 1920s. Early in his career, he collaborated with Ren Shields, best known for his hit, In the Good Old Summer Time. Over the course of his career, he worked with Buddy DeSylva, George Gershwin, Harry Ruby, and Earl Carroll, among others. He joined ASCAP in 1927, his chief musical collaborator was Gus Edwards.
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.
Cobb, along with Paul Barnes (music), penned the lyrics to the US & British wartime song Goodbye Dolly Gray in the late 1800s. In the early 1900s, the song was adopted with re-written lyrics, as the theme song for the Australian Football League club, Collingwood.
Tintypes — Musical revue featuring songs by Will D. Cobb — Oct 23, 1980 - Jan 11, 1981The French Doll — Musical with lyrics by Will D. Cobb — Feb 20, 1922 - Jun 03, 1922Ziegfeld Follies of 1913 — Musical revue with additional music by Will D. Cobb — Jun 16, 1913 - Sep 06, 1913Ziegfeld Follies of 1910 — Musical revue featuring songs by Will D. Cobb — Jun 20, 1910 - Sep 03, 1910The Boys and Betty — Musical featuring songs with lyrics by Will D. Cobb — Nov 2, 1908 - Feb 6, 1909School Days — musical, lyrics for Sunbonnet Sue by Will D. Cobb — Sep 14, 1908 - Oct 10, 1908The-Merry-Go-Round — musical comedy, lyrics to The Shop Window Girls by Will D. Cobb — Apr 25, 1908 - Jul 18, 1908A Parisian Model — musical comedy with interpolated songs by Will D. Cobb — Jan 6, 1908 - Jan 25, 1908His Honor the Mayor — musical comedy revival with music by Cobb and Shields — Nov 25, 1907 - Dec 7, 1907Hip! Hip! Hooray! — musical comedy, lyrics for You'll Never Know What Love Is Until I Love You by Will D. Cobb — Oct 10, 1907 - Dec 7, 1907The Gay White Way — musical revue featuring Dixie Dan by Will D. Cobb — Oct 7, 1907 - Jan 4, 1908The Girl Behind the Counter — musical comedy featuring The Cherry in the Glass by Will D. Cobb — Oct 1, 1907 - Jun 6, 1908Ziegfeld Follies of 1907 — musical revue featuring songs with lyrics by Will D. Cobb — Jul 8, 1907 - Nov 10, 1907His Honor the Mayor — musical comedy with music by Cobb and Shields — Jun 3, 1907 - Jun 15, 1907A Parisian Model — musical with additional numbers by Mr. Cobb — Nov 27, 1906 - Jun 29, 1907About Town — musical revue, with additional lyrics by Will D. Cobb — Nov 15, 1906 - Dec 29, 1906His Honor the Mayor — musical with Music by Cobb and Shields — Sep 17, 1906 - Sep 29, 1906About Town — musical revue with additional numbers by Will D. Cobb — Aug 30, 1906 - Nov 10, 1906His Honor the Mayor - musical comedy with additional lyrics by Cobb and Shields — May 28, 1906 - Aug 25, 1906Woodland — musical, featuring songs with lyrics by Will D. Cobb — Nov 21, 1904 - Aug 1905Mrs. Black Is Back musical, featuring songs with lyrics by Will D. Cobb — Nov 07, 1904 - Apr 01, 1905The Wizard of Oz — songs with Gus Edwards — Mar 21, 1904 - Nov 25, 1905The Medal and the Maid — musical comedy — lyrics for "In Zanzibar" by Will D. Cobb — Jan 11, 1904 - Mar 1904Mr. Bluebeard — musical, with additional numbers by Will D. Cobb — Jan 21, 1903 - May 16, 1903The Wizard of Oz — songs with Gus Edwards — Jan 20, 1903 - Oct 03, 1903The Supper Club — musical comedy, music & lyrics by Will D. Cobb — Dec 23, 1901 - Jan 25, 1902The Strollers — musical comedy, additional lyrics by Will D. Cobb — Jun 24, 1901 - Aug 31, 1901Goodbye Dolly Gray — ca. 1900I Love Only One Girl in the Wide, Wide World, with Gus Edwards — 1903The Tale of a CassowaryJohnnie I'll Take YouI'll Never Love Another Love Like I Love YouSchool Days (When We Were A Couple of Kids), with Gus Edwards — 1907Sunbonnet Sue, with Gus Edwards - 1908Au Revoir (1918). m: Gus EdwardsGood Bye and Luck Be with You Laddie Boy (1917). m: Gus EdwardsGood-Bye Dolly Gray (1918). m: Paul BarnesHe Long and Lean and Lanky (1918). m: Gus EdwardsKeep on A-Going (1918). m: Gus EdwardsMothers of Men (1917). m: Gus EdwardsOn a Lightless Night with You (1918) with Gus EdwardsPrivate Mike McGee (1918). m: Gus EdwardsThat Grand Old Gentlemen (Uncle Sam) (1918). m: Gus EdwardsWelcome Home, Laddie Boy, Welcome Home (1918). m: Gus EdwardsYou're Your Mamma's Little Daddy Now (1918). m: Gus Edwards
