Clay Boland

Clay Boland was a dentist and composer of popular songs. He was born October 25, 1903 in Olyphant, Pennsylvania, USA.^[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 2, 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 23 July 1963, aged 59, in the Naval Hospital of St. Albans, Queens.^[5]

Compositions

• 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

• This Mad Whirl^[6]

References