Clay Boland (October 25, 1903 – July 23, 1963) was a composer. He was born in
Olyphant, Pennsylvania
Olyphant is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is northeast of downtown Scranton, on the Lackawanna River in the heart of the anthracite region of the state. Its main source of employment was the mining and shipping ...
, United States.
He studied dentistry at the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
. In 1924, he won a university competition for a prom song with a composition entitled ''Dreary Weather''. He then composed music for the university's
Mask and Wig
The Mask and Wig Club, a private club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1889, is a historic collegiate musical comedy troupe. Created as an alternative to the existing theatrical and dramatic outlets at the University of Pennsylvania, ...
Club, collaborating especially with lyricist
Moe Jaffe
Moe Jaffe (October 23, 1901 – December 2, 1972) was an American songwriter and bandleader who composed more than 250 songs. He is best known for six: "Collegiate", " The Gypsy in My Soul", " If I Had My Life to Live Over", "If You Are But a Drea ...
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 practiced as a dentist in
Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) spanning the border between Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Montgomery counties in the U.S. ...
but continued to compose and participate as a partner in the music publishing business.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, 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
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
.
In later life, he lived in
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.St. Albans, Queens.
Compositions
* "An Apple a Day"
* "Delightful Delerium"
* "Midnight on the Trail"
* "
The Gypsy in My Soul
"The Gypsy in My Soul" is a popular song written for the 50th anniversary of the University of Pennsylvania Mask and Wig show in 1937 by two Penn graduates, Clay Boland and Moe Jaffe. Boland wrote the music and Jaffe the lyrics. Although both me ...
"
* " Too Good to Be True"
* " The Morning After"
* "Something Has Happened to Me"
* "Stop Beating Around the Mulberry Bush"
* "Stop, It's Wonderful"
* "Tell Me at Midnight"
* "When I Climb Down from My Saddle"