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. Cobb also had a long-run collaboration with Gus Edwards.Personal life Cobb was born July 5, 1876, in Philadelphia, and grew up there, but also lived several years in New York City. Cobb graduated 1893 from Girard College in Philadelphia. Before becoming a songwriter, he worked as a salesman in a department store. Cobb died January 20, 1930, in Manhattan, New York City, and was buried in Arlington Cemetery, Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. Career 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 (vaudeville). 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. In 1897, Cobb wrote the lyrics and Paul Barnes 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. Productions Broadway Tintypes — Musical revue featuring songs by Will D. Cobb – October 23, 1980 – January 11, 1981 The French Doll — Musical with lyrics by Will D. Cobb – February 20, 1922 – June 3, 1922 Ziegfeld Follies of 1913 — Musical revue with additional music by Will D. Cobb – June 16, 1913 – September 6, 1913 Ziegfeld Follies of 1910 — Musical revue featuring songs by Will D. Cobb – June 20, 1910 – September 3, 1910 The Boys and Betty — Musical featuring songs with lyrics by Will D. Cobb – November 2, 1908 – February 6, 1909 School Days — musical, lyrics for Sunbonnet Sue by Will D. Cobb – September 14, 1908 – October 10, 1908 The-Merry-Go-Round — musical comedy, lyrics to The