Billy Moll


Billy Moll was an American songwriter and primarily lyricist, the co-writer of several popular songs such as "I Want a Little Girl", "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams", "Hang Out the Stars in Indiana", and the novelty song "Ice Cream ". His works were performed by artists such as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Bessie Smith, Frankie Laine, Barbra Streisand, Eric Clapton, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Al Bowlly.

Life

Moll was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1904, the son of Frank Moll and his wife. Moll's father was a carpenter at the University of Wisconsin. Moll attended Randall Grade School at Madison, followed by High School. His first song, "The Memphis Maybe Man", was published in 1924; this was followed by "Six Feet of Papa", first recorded in August 1926. His first major hit was the 1927 novelty song, "Ice Cream ". Moll worked mainly as a lyricist, sometimes working with other lyricists such as Ted Koehler.
Moll married Lauretta Radecki of Stoughton, Wisconsin in 1928. In August 1929 the couple moved to New York City, where Moll had gained employment with the Tin Pan Alley company of Shapiro-Bernstein Music Publishing Company. Here music was produced for popular songs, and music for movies and plays: his work was mostly to do with lyrics. In 1930, he wrote the lyrics for a Broadway musical, Jonica. In the early 1940s the couple relocated back to Stoughton where Moll continued to write songs for the company. Moll was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
Moll died in Stoughton, Wisconsin on January 17, 1968, aged 63, and was buried in St. Ann's Catholic Cemetery, Stoughton. He was survived by his wife and three sons.

Songs used in films

While employed by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Moll co-wrote music for "talkie" films: "Sergeant Flagg and Sergeant Quirt" for The Cock-Eyed World, "Atta Boy" for Howdy Broadway and "Lil" for For the Love o' Lil. Also in 1930, "So The Bluebirds and the Blackbirds Got Together " featured in the movie King of Jazz, and "Ro-ro-rollin' Along" in the Western film Near the Rainbow's End. In 1931 Moll contributed additional lyrics to the 1926 song "Honeymoon Lane', from the musical of the same name written by James F. Hanley, Eddie Dowling, for the 1931 filmed version.
"Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" was performed by Bing Crosby four times, with its film debut in the Mack Sennett short, One More Chance. It was also was sung by Frankie Laine in the film Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder, and it is included in the soundtrack for the 1974 Barbra Streisand film The Way We Were: Original Soundtrack Recording.
The August 25, 1931 version of "Hang Out the Stars in Indiana", recorded in London with Al Bowlly as vocalist, accompanied by Ray Noble and his New Mayfair Dance Orchestra. was used by film director Bruce Robinson in his 1987 film, Withnail and I. It also features in the soundtrack of the 2020 film Six Minutes to Midnight. The 2008 film The Edge of Love, starring Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy and Matthew Rhys, featured pop singer Suggs as crooner Al Bowlly. He sings "Hang Out the Stars in Indiana" in a scene filmed in a nightclub. Knightley also briefly sings the song in another scene.

Partial discography

Information about Moll's songwriting credits is largely taken from the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
SongContributionOther contributorsFirst performerRecording companyDate of first recording
"The Memphis Maybe Man"Music and lyricsDoc Cook, Haven Gillespie Cook's Dreamland OrchestraGennett1924-01-21
"Six Feet of Papa"LyricsArthur Sizemore Virginia ChildsColumbia1926-08-20
"Gid-ap Garibaldi"LyricsHarry Warren, Howard Johnson Pennsylvanians; Fred WaringVictor1927-06-23
"Ice Cream "LyricsRobert A. King, Howard Johnson Pennsylvanians; Fred Waring / The RollickersVictor / Edison1927-11-30
"Loving You Like I Do"LyricsBernie Grossman, Arthur Sizemore Jean Goldkette OrchestraVictor1928-07-16
"So the Bluebirds and the Blackbirds Got Together"LyricsHarry Barris Paul Whiteman's Rhythm BoysVictor; Columbia1929-01-25
"Sergeant Flagg and Sergeant Quirt "Music and lyricsLou Klein Billy Murray; Walter ScanlanEdison1929-09-12
"I'm Keeping Company Now"LyricsEddie Cantor, Charles Tobias7 Blue Babies; Jack DaltonEdison1929-09-20
"Atta Boy "LyricsTommy Christian Tom Gerun OrchestraBrunswick1930-02-03
"Me and the Girl Next Door"Music and lyricsMurray Mencher Eddie WaltersColumbia1930-02-27
"I'd Go Barefoot All Winter Long "LyricsJoe Keden Helen KaneVictor1930-03-18
"Ro-ro-rollin' Along"LyricsMurray Mencher, Harry Richman Roy EvansColumbia1930-04-10
"Baby, Have Pity on Me"LyricsClarence Williams Bessie Smith; Charlie Green; Clarence WilliamsColumbia1930-04-12
"Moonlight on the Colorado"LyricsRobert A. King Bud Billings; Carson RobisonVictor1930-07-01
"I Want a Little Girl"LyricsMurray Mencher McKinney's Cotton Pickers; George ThomasVictor1930-07-30
"Waiting by the Silv'ry Rio Grande"LyricsMurray Mencher The CavaliersColumbia1930-11-12
"Twenty Swedes Ran Through the Weeds "Music and lyrics Al Bryan The California RamblersColumbia1930-12-02
"Lil"Lyrics???1930
"I Haven't Heard a Single Word From Baby"Music and lyricsEddie Cantor, Murray MencherVal Rosing, Jack Payne and the BBC Dance OrchestraColumbia1931-01-06
"Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams"LyricsHarry Barris, Ted Koehler Bing CrosbyVictor1931-03-02
"Hang Out the Stars in Indiana"LyricsHarry M. Woods Roy EvansColumbia1931-03-27
"I Love You in the Same Sweet Way"LyricsRobert A. King Ted Lewis and his BandColumbia1931-07-01
"Honeymoon Lane"LyricsJames F. Hanley, Eddie Dowling New Mayfair Dance Orchestra directed by Ray Noble His Master's Voice1931-08-25
"Somewhere in the West"Lyrics?Dick RobertsonVictor1932-01-15
"'Long about Sundown" LyricsJoseph Meyer Don Bestor OrchestraVictor1932-09-29
"This is No Dream"LyricsJoseph Meyer Frank Munn; Victor Arden-Phil Ohman OrchestraVictor1932-10-27
"At the Close of a Long, Long Day"LyricsJohnny Marvin Don Hall Trio; Dick RobertsonVictor1932-11-30
"In a Sleepy Little Village"LyricsRed Norvo Mildred Bailey?1932
"There's a House on a Hill"LyricsJoseph Meyer Freddie Rich and his Orchestra; Paul SmallColumbia1933-02-07
"Drifting Down the Shalimar"LyricsJames V. Monaco Bob and Alf PearsonImperial1933
"My Cat Fell in the Well "Music and lyricsDick Robertson, Terry Shand Eddie DeLange OrchestraVictor1939-09-21
"Seven Women in One"LyricsBob Miller Panhandle Punchers; Texas Jim RobertsonVictor1946-09-18