The Rags of George L.
Cobb
Featuring The Midnight Trot (1916) and Other
Piano Rags by George L. Cobb
By Ted Tjaden
George Linus Cobb (1886-1942) was a prolific
composer of ragtime, including both instrumental compositions
and ragtime songs. Included in this online essay is a brief
overview of Cobb's life as a composer. I have also included a
list of 210 known compositions by Cobb (and 5 still to be
determined compositions), the most extensive listing of his
compositions by anyone to date. Also included is free online
access to the sheet music to 166 of his total of 177
pre-1923 compositions, resulting in over
94% of his
pre-1923 compositions being available on this site. In addition
to being a composer, Cobb was also a columnist for Melody magazine, published by Walter Jacobs Inc., who was also his
major publisher for his compositions. As such, I include a few
of Cobb's "Just Between
You and Me" columns from the magazine.
Information is set out on this page as
follows:
1) Life of George Linus Cobb
2)
Walter Jacobs Inc.: The Tuneful Yankee
and Melody magazines
3)
Sheet Music of George L. Cobb
4)
Commercial Recordings of George L. Cobb Compositions
5)
Additional avenues of research on George L. Cobb
6)
Bibliography
1) Life of George Linus Cobb
(August 31, 1886 - December 25, 1942) [top]
There is surprisingly little
biographical information easily available on George L. Cobb. In They All Played Ragtime (or at least in the third printing of
that book that I have), Cobb does not even get an index entry and is not
discussed in the book (although several of his compositions are
listed in various parts of the book). As such, very little is known
about Cobb's life, compared to say Jack Yellen, one of Cobb's major
partners who wrote the lyrics to at least 25 of Cobb's compositions; by
way of contrast, Jack Yellen was voted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame and has a much higher profile than
George L. Cobb. The information on Cobb's life that follows is taken
largely from either That American Rag (Jasen
and Jones:2000) or Rags and Ragtime:
A Musical History (Jasen and Tichenor:1989). Ragtimer
Frederick
Hodges recently presented
a seminar on George Cobb in 2005 to the West Coast Ragtime Society
and apparently may be preparing an article that provides more
details on Cobb's life, something which will be a valuable addition
to the ragtime literature. For now, I set out below some basic facts
about the life of George L. Cobb which is followed by a
list of some areas where additional research on the life and music
of George Cobb is needed:
- George Linus Cobb was born August 31, 1886, in
Mexico, New York, and died in Brookline, Massachusetts, on
Christmas Day, 1942. Research by Bill Edwards suggests that Cobb
was resident in Mexico, New York at least through 1900 (Edwards:2007).
- Cobb entered the School of Harmony and
Composition at Syracuse University in 1905 (at the age of 19):
Jasen and Jones (2000:228). Apparently, Cobb
then lived in Buffalo on graduation where he won a local
competition in 1909 for his composition "Buffalo Means Business"
(below).
- Research by Bill Edwards hints at the
possibility - without verification at this stage - that Cobb may
have served in the military prior to World War I given his
dearth of publications between 1910 and 1912 and other factors (Edwards:2007).
- Jasen and Jones (2000:229)
surmise that it was likely around this time that Cobb hooked up
with Jack Yellen, who turned out to be Cobb's main lyricist (Yellen
apparently worked as a reporter at the Buffalo Courier),
although Jasen and Jones report that Yellen left for the
University of Michigan shortly after Cobb and Yellen had
completed a few of their first compositions together.
"Rubber Plant" is a testament to Jacobs's
good eye for rags, and it is also proof of Cobb's
attentiveness at the Syracuse School of Harmony. Its
harmonic surprises come thick and fast, as in silent movie
music, yet it is not a showoff piece. It is a satisfying rag
of middling difficulty, and, like most of Cobb's rags, it
sounds harder to play than it is.
- Cobb and Yellen continued their partnership
in Tin Pan Alley and had a hit with their first attempt there:
All Aboard for Dixieland (below)
(Jasen and Jones: 2000:229). Jasen and Jones
document a number of hit songs penned by Cobb and Yellen (all
available below) and note their success in writing songs over
their first few years in Tin Pan Alley where a number of their
songs were performed on Broadway and where others, such as
Alabama Jubilee (below), were
heavily recorded.
- Cobb was married in the 1910s to
Mary (last name unknown), but she disappears by 1930.
He likely moved to the Boston area
in late 1916, and a Cambridge address shows
on his WW1 draft card (Edwards:2007).
- Jasen and Jones (2000:230)
note that in September 1916 Walter Jacobs hired Cobb to be a
staff writer and columnist for Jacobs's the Tuneful Yankee.
However, they also note that Jacobs failed to require that Cobb
exclusively publish with Walter Jacobs. Although Walter Jacobs
was Cobb's main publisher by a long shot, Cobb did shop his
compositions around and created a number of hits for publishers
such as Will Rossiter with Cobb's Russian Rag (below).
- His father, Louis, was a real-estate broker,
continuing in that career perhaps to his death in the 1920s.
Cobb was likely living with wife and parents in 1920, his father
still a broker
(Edwards:2007).
- Jasen and Jones (2000:231)
state that Cobb used the pseudonym "Leo Gordon" on two of his
new pieces published in The Tuneful Yankee "so he
wouldn't seem to be hogging space in the magazine".
Although they do not identify which two pieces, they likely are
referring to Georgia Rainbow (1916) (below)
and Bone Head Blues (1917) (below). However, my research also uncovered the
following four less well known compositions by "Leo Gordon":
- Hang Over Blues (1917) (below)
- My Little Pal (1918) (below)
- Opals: Waltz (1918) (below)
- You and You Waltz (1917) (below)
- Cobb was the arranger for The
Blacksmith Rag, composed by "Rednip." Recent research by
Luigi Ranalli (Ranalli:2007), suggests
that Rednip is in fact a musician by the name Harold Pinder
(with "Rednip" being "Pinder" spelled backwards) and not a
pseudonym for Cobb. "Rednip" also composed At the Shimmee
Ball (1919) that was published by "Pinder and Company."
- Research by Bill Edwards suggests that Cobb
was living in Somerville, MA, in 1930 with his mother. His
occupation is listed as a publishing salesman, consistent with
the fact that he was not heavily composing at this time but was
instead likely concentrating on sales or distribution on behalf
of Walter Jacobs
(Edwards:2007). By
1940, Edwards' research has Cobb living in Brookline, MA,
according to two copies of his World War II selective service
card.
- Publishers: Cobb's most frequent
publisher of his music was Walter Jacobs, who published at least
130 of Cobb's compositions in one form or another. However, as
was noted by Jasen and Jones (2000:230), Walter Jacobs did not
sign Cobb to an exclusive contract; as a result, Cobb was free
to publish elsewhere, something which he did. One of Cobb's
early publishers, prior to Walter Jacobs, was Charles I. Davis,
who published at least 16 of Cobb's compositions. Another major
early publisher was H.C. Weasner & Co. of Buffalo, New York, who
published at least 22 of Cobb's compositions. After these
publishers, the next most frequent publisher of Cobb's music was
Will Rossiter (11 compositions). After that, Cobb spread his
compositions around, publishing with the following publishers in
descending order of the number of publications published by each
(with the number of compositions published by that publishers
indicated in parentheses following the publisher's name):
- Jerome H. Remick (6)
- Chas. E. Roat Music Co.
(Battle Creek, MI) (3)
- Harold Freeman Music (2)
- M. Witmark & Sons (2)
- Ted Garton Music Co.
(Boston) (2)
- Vinton Music (Boston) (2)
- Self (Cobb) (1)
- Bell Music Co. (1)
- Hub Music Co.
(1)
- Leo Feist (1)
- Metropolis Music Co.
(1)
- Oliver Ditson
(1)
- Seidel Music Pub. Co. (1)
- Shapiro, Bernstein & Co.
(1)
- Sherman Clay & Co.
(1)
- Louis C. Snyder (1)
- Remaining publishers unknown
- Songs: Of the 210 Cobb compositions
listed on this page, 83 appear to be songs (i.e., compositions
with vocals). Although Cobb appears to have penned the words to
approximately 22 of these songs, he heavily relied on
Jack Yellen as one of his major vocalists on at least 25 of
these songs. The next most prolific vocalist on Cobb
compositions appears to have been Robert Levenson (11 songs),
with the remaining vocalists penning much fewer songs (with the
number of compositions indicated in parentheses after the name
of each vocalists):
- Jack Mahoney (3)
- J. Will Callahan (2)
- Irving Crocker (2)
- Phil Volz (1)
- W.L. Beardsley (1)
- Lucius Pratt (1)
- W.R. Williams (1)
- Richard A. Whiting and Gus Kahn (1)
- H.C. Weasner (1)
- Bob Wyman (1)
- Will R. Garton and Leo Wood
(1)
- Treve Collins (1)
- W. Max Davis and Eddie Elliott
(1)
- Aaron Neiberg (1)
- Norman Leigh (1)
- Instrumentals: A rough count suggests
that 123 of Cobb's 210 compositions listed below are
instrumentals. Of these 124 instrumentals, Jasen and Jones
(2000) list 25 rags (including three under the pseudonym of Leo
Gordon). The remaining instrumentals below fall into the
categories of marches, one or two-steps, novelettes or mood
pieces and waltzes (there appears to be 13 instrumental
waltzes).
2) Walter Jacobs Inc.: The Tuneful Yankee and Melody magazines
[top]
Walter Jacobs's The Tuneful Yankee and Melody magazines which were a major source of many of
Cobb's compositions provided below in section 3. The Tuneful Yankee
commenced in January 1917 and was a monthly
magazine similar to the Ragtime Review, published by Axel
Christensen out of Chicago (see my separate
essay on the Ragtime Review). Each monthly issue
contained a selection of short articles on ragtime or popular music,
along with usually 3 or 4 compositions (typically by composers who
had published with Walter Jacobs) and numerous ads (once again,
typically for Walter Jacobs's publications). By the end of 1917, it
appears that Walter Jacobs was proposing a contest to come up with a
new name for the magazine, and in January 1918, the magazine was
relaunched as Melody magazine. Cobb wrote a monthly column
called "Just Between You and Me", which was formally
commenced in the February 1918 (Vol. II, Number 2) edition of Melody, although it looks as though previous columns, which
were unattributed, were likely also written by Cobb due to the
same acerbic style deployed in the earlier columns.
 |
Left:
Sample cover from the February 1917 The
Tuneful Yankee (Walter Jacobs)
|
 |
Left:
Sample cover from the February 1918 Melody
magazine (Walter Jacobs)
|
 |
Left:
Sample "Just Between You and Me" column by George L.
Cobb from the February 1918 Melody
magazine (Walter Jacobs) in which Cobb critiques
piano compositions written and submitted by readers
of the magazine.
|
3) Sheet Music of
George L. Cobb Compositions
[top]
Set out below in chronological
order is a complete list of known
compositions by George L. Cobb. Ragtime songs (i.e., compositions
with vocals) are identified with "peach-colored" backgrounds,
whereas instrumental compositions are identified with "yellow"
backgrounds. Jasen and Jones in That American Rag (2000) list
22 compositions by George L. Cobb and 3 by Leo Gordon (a known
pseudonym of Cobb). Those 25 compositions listed by them are identified
below by the code "TAR" as part of the bibliographic information and
include the date of copyright registration as identified by Jasen
and Jones (where copyright was in fact registered, which did not
happen for all of these 25 compositions).
The sheet music in the tables below
that was sourced from The Tuneful Yankee or Melody
magazine was digitized from a microfilm version of those magazines;
hence, the quality of those particular digital versions is not
perfect but the music is quite readable.
Set out below the tables of chronological listings of
Cobb compositions is a list of
5
compositions purportedly by Cobb but where I have been unable to
obtain any confirming information about those pieces.
Readers who have copies of any of the
public domain Cobb pieces identified below but not available are
encouraged to provide me photocopies or digital scans of those
pieces so they can be added to this site.
1905
1906
 |
Cobb, George L.
The Chauffeur: March and Two-Step. Boston, MA:
Vinton Music Pub. Co., 1906.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Fleetfoot March. Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1906.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Copy provided
courtesy of
Frederick Hodges
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Western Life March. Detroit, MI: Charles I.
Davis, 1906.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
1907
1908
1909
 |
Cobb, George L.
Buffalo Means Business. Louis C. Synder, 1909.
Listed in TAR. Copyright registration
date: June 14, 1909.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Copy provided
courtesy of
Frederick Hodges
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Moonlight Makes Me Lonesome For A Girl Like
You (words by Jack Yellen).
Cleveland, OH: Charles
I. Davis Music Publisher, 1908.
Source:
Listing on eBay [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Rubber Plant Rag: A Stretcherette. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1909. Listed in TAR. Copyright
registration date: June 14, 1909.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Charles H. Templeton Sheet Music
Collection (MSU)
[top]
|
1910
 |
Cobb, George L. Aggravation Rag. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1910. Listed in TAR. Copyright
registration date: March 1, 1910.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
University of Colorado Digital Sheet Music Collection
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Canned Corn Rag. Buffalo, NY: Bell Music Co.,
1910. Listed in TAR. Copyright
registration date: March 1, 1910.
[view
sheet music] [Listen
to John Cowles MIDI from
Primeshop]
Source:
Photocopy provided by
Andrew Barrett
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
That Hindu Rag. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1910.
Listed in TAR. Copyright registration
date: October 15, 1910.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (October-November 1924) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
The High Brows: March and Two Step. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1910.
[view sheet music]
[piano part only]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
I Used
To Be Lonesome ('Till I Found You) (words by Jack Yellen).
Cleveland, OH: Charles I. Davis Music Publisher, 1910.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
1911
|
|
Cobb, George L.
I'd Like To Take A Chance With You (words by Jack Yellen).
Cleveland, OH: Charles I. Davis Music Publisher, 1911.
Source:
British Library
catalog [top]
|
1912
 |
Cobb, George L.
Down On
De Levee (words by George L. Cobb). Cleveland, OH:
Charles I. Davis Music Publisher, 1912.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Every
Little Note Means Love When Billy Plays That Way (words by George L. Cobb). Cleveland, OH:
Charles I. Davis Music Publisher, 1912.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Personal copy [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Honey
Lou! ('Neath The Big White Honey-Moon) (words by
Jack Yellen). Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1912.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Lilly Library (Indiana University,
Bloomington) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Jolly Dancers Ostende:
Latest Ball Room Dance. Cleveland, OH: Charles L. Davis, 1912.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from
Bowling Green State University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Lady Of The Lake. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1912.
[view sheet music]
[piano part only]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University and Cadenza (magazine)
(November 1915) [top]
|
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Mister Melody
Man (words by George L. Cobb). Cleveland,
OH: Davis Music Publisher, 1912.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
African-American Sheet Music,
1850-1920 (from Brown University) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Oh That
Lovey, Dovey Glide (words by George L. Cobb). Cleveland, OH:
Charles I. Davis Music Publisher, 1912.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Personal copy [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L. Stunning
Grenadiers: March & Two Step.
Cleveland, OH: Charles I. Davis Music Publisher, 1912.
Source: Ebay Listing
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
When Oscar Played the Flute
(words by George L. Cobb). Buffalo, NY: H.C. Weasner & Co.,
1912.
[view sheet music]
Source: Personal copy [top]
|
1913
 |
Cobb, George L.
All Aboard For Dixie Land (words by Jack Yellen). New
York, NY: Jerome H. Remick, 1913.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
The Baboon Bounce: A
Rag-Step Intermezzo.
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1913.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
University of Colorado Digital Sheet Music Collection
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Bring
Back My Lovin' Honey Boy (words by
Jack Yellen). Chicago, IL: Will Rossiter, 1913.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Bunny Hug Rag. Battle Creek, MI: Chas. E. Roat
Music Co., 1913. Listed in TAR.
Copyright registration date: August 4, 1913.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Copy provided by
reader [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
The
Get-A-Way March and Two Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1913.
[view sheet music]
[piano part only]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
Also available in
Melody magazine
(June 1920)
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
I Long
To Be Way Down In Tennessee (words by George L. Cobb).
Cleveland, OH: Charles I. Davis, 1913.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
If I
Find Another Boy Like You (words by Jack Yellen).
Cleveland, OH: Charles I. Davis, 1913.
Source:
British
Library catalog [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
If I
Only Had You Again (words by Phil Volz). Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1913.
[view sheet music]
Source: Photocopy from the
New
York State Library [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Lonesome Moon (words by
Jack Yellen). Cleveland, OH: Charles I. Davis, 1913.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
On the Good Ship Nancy Lee (words by Jack
Yellen). Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1913.
[view sheet music]
Source: Personal copy [top]
|
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Roll Along Old
Georgia Moon (words by George L. Cobb).
Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1913.[view
sheet music]
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Take Me
Back To The Days Gone By (words by George L. Cobb).
Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1913.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
You'll
Be Sorry (words by Jack Yellen).
Cleveland, OH: Charles I. Davis, 1913.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Personal collection [top]
|
1914
 |
Cobb, George L.
After-Glow: A Tone Picture. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, Inc., 1914.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Dance
That Dengozo With Me: Oo-La-La (words by W.L.
Beardsley). Chicago, IL: Will Rossiter, 1914.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Fleur D'Amour: Hesitation Waltz. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1914.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Cadenza (magazine) (June 1914) [top]
|
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
A Holiday in
Dixieland (words by Lucius Pratt).
Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1914.[view
sheet music]
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Huskin' Time: A
Rural One Step.
Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1914.
[view sheet music]
Source: Personal copy [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
I'm Coming Back
in Springtime (words by Jack Yellen).
Chicago, IL: Will Rossiter, 1914.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Personal copy [top]
|
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Just for
To-Night (words by George L. Cobb). Chicago,
IL: Will Rossiter, 1914.[view
sheet music] [Listen to
a 1914 Victor recording from Library and
Archives Canada]
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Knock Knees: One-Step Or Two-Step. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1914.
[view sheet music]
Source: Cadenza (magazine) (November
1914) [top]
|
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Listen To That
Dixie Band (words by Jack Yellen). New York,
NY: Jerome H. Remick, 1914.[view
sheet music]
Source:
African-American Sheet Music,
1850-1920 (from Brown University) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Mammy's Golden Wedding Day (words
by Jack Yellen). Cleveland, OH: Charles I. Davis, 1914.
Source: Music is
available in print at
Hoole Library Wade Hall Sheet Music Collection
and possibly at the
Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet
Music, National Museum of American History [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Mammy's Little
Angel Child (words by Jack Yellen). Chicago,
IL: Will Rossiter, 1914.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Mona Lisa Valse. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, 1914.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
Source: Cadenza (magazine) (June 1915) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
On A
Summer Night (words by Jack Yellen). Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1914.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
On The
Banks of Honolulu Bay (words by George L. Cobb).
Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., s.d.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
On
The Q.T.: March and Two-Step. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, 1914.
Source:
British
Library catalog [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
La
Parisia: Hesitation Waltz. Cleveland, OH:
Charles I. Davis, 1914.
[view sheet music]
Source: Personal collection [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Sing Ling Ting: Chinese One-Step. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1914.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Cadenza
(magazine) (July 1915); also
British
Library catalog and
Brigham Young University Library [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
That Tangoing Turk: One-Step Or Two-Step.
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1914.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Cadenza (magazine) (June
1916) and
British
Library catalog [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
That Tantalizing Tango Tune.
Words by Jack Yellen. Cleveland, OH: Charles I. Davis,
1914.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Personal copy
[top]
|
1915
 |
Cobb, George L.
Alabama
Jubilee (words by
Jack Yellen). New York, NY: Jerome H. Remick, 1915.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920 (from Duke
University) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Are You
From Dixie? (Cause I'm From Dixie Too) (words by
Jack Yellen). New York, NY: M. Witmark & Sons, 1915.
[view
sheet music] [listen
to 1916 Edison recording]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Barbary: Valse Algerienne. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, 1915.
[view sheet music]
Sources:
Cadenza (magazine) (July
1915) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Brass
Buttons: March and Two-Step. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, 1915.
[view sheet music]
Sources:
Cadenza (magazine)
(September 1915); also
British
Library catalog and January 1917 Jacobs'
Band Monthly (University of Illinois, microfiche)
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Buds and Blossoms: Waltz. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, 1915.
[view sheet music]
Sources:
Cadenza (magazine)
(January 1916); also
British
Library catalog [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Dancing
'Round The U.S.A. (with Jack Yellen and Harry
Carroll). New York, NY: Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., 1915.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Copy provided
courtesy of
Frederick Hodges
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Dreaming (words by Phil Voltz). Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., s.d.
[view sheet music]
Source: Photocopy
obtained from the
New
York State Library [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Golden Dawn: A Tone Picture. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1915.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Jacobs' Piano
Folio of Tone-Poems and Reveries, No. 2; also
Cadenza
(magazine) (November 1915) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
It's
All A Dream (words by
Jack Yellen). New York, NY: M. Witmark & Sons, 1915.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Law
And Order: March. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1915.
[view sheet music]
Sources:
Cadenza (magazine) (July
1916); also
British
Library catalog [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L. On
Honolulu Bay (with Ted S. Barron) (words by Jack
Yellen). New York, NY: Metropolis Music Co., 1915.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
On The
Road To Dublin Town (words by
Jack Yellen). New York, NY: Jerome H. Remick, 1915.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Rabbit's Foot.
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1915.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Cadenza
(magazine) (July 1915)
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Roses
Mean Memories (Mem'ries Mean You) (words by
Jack Yellen). Buffalo, NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1915.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
That
Twilight Melody (words by Jack Yellen). Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1926.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Personal collection [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Three Nymphs: Dance Classique. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1915.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Cadenza magazine (January 1915) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Virginia Sue
(words by George L. Cobb). Buffalo, NY: H.C. Weasner & Co.,
1915.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Virginia
Historical Society [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
White Narcissus: Hesitation Waltz. Battle Creek,
MI: Charles E. Roat, 1915.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Digital copy
provided by
Frederick Hodges
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
You Didn't Care
(words by W.R. Williams). Chicago, IL: Will Rossiter, 1915.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Young April: Novelette. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1915.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Cadenza magazine (May 1915) [top]
|
1916
 |
Cobb, George L.
Cheops:
Egyptian Intermezzo. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
Inc., 1916.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Drift Wood: Novelette. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1916.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (October 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Frangipani: Oriental Fox-Trot. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1916.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Cadenza magazine (August 1916) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L. (as Leo
Gordon). Georgia Rainbow.
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1916. Listed in
TAR.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (January 1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Good Bye Blues. Battle Creek, MI: Chas. E. Roat
Music Co., 1916. Listed in TAR.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Digital copy
provided by
Frederick Hodges
[top]
|
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
I Can't Forget
(song) (with Richard A. Whiting and
Gus Kahn). New York, NY: Jerome H. Remick, 1916.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Photocopy from
University of Toronto Music Library
[top]
|
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
I'm Goin' To
Hit The Trail For Alabam' (words by George
L. Cobb). Indianapolis, IN: Seidel Music Pub. Co.,
1916.[view
sheet music]
Source:
Charles H. Templeton Sheet Music
Collection (MSU)
[top]
|
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
In The
Beautiful Garden of Dreamland (words by
George L. Cobb). Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1916.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
The
Midnight Trot. Chicago, IL: Will Rossiter, 1916.
Listed in TAR. Copyright registration
date: April 5, 1916.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Charles H. Templeton Sheet Music
Collection (MSU) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Red
Rooster. Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1916.
[view sheet music]
Source: Personal copy [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
See
Dixie First (words by Jack Mahoney). Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1916.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920 (from Duke
University) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
There's
Someone You've Forgotten Who Has Not Forgotten You (words by Jack Yellen). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1916.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (January 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
When
You Dream Of Old New Hampshire, I Dream of Tennessee
(words by Jack Mahoney). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1916.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music Box [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
When
You're Five Times Sixteen (words by Jack Mahoney). New
York, NY: Leo Feist, 1916.
[Listen to
a 1916 His Master's Voice recording from
Library and Archives Canada]
Sources:
British Library
catalog [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Won't You Come and Love Me (words by H.C.
Weasner). Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1916.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Personal copy [top]
|
1917
 |
Cobb, George L.
All
Aboard For Rock-A-Bye Bay: Waltz Song (words by J. Will Callahan).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (August 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
The
Battle Song Of Liberty (words by Jack Yellen).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Blue Sunshine: Waltz. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1917.
[view sheet music]
[view
extended version from The Tuneful Yankee]
Orchestral music
for this piece is available as follows:
bass,
cello,
viola,
1st
violin,
2nd
violin,
cornets,
drums,
trombone,
saxophone,
horns,
1st clarinet,
2nd clarinet,
oboe/bassoon,
1st
flute,
2nd
flute
Source:
Photocopy from
University of Toronto Music Library.
Also available in The Tuneful Yankee (November 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L. (as Leo
Gordon). Bone Head Blues. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1917. Listed in TAR.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (February 1917) [top]
|
|
 |
Cobb, George L., lyricist.
Columbia's Call (music by Bob Wyman).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Down on Blue Bird Bay (words by Irving Crocker). Boston, MA: W.
Jacobs, 1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (September 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Down
Where It's Always June (words by George L. Cobb).
Buffalo, NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L. (as Leo
Gordon). Hang Over Blues. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (June 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Just
Keep The Roses A-Blooming (words by Robert Levenson).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (October 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Ladder of Love Waltz. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (July 1917). Also
available in January 1918 Jacobs' Band Monthly
[top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Levee
Land: One Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920 (from Duke
University) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L. Mississippi Volunteers (Forward March!)
(words by
Robert Levenson).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L. Nautical Nonsense. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1917. Listed in TAR.
Note: A piece with
this title
–
Nautical Nonsense –
is listed in TAR but I
wonder if that listing is in error and whether the
authors intended Nautical Toddle (immediately below) instead. It is unlikely that Cobb
would have composed and titled two pieces in the same
year with such unusual but similar titles. I have listed
both pieces for now, however, since I have no proof that
Nautical Nonsense does not exist.
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Nautical Toddle: Fox Trot. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (December 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
The
Picture That The Shamrock Brings To Me (words by J.
Will Callahan).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (June 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Send Me
A Line (When I'm Across The Ocean)
(words by
Irving Crocker). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Some Shape: One Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Tuneful Yankee Magazine (June 1917). Also available
in January 1918 Jacob's Orchestra Monthly and
January 1918 Jacobs' Band Monthly [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
There'll Come A Night (words by
George L. Cobb). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
[view sheet music]
Source:
The Tuneful Yankee magazine (March/April 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Waiting.
Boston, MA: W. Jacobs, 1917.
[view
sheet music]
Source: The Tuneful Yankee magazine
(December 1917) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
When the Moon was Hanging Low.
Buffalo, NY: H.C. Weasner, 1917.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Personal copy [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L. (as "Leo
Gordon"). You and You Waltz (with Thomas S.
Allen). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1917.
Source:
OCLC WorldCat
[top]
|
1918
 |
Cobb, George L.
Calcutta: Oriental Fox Trot. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (November
1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Cracked Ice Rag. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (July
1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Here's How: One Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (April
1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
In the Glow of the Alamo
Moon (words by Jack Yellen).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine
(March 1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
In the Old Front Parlor
(words by Robert Levenson).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (February
1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Irish Confetti: Fox Trot. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
Listed in TAR.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (February 1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Maori Love (words by
Treve Collins).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (July
1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Moonbeams: Novelette. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (August 1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
(as "Leo Gordon").
My Little Pal (words
by Robert Levenson).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine
(June1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
(as "Leo Gordon").
Opals:
Waltz. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (December
1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Peter Gink: One Step (Adapted from "Peer Gynt" Suite 1)
(Apologies to Grieg). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1918.
[view
sheet music] [1919
Victor recording] [Sue
Keller MIDI]
Source:
National Library of Australia Digital Collections
Source: Also available in Melody
magazine (March
1918) [top]
Cover source: Photocopy from
Toronto Reference Library sheet music collection [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Russian Rag. Chicago, IL: Will Rossiter, 1918.
Listed in TAR. Copyright registration
date: April 27, 1918.
[view
sheet music] [Listen to
a John Cowles MIDI from Primeshop]
Listen to
Historic .MP3 Recording: Montreal: His Master's Voice,
1921: Berliner Gram-O-Phone Co. (Library and
Archives Canada)
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Say
When. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918. Listed in
TAR. Note: both TAR and Rags and
Ragtime indicate "1919" as the year of publication,
which appears to be in error.
[view sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (March 1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Sunshine (Spread All The Sunshine You Can)
(words by
George L. Cobb).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box and March 1918 Melody magazine [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Toy Poodles: Novelty One
Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (May 1918) [top
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Treat 'Em Rough: One Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (December
1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
What Next! Fox Trot. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view
sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (June 1918) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
When the Lilies Bloom in France
Again (words by Robert Levenson). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1918.
[view sheet music]
Source: Melody magazine (May 1918) [top]
|
1919
 |
Cobb, George L.
Alhambra: Spanish One-Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (August 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Boodiewah (words by W. Max Davis and Eddie
Elliott). Boston,
MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view
sheet music] [view "rag" instrumental arrangement by Ed Winn]
Source:
Melody magazine (August 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Dixie
Lullaby. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (January 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Fancies:
Novelette. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (July 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Feeding the Kitty: A Ragtime
One-Step. George L.
Cobb. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
Listed in TAR.
[view
sheet music] [Listen to
a John Cowles MIDI recording from Primeshop]
Source:
Melody magazine (November 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Four Roses (song) (words by Aaron
Neiberg). Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (June
1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Hawaiian Sunset: Waltzes. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box; also Melody magazine (May
1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Javanola: Oriental Fox-Trot
and One-Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (June 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
A
Little Later On (words by Robert Levenson). Boston,
MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
UCLA Archive of Popular Music [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Memoirs. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (September 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Mother's Love and Kisses (song).
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (September 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Rose of
Burgundy (words by Robert Levenson). Boston,
MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (April 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Stop It: Fox Trot. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
Listed in TAR.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (December 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Tokio
(words by Robert Levenson). Boston,
MA: Walter Jacobs, 1919.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (March 1919) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Water Wagon Blues. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1919.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (April 1919) [top]
|
1920
 |
Cobb, George L.
Asa's Toddy: One Step (With Apologies To Mr. Grieg).
New York, NY: Jerome H. Remick, 1920.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.,
arranger. Blacksmith Rag: Fox Trot (composed by Rednip).
Boston, MA: Ted Garton Music Co., 1920.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.,
arranger. Blacksmith Rag (With The "Anvil Chorus") (words
by Will R. Garton and Leo Wood) (composed by Rednip).
Boston, MA: Ted Garton Music Co., 1920.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Indiana University Sheet Music Collections [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Bohunkus: Novelty One Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1920.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (March 1920) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Crystal
Ball (words by Robert Levenson). San Francisco, CA:
Sherman Clay & Co., 1920.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from the
Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State
University [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Dust 'em Off Rag. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1920.
Listed in TAR.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (August 1920) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Give My Love to Dixie (words by Robert
Levenson). Providence, RI: Harold Freeman Music,
1920.
Source:
University of New Hampshire, Alvah Sulloway Sheet Music
Collection [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
I've Been Living in
the Land of Sunshine (words by Irving Crocker). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1920.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (February 1920) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Over
The Rockies (Down Frisco Way) (words by Jack Yellen).
Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1920.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Peek In.
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1920.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (April 1920) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Umpah!
Umpah! One-Step Oddity. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, Inc., 1920.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box; also Melody magazine (October/November 1920) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
When
You Made My Dreams Come True (song). Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, 1920.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (September 1920) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
You've
Been A Dear Old Pal (Mother of Mine) (with Harold
Freeman and Robert Levenson). Providence, RI: Harold Freeman
Music Co., 1920.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
1921
 |
Cobb, George L.
Across
The Hot Sands: March. Boston, MA: Oliver Ditson, 1921.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Almond
Eyes: Fox Trot. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1921.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (August 1921) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Asia
Minor: Fox Trot. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1921.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (July 1921) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
The
Faun: Danse. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1921.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (October 1921) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Hop
Scotch: Fox Trot. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1921.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (April 1921) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
and H.C. Weasner. Let's Take A Trip Back To Dixie.
New York: H.C. Weasner, 1921.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Personal copy [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Love Lessons Waltz. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1921.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (May 1921) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Put
and Take: One Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1921.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (December 1921) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Shivaree: One Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1921.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (October 1921) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Square and Compass March. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, 1921.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (August 1921) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Torrid Dora (Toreador). Chicago, IL: Will
Rossiter, 1921. Listed in TAR.
Copyright registration date: December 28, 1921.
Source: A print version
appears to be held by in the
Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet
Music, National Museum of American History [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
"Wild Oats": One Step. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1921.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (May 1921) [top]
|
1922
 |
Cobb, George L.
Broken China: An
Oriental Novelty. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1922.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (March 1922) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Burglar
Blues: Eccentrique Fox Trot. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, 1922.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (July 1922) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Carnival Revels Dance. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1922.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (September 1922) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Ghost
Walk: Eccentric Novelty. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, Inc., 1922.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Photocopy from
University of Toronto Music Library;
also available in Melody magazine (September
1922) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Love
and Laughter (Pizzicato) Novelette. Boston, MA:
Walter Jacobs, 1922.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (November 1922) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
March of the Walking Dolls. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1922.
[view sheet music]
Source:
Melody magazine (December 1922) [top]
|
 |
Cobb, George L.
Potato-bug Parade: An
Aroostook Episode. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, Inc., 1922.
[view
sheet music]
Source:
Maine Music
Box; also available in Melody magazine (February
1922) [top]
|
The foregoing compositions by George L. Cobb all
appear to have been published prior to January 1, 1923, and, as a
result, are "out of copyright"" and in the public domain.
The pieces that follow below, to the contrary, all
appear to have been published since January 1, 1923, and may still
be protected by copyright. If I have time, I hope to more closely
investigate the copyright status of these pieces. For example,
Walter Jacobs Inc., as publisher, appears to have properly renewed
copyright registration for some of the pieces below 28 years after
the initial copyright was registered. These pieces where copyright
was properly renewed would presumptively be protected by copyright
until 95 years after the publication date. However, it is not
entirely clear to me who owns the copyright in many of these
post-1923 compositions where copyright was properly renewed. For
example, Jasen and Jones in That American Rag (2000:244)
indicate that the Walter Jacobs company was taken over in 1943 "by
a Hollywood firm, but the Walter Jacobs imprint remained on the
music." Unfortunately, the authors do not indicate which Hollywood
firm took over Walter Jacobs.
On a practical level, it is likely
that copyright has been abandoned in most of the post-1923 Cobb
publications due to the lack of a commercial market for these
compositions. However, legal speaking, courts will generally require
some active step by a publisher to abandon its copyright and mere
inactivity is not necessarily sufficient to prove an intent to
abandon copyright.
Alternatively, if some of the post-1923 that are
still covered by copyright have not been legally abandoned, I wonder
if an argument could be made that some of the works may have been
orphaned if there has been no clear chain of title over ownership of
the copyright over the passing of time (but this is pure speculation
on my part). The concept of "orphaned" copyrighted works
has
recently been studied by U.S. lawmakers. In Canada, by way of
contrast, there are already
procedures in place for a person to obtain clearance to use orphaned
works, although the Canadian system is not without its
critics
since any license fees to use an orphaned work operate as a tax and
will not likely provide any incentives to creators.
1923
 |
Cobb, George L.
Doll Days: Novelette. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1923.
Source:
Melody magazine (March 1923) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
High Brows March. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1923.
Source:
Melody magazine (March 1923) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Mist of Memory Waltz. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1923.
Source:
Melody magazine (June 1923) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Morning Kisses Waltz. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1923.
Source:
Melody magazine (February 1923) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
The New
Russian Rag.
Chicago, IL: Will Rossiter, 1923.
Listed in TAR. Copyright registration
date: May 16, 1923.
[listen
to Warren Trachtman MIDI]
Source: Available in print at the
Howard B. Waltz Music Library (Universty of Colorado)
[top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
A
Night In India. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1923.
Note: This piece apparently
contains five movements entitled: Twilight in Benares; The
Fakirs; Dance of the Flower Girls; The Temple of Siva; and
March of the Brahmin Priests.
Source:
British Library
catalog [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Piano Salad. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1923.
Listed in TAR. Copyright registration
date: January 19, 1923.
Source: The sheet music is available in
print in
Ragtime: 100 Authentic Rags (Jasen);
also available in Melody magazine (January 1923)
[top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Slumber Song
(instrumental). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1923.
Source:
Melody magazine (January 1924) [top]
|
1924
|
|
Cobb, George L.
The American
Broadcast March. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1924.
Source:
Melody magazine (March 1924) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Cortege of the Cyclops. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1924.
Source:
Melody magazine (September 1924) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Dance of the Satyrs. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1924.
Source:
Melody magazine (May 1924) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Mountain Laurel Waltz (with Thomas S. Allen
and R.E. Hildreth). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1924.
Source: The music for this piece is
available in print at the
Houston Public Library [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Puddle Ducks: March
Grotesque. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1924.
Source:
Melody magazine (April 1924) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Spooks: Eccentric
Novelty. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1924.
Source:
Melody magazine (February 1924) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Summer Furs (A Syncopated Classic: Scarf Dance Chaminade). Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1924.
Source:
Melody magazine (August 1924) [top]
|
1925
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Chromatic Capers. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1925. Listed in TAR. Copyright
registration date: June 12, 1925.
Source: The sheet music is available in
print in
Ragtime: 100 Authentic Rags (Jasen) [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
The
Days Gone By (words by George L. Cobb). Buffalo,
NY: H.C. Weasner & Co., 1925.
Source:
Available at the Maine Music
Box [top]
|
|
|
Hop House Blues. Available
in Dementia Americana: A Super-Syncopated Suite: For
Piano. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1925.
Source:
British Library
catalog [top]
|
|
|
Owl on the Organ. Available
in Dementia Americana: A Super-Syncopated Suite: For
Piano. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1925.
Source:
British Library
catalog [top]
|
|
|
Savanna Sunset. Available in
Dementia Americana: A Super-Syncopated Suite: For Piano.
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1925.
Source:
British Library
catalog [top]
|
|
|
Static and Code. Available
in Dementia Americana: A Super-Syncopated Suite: For
Piano. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1925.
Source:
British Library
catalog; also available in Melody magazine
(January 1925) [top]
|
1926
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Hero Of The
Game: March.
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1926.
Note: The British Library catalog shows a 1914
date of publication for this composition.
Source:
Available online at the University of South Carolina Sheet Music Collection [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
The Lion Tamer: Galop.
Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1926.
Source:
Available online at the University of South Carolina Sheet Music Collection [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
"Old
Ironsides": March. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, Inc., 1926.
Source:
Available at the Maine Music
Box [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Patrol Of The Pelicans. Chicago, IL: Will
Rossiter,
1926.
Source:
British
Library catalog [top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Power
and Glory: Processional March. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, Inc., 1926.
Source:
Available at the Maine Music
Box [top]
|
1927
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Cubistic Rag. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1927.
Listed in TAR. Copyright registration
date: October 14, 1927.
Source: The sheet music
is available in print at
Mississippi State University
[top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Lindy: Youth With The Heart
Of Gold (with Norman Leigh). Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, 1927.
Source: The sheet music
is available in print at
Dartmouth College Library
and Indiana University
[top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Piano Sauce. Boston, MA: Hub Music Co., 1927.
Listed in TAR. Copyright registration
date: August 13, 1927.
Source: I have been
unable to identify a source for this piece
[top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L. Procrastination Rag. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs,
1927. Listed in TAR. Copyright
registration date: June 19, 1927.
Source: The sheet music
is available in print at
Mississippi State University
[top]
|
|
|
Cobb, George L.
The
Tipster: Eccentric March. Boston, MA: Walter
Jacobs, Inc., 1927.
Source:
Available at the Maine Music
Box [top]
|
1929
|
|
Cobb, George L.
Snuggle Pup. Boston, MA: Walter Jacobs, 1929.
Listed in
TAR. Copyright registration date:
March 4, 1929.
Source: The sheet music is available in
print in
Ragtime: 100 Authentic Rags (Jasen) [top]
|
1942
Unidentified compositions by George L. Cobb
Various Internet sources suggest the
following titles are compositions by George L. Cobb, but I have not
been able to confirm the existence of these compositions through
bibliographic entries or other methods of verification:
- Puttin' Out The Kitten Cues
_______________________________________
4) Commercial Recordings of George L. Cobb Compositions
[top]
Set out below are several commercially available
CD recordings that contain the music of George L. Cobb:
In addition, there are a number of MIDI recordings
of George L. Cobb compositions available on the Internet, as follows:
5) Additional Avenues of Research on George L. Cobb
[top]
There are a number of additional
avenues for additional research to be done on George L. Cobb,
including:
- Syracuse, NY: a search of
the archives at Syracuse University for any fonds on George L.
Cobb and a search for student newspapers or music clubs from the
era circa 1903 to say 1908 when Cobb was likely there; a search
of city directories from that era.
- Buffalo, NY: a
search of Buffalo, New York, newspapers for mention of Cobb's
"Buffalo Means Business" prize-winning song and a search of
local archives and city directories for information on Cobb
- Boston, MA: a search of
city directories, archives and public and university libraries
for information on Cobb and Walter Jacobs and the various
musical periodicals published by Walter Jacobs; also search for
obituaries for Cobb (date of death: December 25, 1942).
- Analysis of music: I have
spent so much time compiling Cobb's music, I have not had a
chance to analyze it. There are several areas of work that could
be done in this regard:
- I suspect most of Cobb's
compositions were written first for piano with a number of
them being arranged for orchestra or band; it is possible,
however, that some of his music was written specifically for
orchestra or band with piano parts included. Further work
could be done to catalogue which of Cobb's compositions have
been arranged for orchestra or band and to analyze whether
those compositions were first written for piano or not.
- Jason and Tichenor (1989:174) describe Cobb's rag as spanning three phases - Popular,
Advanced and Novelty. Given the foregoing extended list of
over 200 compositions, there is likely further room for more
detailed analysis of his compositions in light of these
three phases.
- Music in context: Cobb
appears to have been a clever person with many allusions in
his music to contemporary life and to classical compositions
(e.g., Torrid Dora, Asa's Toddy).
Researching the antecedents and inspirations for some of his
compositions would likely produce interesting research and
insights into his work.
6) Bibliography [top]
Set out below are resources that contain
information on George L. Cobb.
- Edwards, Bill ("Perfessor").
Email from Bill Edwards to Ted Tjaden (July 13, 2007).
- Jasen, Dave and T. J. Tichenor.
Rags and Ragtime:
A Musical History. New York, NY: Dover, 1989.
- Jasen, David A. and Gene
Jones. That
American Rag: The Story of Ragtime from Coast to Coast. New York:
Schirmer Books, 2000.
[top]
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.