Sidney Clare (August 15, 1892 – August 29, 1972) was an American comedian, dancer and composer. His best-known songs include "

On the Good Ship Lollipop "On the Good Ship Lollipop" is a song composed by Richard A. Whiting with lyrics by Sidney Clare. It was the signature song of child actress Shirley Temple. Temple first sang it in the 1934 film, '' Bright Eyes''. In the song, the "Good Ship L ...

" (introduced by

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...

), " You're My Thrill" (recorded by

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

), and "

Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" is a song published in 1930. It was written by Sam H. Stept with lyrics by Sidney Clare. The original publication also credited singer Bee Palmer as co-composer. Background The lyrics are an admonishme ...

" (featured in the cartoon ''

One Froggy Evening ''One Froggy Evening'' is a 1955 American Technicolor animated musical short film written by Michael Maltese and directed by Chuck Jones, with musical direction by Milt Franklyn. The short, partly inspired by a 1944 Cary Grant film entitled ''Onc ...

''). In 1929, Clare wrote his first full

film score A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to e ...

for '' Street Girl''. He did the film scores for ''Tanned Legs'', ''

Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round ''Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round'' is a 1934 American drama film with musical and comedic elements, directed by Benjamin Stoloff. Plot Gangster Lee Lother (Sidney Blackmer) is shot and killed during an ocean liner cruise, and we're introduced in ...

'', ''Sing and Be Happy'', '' Hit the Deck'', ''Jimmy and Sally'', '' Bright Eyes'', '' The Littlest Rebel'' and '' Rascals''. The

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a c ...

credits Clare with the earliest usage of the term "

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...

" in 1934 on the soundtrack for the movie ''Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round''. In the early 1940s Clare and several of his fellow hitmakers formed a sensational review called ''

Songwriters on Parade Songwriters on Parade was a musical Vaudeville revue which featured hit songwriters of the day. It was considered one of the last Vaudevillian forays of this type. Between 1931 and 1940 (at least) various line-ups of popular songwriters would form ...

'', performing all across the Eastern seaboard on the Loew's and Keith circuits. He was inducted into the

Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work, represent, and maintain, the her ...

in 1970.

Selective list of songs

" *"What Do You Mean by Loving Somebody Else?" *"I'm Missin' Mammy's Kissin" *"Weep No More My Mammy" *"Oo-Oo Ernest" *"The Shy Violet" *"A New Kind of Man" *"

Ma! He's Making Eyes at Me "Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me", alternatively sung as "Ma, She's Making Eyes At Me", is a song published in 1921. The lyrics were by the American composer and comedian Sidney Clare, and the music was by the American songwriter and producer Con C ...

" (with

Con Conrad Con Conrad (born Conrad K. Dober, June 18, 1891 – September 28, 1938) was an American songwriter and producer. Biography Conrad was born in Manhattan, New York, and published his first song, "Down in Dear Old New Orleans", in 1912. Conrad p ...

) *"Big Butter and Egg Man" *"Me and the Boyfriend" *"We’re Back Together Again" *"Then I’ll Be Happy" *"Miss Annabelle Lee" *"One Sweet Letter From You" *"Lovable and Sweet" *"My Dream Memory" *"Keeping Myself for You" *" You're My Thrill" *"I’ve Got You on Top of My List" *"It Was A Night in June" *"

" *"I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (If I Knew I'd Find You)"

References

External links

* *
Sidney Clare recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...

. 1892 births 1972 deaths American male dancers Songwriters from New York (state) 20th-century American composers 20th-century American comedians 20th-century American dancers Musicians from New York City Comedians from New York City {{songwriter-stub