William Jerome
Encyclopedia
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York of Irish immigrant parents, Mary Donnellan and Patrick Flannery. He worked with Jean Schwartz
Jean Schwartz
Jean Schwartz was a songwriter.Schwartz was born in Budapest, Hungary. His family moved to New York City when he was 13 years old...
on many songs and shows in the 1900s and early 1910s.
His hits included "Chinatown My Chinatown" and "My Irish Molly O" (with Schwartz), "Old King Tut" and "And The Green Grass Grew All Around
And The Green Grass Grew All Around
And The Green Grass Grows All Around, also known as The Green Grass Grew All Around is a song that was first published in 1912, with words by William Jerome and melody by Harry Von Tilzer. Today it is a popular children's song, and a good example of a cumulative song.There are many variations of...
" with Harry Von Tilzer
Harry Von Tilzer
Harry Von Tilzer was a very popular United States songwriter.-Biography:Von Tilzer was born in Goshen, Indiana under the name Aaron Gumbinsky which he shortened to Harry Gumm. He ran away and joined a traveling circus at age 14, where he took his new name by adding 'Von' to his mother's maiden...
and "Get Out and Get Under the Moon
Get Out and Get Under the Moon
"Get Out And Get Under The Moon" is a popular song.The music was written by Larry Shay, the lyrics by Charles Tobias and William Jerome. The song was published in 1928....
" with Charles Tobias
Charles Tobias
-Biography:Born in New York City, Tobias grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts with brothers Harry Tobias and Henry Tobias, also songwriters.He started his musical career in vaudeville. In 1923, he founded his own music publishing firm and worked on Tin Pan Alley...
.
With Schwartz, he wrote "Mr. Dooley"', sung by the title character in The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1902 stage play)
The Wizard of Oz was a 1902 musical extravaganza based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, which was originally published in 1900...
. In 1920 he wrote "That Old Irish Mother of Mine", which he dedicated to the memory of his mother. With Andrew B. Sterling
Andrew B. Sterling
Andrew B. Sterling was an American lyricist.Born in New York City, after he graduated from high school, he began writing songs and vaudevilles. An important event was his meeting with the composer Harry Von Tilzer in 1898...
and Harry Von Tilzer
Harry Von Tilzer
Harry Von Tilzer was a very popular United States songwriter.-Biography:Von Tilzer was born in Goshen, Indiana under the name Aaron Gumbinsky which he shortened to Harry Gumm. He ran away and joined a traveling circus at age 14, where he took his new name by adding 'Von' to his mother's maiden...
, wrote "On the Old Fall River Line
On the Old Fall River Line
On the Old Fall River Line is a song composed in 1913 by William Jerome , Andrew B. Sterling and Harry Von Tilzer set on a steamship of the Fall River Line of steamships between New York and Newport, Rhode Island, which connected with trains from Newport to Boston...
".
He was the husband of popular songwriter Maude Nugent
Maude Nugent
Maude Nugent Nugent, [Jerome], Maude . American singer and composer. She began her career in vaudeville, achieving tremendous success in 1896 with her song Sweet Rosie O’Grady, which became the archetypal waltz ballad of the 1890’s...
, who also composed many Irish songs. She is best remembered for "Sweet Rosie O'Grady", which she wrote in 1896.
He was an early member and one of the first directors of the American Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers (ASCAP).