J. Will Callahan

J. Will Callahan (March 17, 1874 – November 15, 1946) was an American lyricist. He was also partially blind.

He wrote lyrics for songs including "Gasoline" (1913), "Smiles" (used in The Passing Show of 1918), and more notoriously to modern ears, the 1917 song "Ching Chong".

"Smiles", for which he is best known, became a hit and earned Callahan and composer Lee S. Roberts about $500,000. Callahan's primary collaborator was Max Kortlander.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 17, 1874, Died November 15, 1946

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1914 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-15019 10-in. 6/29/1914 You planted a rose in the garden of love Charles Harrison Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-15198 10-in. 9/18/1914 Diane of the green van Henry Burr ; Albert Campbell Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-15212 10-in. 9/23/1914 Wild flowers we gathered long ago Elsie Baker ; Frederick J. Wheeler Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-21881 10-in. 6/3/1918 Smiles Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal chorus lyricist  
Victor B-22215 10-in. 8/16/1918 Smiles Maria Morrisey ; Peerless Quartet Male vocal quartet and female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-22228 10-in. 9/9/1918 Smiles Lambert Murphy Male vocal solo, with violin and orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-22255 10-in. 9/24/1918 Smiles John McCormack Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-22263 10-in. 9/27/1918 A little birch canoe and you Olive Kline Female vocal solo, with male vocal quartet and orchestra (takes 3-5); with mixed vocal quartet (takes 1-2) lyricist  
Victor B-22367 10-in. 1/30/1919 Mammy's lullaby Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra Orchestra, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor B-22599 10-in. 2/25/1919 After all Reinald Werrenrath Male vocal solo, with violin and orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-22689 10-in. 4/15/1919 When I come home to you Reinald Werrenrath Male vocal solo, with violin and orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-22904 10-in. 6/5/1919 Tell me Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal chorus lyricist  
Victor B-23160 10-in. 9/17/1919 Tell me Lambert Murphy Male vocal solo, with violin obbligato and orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-24359 10-in. 7/29/1920 Drowsy baby Elsie Baker ; Olive Kline Female vocal duet, with violin, bells, and orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-24360 10-in. 7/29/1920 In the afterglow Elsie Baker Female vocal solo, with violin and orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-30984 10-in. 10/9/1924 Give me one rose to remember Reinald Werrenrath Baritone vocal solo, with violin and orchestra lyricist  
Victor BVE-47053 10-in. 9/18/1928 Smiles Jimmy Yates’ Boll Weevils String band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BVE-48181 10-in. 11/19/1928 The gateway of dreams John McCormack Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor PBVE-54853 10-in. 6/19/1930 Smiles Boyd Senter ; Senterpedes ; Ray Stillwell Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor PBS-09633 10-in. 8/2/1937 Smiles Benny Goodman Quartet Jazz/dance quartet lyricist  
Victor BS-022932 10-in. 4/28/1938 The grass is just as green Rose Blane ; Californians ; Abe Lyman Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-028616 10-in. 10/25/1938 Smiles Oklahoma Playboys ; Jimmie Revard String band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-063721 10-in. 4/7/1941 Smiles Larry Clinton Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble lyricist  
Victor D9VB-1229 10-in. 4/1/1949 Smiles Main Street String Band String band, with vocal ensemble lyricist  
Columbia 39356 10-in. 5/8/1914 You planted a rose in the garden of love Henry Burr Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 39505 10-in. 7/27/1914 Diane of the green van Nora Watson Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 45642 10-in. 5/17/1915 I want a little love from you Ada Jones ; Will C. Robbins Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 47374 10-in. 2/15/1917 The story of Old Glory, the flag we love James F. Harrison ; George Wilson [James Harrod] Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 77971 10-in. 7/26/1918 Smiles Henry Burr ; Albert Campbell Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 78051 10-in. 9/17/1918 A little birch canoe and you Sterling Trio Male vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 78228 10-in. 12/24/1918 After all Henry Burr ; Albert Campbell Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 78260 10-in. 1/22/1919 You don't know Samuel Ash Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 78290 10-in. 2/5/1919 After all Henry Burr Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 78552 10-in. 7/11/1919 Tell me Irving Kaufman ; Joseph M. Knecht ; Waldorf-Astoria Dance Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet lyricist  
Columbia 78722 10-in. 10/4/1919 Tell me Al Jolson Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 78734 10-in. 10/12/1919 Patches Nora Bayes Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 78830 10-in. 11/26/1919 Some day you'll know George Meader Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 78867 10-in. 12/17/1919 Some day you'll know Henry Burr Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 79051 10-in. 3/16/1920 In the afterglow Hulda Lashanska Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 79753 10-in. 3/3/1921 In the afterglow Barbara Maurel Mezzo-soprano vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 79779 10-in. 3/7/1921 Broken moon Nora Bayes Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia W147486 10-in. 11/23/1928 Ceasing to care James Melton Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh 314 10-in. ca. Aug. 1918 Smiles Franklyn Kent ; Ruth Lenox Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh 498 10-in. ca. Dec. 1918 After all Henry Burr ; Albert Campbell Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh 538 10-in. ca. Dec. 1918 A little birch canoe and you Sterling Trio Male vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh 588 10-in. ca. Jan. 1919 You don't know Samuel Ash Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh S-721 10-in. ca. June 1919 You don't know Samuel Ash Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh S-71649 10-in. June 1923 I'll be straying back to Ireland Gerald Griffin Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh [OK cat 1262-A] 10-in. approximately 1919 Tell me Joseph A. Phillips Male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick [Br cat 5255-b] 10-in. approximately Aug. 1918 A little birch bark canoe and you Sterling Trio Male vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick 15753-15756 10-in. 5/19/1925 Give me one rose to remember Mario Chamlee Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick E30540-E30541 10-in. 9/9/1929 Smiles Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick 770W-772W 10-in. 5/1/1925 Just count the stars Colin O'More Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick 841W-843W 10-in. 5/22/1925 Just count the stars Colin O'More Male vocal solo, with string quartet, tuba, and piano lyricist  
Edison 4741 10-in. 5/23/1916 After all Charles Harrison Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 6254 10-in. between 7/1/1918 and 7/5/1918 Smiles Harmony Four Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 6414 10-in. 10/23/1918 A little birch canoe and you Manuel Romain Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 6420 10-in. between 10/10/1918 and 10/23/1918 Smiles Marie Rappold Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 6448 10-in. between 11/6/1918 and 11/8/1918 When I come home to you Lyric Male Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 6611 10-in. 2/6/1919 Mammy's lullaby Premier Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 6648 10-in. 3/4/1919 After all Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 7084 10-in. 1/2/1920 In the afterglow Marie Morrisey Contralto vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 18705 10-in. 9/5/1928 The gateway of dreams Elliott Stewart Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 19037 10-in. 2/7/1929 Down the highway of dreams Westell Gordon Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison N-411 12-in. 9/5/1928 The gateway of dreams Elliott Stewart Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison N-728 10-in. 2/7/1929 Down the highway of dreams Westell Gordon Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Callahan, J. Will," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109488.

Callahan, J. Will. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109488.

"Callahan, J. Will." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109488

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