Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 6, 2026

Grace Leboy

Grace Leboy Kahn was an American composer. A prolific songwriter, among her best known works are "I Wish I Had A Girl" (1908) and selections from the Jumping Jupiter musical.

Last revised
Aug 6, 2026
Read time
≈ 5 min
Length
1,045 w
Citations
39
Source
Wikipedia ↗

Grace Leboy Kahn (September 22, 1890 – May 24, 1983) was an American composer. A prolific songwriter, among her best known works are "I Wish I Had A Girl" (1908) and selections from the Jumping Jupiter musical.

Life and career

Leboy was born in Brooklyn, New York to Samuel LeBoy (originally Lebovitch) and Celia Leboy (née Liborski), both Jewish immigrants. She grew up in Illinois and was the sixth of seven children.12

Leboy was a precocious musician, gaining employment as a pianist by age 15,3 and fame by age 18 with her song "I Wish I Had A Girl".4 By age 21 she had songs on the Broadway stage5 in Jumping Jupiter.6 Notable performers of her day recorded her songs and compositions.7 Lyrics for many of her songs were written by Gus Kahn whom she married in 1916.8 They were the parents of Donald Gustave Kahn (July 17, 1918 – April 11, 2008) and Irene Kahn (1922–1985). Grace was played by Doris Day in I'll See You in My Dreams, a film that portrays the lives and times of Leboy and Kahn.9

Selected compositions

  • Are You Lonesome10 1909
  • Bring Along Your Dancing Shoes11 1915
  • Dublin Bay12 1912
  • Early In The Morning (Down On The Farm)13 1916
  • Everybody Rag With Me14 1914
  • The Good Ship Mary Ann15 1914
  • Henry, oh Henry16 1912
  • I Wish I Had A Girl17 1907
  • I'm awfully afraid of girls18 1910
  • I'm on the jury19 1913
  • It all goes up in smoke20 1910
  • It's touch when Izzy Rosenstein loves Genevieve Malone21 1910
  • June, July and August22 1909
  • Just wond'ring : waltz song 1927
  • Lazy Day23 1932
  • Love and Springtime24 1914
  • Make a noise like a hoop and roll away
  • Moonlight on the Mississippi25 1913
  • Music vot's music must come from Berlin
  • My heart keeps right on beating26 1911
  • Oh how that woman could cook27 1914
  • On the 5:1528
  • Pass The Pickles: Tango 191329
  • Pretty soft for me30 1909
  • Roses at Dawning
  • Say boys! I've found a girl31 1909
  • Soap-bubble Days32 1910
  • Think Of Me (I'll Be Thinking Of You)
  • Those Olden Golden Days of Long Ago (lyrics by Daisy Sullivan) 1917
  • To The Strains Of That Wedding March33 1910
  • 'Twas Only A Summer Night's Dream = Solo Fué Un Sueño En Noche De Verano 1932
  • You and I Cupid34 1910
  • (You're always sure of) My love for you35 1930
  • Will you always call me honey36 1908
  • Will You Be Sorry?37 1928
  • What's the use of moonlight38 1909
  • When Jack Came Sailing Home Again39 1911
References

References

  1. 1910 US Census, Cook, Illinois, populations schedule, Chicago, Ward 13, enumeration district (ED) 0659, sheet 4-A, dwelling 86.
  2. 1900 US Census, Kane, Illinois, populations schedule, Elgin Township, Elgin City, Ward 04, enumeration district (ED) 0100, sheet 5-B, dwelling 94, family 104.
  3. ASCAP Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers (3rd ed.). ASCAP. p. 377.
  4. "I Wish I Had A Girl". Library of Congress. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  5. Stubblebine, Donald J (2002). Early Broadway sheet music : a comprehensive listing of published music from Broadway and other stage shows, 1843-1918. McFarland. p. 121.
  6. "Jumping Jupiter". IBDB. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  7. "list of recordings and photo". Discogs. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  8. Marriages Index, 1871-1920. Cook County Chicago IL.
  9. "I'll See You In My Dreams (1952)". Turner Classic Movie. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020.
  10. "Are You Lonesome". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  11. "Bring Along Your Dancing Shoes". Archive of Popular American Music. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  12. "Dublin Bay" (PDF). Indiana State University Library. Remick. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  13. "Early in the morning (down on the farm)". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  14. "Everybody Rag with me". Digital Sheet Music Collection. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  15. "The good ship Mary Ann". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Remick. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  16. "Henry, oh Henry". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Aubrey Stauffer & Co. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  17. "I Wish I had a Gril". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Thompson Music Co. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  18. "I'm awfully afraid of girls". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. M Witmore & Sons. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  19. "I'm on the Jury". YorkSpace. Remick. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  20. "It all goes up in smoke". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. M Witmark & Sons. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  21. "It's touch when Izzy Rosenstein loves Genevieve Malone". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Will Rosseter. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  22. "June, July and August". Yorkspace. Thompson. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  23. "Lazy Day". Yorkspace. Robbins. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  24. "Love and Springtime". Johns Hopkins Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection. Harold Rossiter Music Company. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  25. "Moonlight on the Mississippi". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Remick. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  26. "My heart keeps right on beating". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Shapiro. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  27. "Oh how that woman could cook". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Remick. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  28. "sound recording". Library of Congress National Jutebox. Victor Records. 1915-04-08. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  29. "Pass the Pickles" (PDF). Classic Ragtime Piano. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  30. "Pretty soft for me". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Shapiro. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  31. "Say boys! I've found a girl" (PDF). Yorkspace. Shapiro. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  32. "Soap-bubble days". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Witmark & Sons. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  33. "To the strains of that wedding march". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. M Witmark & Sons. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  34. "You and I Cupid". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Will Rossiter. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  35. "(You're always sure of) my love for you". Yorkspace. Radio Music Company. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  36. "Will you always call me honey". University of Oregon Historic Sheet Music Collection. Thomson. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  37. "Will You be Sorry?" (PDF). York University's Institutional Repository. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  38. "What's the use of moonlight". Yorkspace. Will Rossiter. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  39. "When Jack Came Sailing Home Again". Johns Hopkins Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection. Harold Rossiter Music Company. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
External links