Ben Oakland was an American composer, lyricist, and pianist born on September 24, 1907, in Brooklyn, New York. He was most active in the music industry from the 1920s through the 1940s, primarily composing for Broadway and vaudeville. Oakland also contributed to several Hollywood scores, including the film "My Little Chickadee." He was known for composing music and often collaborated with renowned lyricists such as Oscar Hammerstein II, Bob Russell, Milton Drake, L. Wolfe Gilbert, and Artie Shaw. Some of his notable compositions include "Java Jive," "I'll Take Romance," and "I'm A Hundred Percent For You."

"I'll Take Romance," written with Hammerstein, was created for a 1937 film starring Grace Moore and became widely performed, with notable renditions by June Christy and Eydie Gorme. Another collaboration with Hammerstein, "A Mist Over the Moon," was featured in the 1938 film "The Lady Objects" and earned them an Oscar nomination. Oakland also worked with Artie Shaw and Milton Drake on the song "If It's You," introduced by Tony Martin in the 1941 Marx Brothers' film "The Big Store."

His song "If I Love Again," with lyrics by Jack Murray, was performed by artists such as Anita O'Day and Barbra Streisand. Despite his contributions to American popular music, Oakland was listed as a notable (non-inducted) songwriter by the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. He passed away on August 26, 1979, in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California.