Cover for sheet music to Johnson's "China We Owe a Lot to You"
Songwriter, author and lyricist, Johnson was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, and died in New York, New York. He was educated in high school and in private music study. Johnson was a pianist in Boston theatres, and then a staff writer for a New York publishing company. During World War I, he served in the United States Navy.[1]
He also wrote "I'm Glad My Wife's In Europe" in 1914 with Coleman Goertz, "Everyone Sings Tipperary So Why Not Sing" in 1915 with Jack Glogau, "It's Not Your Nationality (It's Simply You)" in 1916 with Joe McCarthy, "At the Yankee Military Ball" in 1917 with Harry Jentes, Homeward Bound in 1917 with Coleman Goetz, "China We Owe a Lot to You" in 1917 with Milton Ager, I Ain't Got Weary Yet in 1918 with Percy Wenrich, "I'd Like to See the Kaiser with a Lily in His Hand" in 1918 with Henry Lewis & Billy Frisch, "Kicking the Kaiser Around" in 1918 with Harry Jentes, "Navy Will Bring Them Back" in 1918 with Ira Schuster and "Friends" in 1919 with Joseph H. Santly.[3]
^Parker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music - Volume 1. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 41, 77, 123, 169, 239, 247, 263, 283, 319, 347, 451. ISBN978-0-7864-2798-7.