Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 25, 2026

John Klenner

John Klenner was a German-born American pianist, composer, and lyricist. He composed both classical and popular music and is best known for writing the song "Just Friends" with Sam M. Lewis in 1931.

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John Klenner (24 February 1899 – 13 August 19551) was a German-born American pianist, composer, and lyricist. He composed both classical and popular music and is best known for writing the song "Just Friends" with Sam M. Lewis in 1931.2

Compositions

Concertante
  • Fantasia for viola and orchestra
Vocal
  • "Japansy" (c.1928) written with Alfred Bryan3
  • "My Window of Dreams" (c.1928) written with Alfred Bryan4
  • "Down the River of Golden Dreams" (1930)
  • "Heartaches" (1931) (lyrics; music composed by Al Hoffman5)
  • "Just Friends" (1931)
  • "Round the Bend of the Road" (1932)
  • "Smoke Dreams" (1937)
  • "Let's Go Back to the Bible" (written with Bob Miller)6
  • "My Old Brown Fiddle" (words and music)6
  • "My Old Canadian Home" (written with Wilf Carter and Bob Miller)6
  • "My Mother's Roses" (written with Bob Miller)6
  • "On the Street of Regret" (1942)2
  • "Summer Moon", lyrics for a Leeds Music Corporation 1947 adaptation of the Princesses' Round Dance (actually a Russian folksong In The Garden) licensed from Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird; the music was likely arranged by Lou Singer)78
Notes

Notes

  1. Jasen, David A. (1988). Tin Pan Alley: The Composers, the Songs, the Performers and Their Times: The Golden Age of American Popular Music from 1886 to 1956. D.I. Fine. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-55611-099-3.
  2. Wilson, Jeremy. "John Klenner Biography". JazzBiographies.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  3. Caesar, Irving; Meyer, Joseph; Kahn, Roger Wolfe (1928). Crazy Rhythm. New York: Harms Inc. p. 11.
  4. The Canadian Patent Office Record and Register of Copyrights and Trade Marks. Patent Office. June 26, 1928. pp. XV.
  5. Tyler, Don (2007-04-16). Hit Songs, 1900-1955: American Popular Music of the Pre-Rock Era. McFarland. p. 296. ISBN 978-0-7864-2946-2.
  6. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions. Library of Congress, Copyright Office. 1945. pp. 321–695.
  7. White, Eric Walter (1979). Stravinsky: The Composer and His Works. University of California Press. p. 154.
  8. Walsh, Stephen (2008-03-03). Stravinsky: The Second Exile: France and America, 1934–1971. University of California Press. p. 206. ISBN 978-0-520-25615-6.
External links