John Turner (lyricist)

For other people named John Turner, see John Turner (disambiguation).

John Turner was the pseudonym used by the English lyricist James John Turner Phillips.

He ran the Peter Maurice Music Company whose most important lyricist was Geoffrey Parsons. The company specialized in adapting songs originally in foreign languages into the English language. He would usually assign a song to Parsons and when the latter was finished, suggest some changes. The credits for the English lyrics would then be given as "John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons."

Lyrics credited to Turner and Parsons

• "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart"
• "Mama"
• "Oh! My Pa-Pa" based on the German language song O Mein Papa by Paul Burkhard
• "Smile"

Lyrics credited to Turner, Parsons, and another collaborator

• "The Little Shoemaker," based on the French language song "Le petit cordonnier," with Nathan Korb.