Lil Johnson

b. ca. 1900 in United States, d. in United States. Very little has been written about this singer, whose approach to her music was engagingly untroubled. The records Johnson made have about them an air of good times and tongue-in-cheek sensuality, while the lyrics have that undercurrent of double entendres that hovers around many blues songs. Johnson appears to have been credited with writing lyrics for some of the songs she sang, although this is more than somewhat questionable. Of the songs she recorded, some were picked up and recorded by other singers of her day as well as finding their way into the repertoires of artists from more recent years.

Among the songs Johnson sang are many whose titles hint (sometimes boldly) at the implicit sexuality of their lyrics: 'Ain't Gonna Give It Away', 'Anybody Want To Buy My Cabbage?', 'Buck Naked Blues', 'Come And Get It', 'Crazy About My Rider', 'Get 'Em From The Peanut Man (Hot Nuts)', 'Hottest Gal In Town', 'If It Don't Fit (Don't Force It)', 'If You Don't Give Me What I Want', 'Let's Get Drunk And Truck', 'My Baby (Squeeze Me Again)', 'My Stove's In Good Condition', 'Press My Button (Ring My Bell)', 'Sam The Hot Dog Man', 'Snake In The Grass', 'Stavin' Chain', 'Take It Easy Greasy', 'Take You Hand Off It', 'You Can't Throw Me Down', 'You Stole My Cherry' and 'You'll Never Miss Your Jelly Till Your Jelly Rolls'.

Musicians with whom Johnson worked on record include pianists Charles Avery, Barrel House Annie, Black Bob and Montana Taylor.