Claude August "Bennie" Benjamin (November 4, 1907 – May 2, 1989) was a renowned Virgin Islands-born American songwriter. Born in Christiansted, St. Croix, then part of the Danish West Indies, Benjamin faced early hardships, including the death of his father during his infancy and economic challenges in the Virgin Islands. After graduating from Virgin Islands High School in 1925, he moved to New York City in 1927, where he pursued music despite initially training as a tailor and cabinetmaker due to financial constraints.

In New York, Benjamin honed his musical skills, studying banjo and guitar at Hy Smith's School of Music. He performed with various orchestras at notable venues like the Savoy Ballroom and the Cotton Club and toured with the vaudeville act Olson and Johnson. Despite these engagements, he struggled financially and worked odd jobs to make ends meet.

Benjamin's breakthrough came in the mid-1930s when he formed a songwriting partnership with Sol Marcus. They, along with Eddie Durham and Eddie Seiler, co-wrote "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire," a song that became a major hit in 1941, reaching number 4 on the pop chart with The Ink Spots and number 1 with Horace Heidt. This success earned them Billboard's "Top Songwriter's Award" for 1941. Another notable collaboration with Marcus was "When the Lights Go On Again (All Over the World)," which also became a number 1 hit.

During World War II, Benjamin served in the US Army as an Entertainment Specialist, producing shows and playing guitar. After the war, he partnered with lyricist George David Weiss, and together they wrote numerous hits, including "Oh! What It Seemed to Be," "Rumors Are Flying," and "Wheel of Fortune," the latter becoming a million-seller and the theme for a TV show.

Benjamin's contributions to music were primarily in the traditional pop idiom, and his work with Weiss resulted in over twenty hit songs in a decade. He remained active in the music industry until his death in New York City in 1989.