Jack Segal (October 19, 1918 – February 10, 2005) was a pianist and composer of popular American songs, known for writing the lyrics to ''

Scarlet Ribbons "Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)" is a popular folk style ballad. The music was written by Evelyn Danzig and the lyrics by Jack Segal. The song has become a standard with many recorded versions and has appeared on several Christmas albums. B ...

''. His composition '' May I Come In?'' was the title track for a

Blossom Dearie Margrethe Blossom Dearie (April 28, 1924 – February 7, 2009) was an American jazz singer and pianist. She had a recognizably light and girlish voice.Profile at AllMusic/ref> Dearie performed regular engagements in London and New York City ov ...

album. Other songs he authored or co-authored are ''When Sunny Gets Blue'', ''That's the Kind of Girl I Dream Of'', ''I Keep Going Back to Joe's'' (with Marvin Fisher), ''A Boy from Texas, a Girl from Tennessee'' (with John Benson Brooks & Joseph Allan McCarthy), ''After Me'' (with

) and '' When Joanna Loved Me'' (with Robert Wells). It has been estimated that his songs have helped sell 65 million records. Lyrics for the ballad that was perhaps Segal's greatest hit,

(with music composed by Evelyn Danzig Levine), were written in just 15 minutes in 1949, but the song languished until Segal presented it to

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an internat ...

five years later. Belafonte's recording was responsible for making the song a hit. At least 30 other artists have also recorded

, including the

Kingston Trio The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to the late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, ...

Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...

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, the Lennon Sisters,

Wayne Newton Carson Wayne Newton (born April 3, 1942) is an American singer and actor. One of the most popular singers in the nation from the mid-to-late 20th-century, Newton remains one of the best-known entertainers in Las Vegas. He is known by the nicknam ...

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, and

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. His music was also featured in movie and television soundtracks such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. In addition to the artists already mentioned, his songs have been recorded by Frank Sinatra,

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, Nancy Wilson,

Rosemary Clooney Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song " Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me", " Mambo Italiano", ...

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and

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Biography

Segal was born in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with list of lakes in Minneapolis, thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...

and earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...

, a master's degree from the New School for Social Research and also studied creative writing. He began his career in

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

' music department and taught songwriting at

Cal State Northridge California State University, Northridge (CSUN or Cal State Northridge) is a public university in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. With a total enrollment of 38,551 students (as of Fall 2021), it has the second largest un ...

and in

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8. ...

continuing education classes. He died of natural causes at the age of 86 in Tarzana,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

. At the time of his death, he was married to Helen Segal, and was survived by his wife, his three sons, David, Mark and Jason, and a daughter, Jody Davis.

Compositions

* A Boy from Texas, a Girl from Tennessee * After Me * Bye Bye Barbara * Here's To The Losers * I Keep Goin' Back To Joe's * I'll Remember Suzanne (written with Dick Miles) * Laughing Boy * May I Come In? * More Love * No Spring This Year (written with Maddy Russell) * Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair) * Something Happens to Me * Strings * That's the Kind of Girl I Dream Of * This God-Forsaken Day * Too Soon Old—Too Late Smart * What Are You Afraid Of * When Joanna Loved Me * When Sunny Gets Blue * Who Started Love? * Words and Music (written with Marvin Fisher)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfP9MUAAam4

Discography

* ''When Sunny Gets Blue, Scarlet Ribbons and Other Songs I Wrote'' (Goodnight Kiss Records, produced by Janet Fisher)

Notes

* Larkin, Colin: ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music''. Third edition. Macmillan 1998. * ''Musicians' Union national directory of members 2001''. Second edition. Musicians's Union 2001.

References

External links

*
Obituaries: Los Angeles Times, February 14, 2005: Jack Segal, 86; Lyricist Was Best Known for 'Scarlet Ribbons'

Obituaries: Boston Globe, February 18, 2005: Jack Segal

* ttp://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jacksegal "When Sunny Gets Blue, Scarlet Ribbons, And Other Songs I Wrote CD" by Jack Segal
Harry Fox Songfile: Retrieved September, 13, 2014
{{DEFAULTSORT:Segal, Jack Jewish American songwriters American jazz pianists American male pianists American jazz composers American male jazz composers Musicians from Minneapolis Songwriters from Minnesota 1918 births 2005 deaths 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American composers Jazz musicians from Minnesota 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century jazz composers 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews American male songwriters