Jack Segal

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. His composition May I Come In? was the title track for a Blossom Dearie 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 Blossom Dearie) 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, Scarlet Ribbons (with music composed by Evelyn Danzig Levine), were written in just 15 minutes in 1949, and the song was recorded that year by Jo Stafford. Recordings by Juanita Hall and Dinah Shore soon followed, but the song was largely ignored by the public until 1956, when a 1952 recording by Harry Belafonte's became suddenly popular in the wake of Belafonte's breakthrough calypso hits. At least 30 other artists have also recorded Scarlet Ribbons, including the Kingston Trio, Joan Baez, Sinéad O'Connor, the Lennon Sisters, Wayne Newton, Perry Como, and Dinah Shore.

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, Frankie Laine, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, Rosemary Clooney, Al Jarreau and Nat King Cole.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 19, 1918 (Minneapolis), Died February 10, 2005 (Tarzana)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1946 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D6VB-1768 10-in. 5/8/1946 Who told you that lie Moon Maids ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Male vocal solo, with female vocal group and jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D6VB-2711 10-in. 8/30/1946 Hold me, hold me, hold me Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Male vocal solo, with female vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D6VB-3384 10-in. 12/11/1946 Years and years ago Herbie Fields Orchestra ; Romanticists Vocal ensemble, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-0064 10-in. 1/16/1947 A thousand and one nights Stuart Foster ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D7VB-0409 10-in. 1/7/1947 I had too much to dream last night Jane Harvey ; Page Cavanaugh Trio Female vocal solo, with piano trio and string quintet songwriter  
Victor D7VB-1087 10-in. 10/17/1947 Happy birthday polka Sons of the Pioneers Male vocal trio, with string band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-1396 10-in. 10/17/1947 Melancholy Charles Dant Orchestra ; Dennis Day Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D7VB-1489 10-in. 8/6/1947 For once in your life William Johnson ; Musical Notes (Bill Johnson) Male vocal solo, with vocal quartet and jazz/dance quintet lyricist  
Victor D7VB-2215 10-in. 11/19/1947 A boy from Texas - a girl from Tennessee Artie Dunn ; Sun Maids ; Three Suns Male vocal solo, with female vocal group and instrumental trio songwriter  
Victor D8VB-4146 10-in. 12/28/1948 Laughing boy Contrastors ; Charles R. Grean ; Eve Young Female vocal solo, with vocal group and instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D9VB-2461 10-in. 11/4/1949 Scarlet ribbons (for her hair) Juanita Hall ; Benny Morton Female vocal solo, with vocal trio and jazz/dance band lyricist  
Columbia CCO4994 10-in. 4/25/1948 A boy from Texas - a girl from Tennessee Gene Autry ; Melody Ranch Gang String band, with male vocal solo and mixed vocal chorus songwriter  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Segal, Jack," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/358801.

Segal, Jack. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/358801.

"Segal, Jack." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/358801

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