Jack Segal

Who was Jack Segal?

Jack Segal was a pianist and composer of popular American songs, best 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, A Boy from Texas, a Girl from Tennessee, After Me and When Joanna Loved Me. 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, were written in just 15 minutes in 1949, but the song languished until Segal presented it to Harry Belafonte five years later. Belafonte's recording was responsible for making the song a hit. 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.