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{{short description|American songwriter and musician (1952–2023)}}
{{short description|American songwriter and musician (1952–2023)}}
{{sources|date=June 2023}}
{{sources|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
⚫
'''Jack Lee''' (March 25, 1952 – May 26, 2023) was an American songwriter and musician best known for composing the songs "[[Hanging on the Telephone]]", covered by the [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]], "[[Come Back and Stay]]", covered by the singer [[Paul Young]] and "You Are My Lover", recorded by [[Suzi Quatro]].
| name = Jack Lee
| birth_name = Jack Nathan Lee<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/writer/58321975/LEE%20JACK%20NATHAN|title=Jack Lee – ASCAP database|website=[[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|ASCAP]]|access-date=27 April 2024}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date|1952|03|25}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|05|26|1952|03|25}}
| origin = [[Alaska]], United States
| instrument = {{hlist|Guitar|vocals}}
| genre =
| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|singer|songwriter}}
| label = {{hlist|Maiden America|Lolita|[[Alive Naturalsound Records|Alive Naturalsound]]}}
| years_active= 1970s–2020s
| website =
}}

⚫
'''Jack Lee''' (March 25, 1952 – May 26, 2023)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/jack-lee-dead-hanging-on-the-telephone-songwriter-1235509790/|title=Jack Lee, “Hanging on the Telephone” Songwriter, Dies at 71|last=Barnes|first=Mike|publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=7 June 2023|accessdate=27 April 2024}}</ref> was an American songwriter and musician best known for composing the songs "[[Hanging on the Telephone]]", covered by the [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]], "[[Come Back and Stay]]", covered by the singer [[Paul Young]] and "You Are My Lover", recorded by [[Suzi Quatro]].<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jack-lee-mn0001776979|title=Jack Lee Biography|last=Deming|first=Mark|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|date=|accessdate=27 April 2024}}</ref>


==Biography==
==Biography==
Born in [[Alaska]] in 1952, Lee left home at age 15 for [[Santa Monica, California]], before relocating to [[San Francisco]] at age 19. There, he busked in the [[Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco|Fisherman's Wharf]] neighborhood, where he met fellow street musician [[Peter Case]].<ref name=pitchfork/>
⚫
Alongside [[Paul Collins (musician)|Paul Collins]] and [[Peter Case]], Lee formed the seminal, yet short-lived [[Los Angeles]] [[power pop]] trio [[The Nerves]]. Jack made his sculpting debut at " Charlie's Factory " May 28, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p19540/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: The Nerves|last=Dougan|first=John|publisher=[[All Media Guide|AMG]]|accessdate=16 May 2010}}</ref>

⚫
Alongside Case and [[Paul Collins (musician)|Paul Collins]], Lee formed the seminal, yet short-lived [[power pop]] trio [[the Nerves]] in 1974.<ref>{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p19540/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: The Nerves|last=Dougan|first=John|publisher=[[All Media Guide|AMG]]|accessdate=16 May 2010}}</ref> The band self-released one self-titled EP in 1976, which included "[[Hanging on the Telephone]]". After relocating to [[Los Angeles]] in 1977, the Nerves broke up in 1978.<ref name=pitchfork/>

Lee only recorded two solo albums after the Nerves: 1981's ''Jack Lee's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1'', through his own Maiden America label, and a self-titled album in 1985 on the French label Lolita Records.<ref name=allmusic/> His songs, however, have been covered and recorded by artists such as [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]], [[Paul Young]] and [[Suzi Quatro]].<ref name=pitchfork/>

Subsequently, he more or less disappeared from the music scene, although he kept performing from time to time with his band Jack Lee Inferno.<ref name=allmusic/><ref name=pennyblackmusic>{{cite web|url=https://pennyblackmusic.co.uk/Home/Details?id=24153|title=Jack Lee - Bigger Than Life|last=Gunnarsson|first=Tommy|publisher=Pennyblackmusic|date=22 December 2016|access-date=27 April 2024}}</ref> A proposed album never materialized, but in 2016, Lee's two out-of-print albums from the 1980s were reissued by [[Alive Naturalsound Records]] on the compilation ''Bigger Than Life''.<ref name=allmusic/>

⚫
Lee continued to write songs and work on his music in private<ref name=allmusic/> until his death from colon cancer in [[Santa Monica, California]] on May 26, 2023, at the age of 71.<ref name=pitchfork>{{cite news |last1=Bloom |first1=Madison |title=The Nerves' Jack Lee, Who Penned “Hanging on the Telephone,” Dies at 71 |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-nerves-jack-lee-who-penned-hanging-on-the-telephone-dies-at-71/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |publisher=Pitchfork |date=7 June 2023}}</ref>

== Discography ==
===The Nerves===
*''The Nerves'' (EP) (1976, Maiden America)
===Solo===
*''Jack Lee's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1'' (1981, Maiden America)
*''Jack Lee'' (1985, Lolita)
*''Bigger Than Life'' (2016, [[Alive Naturalsound Records|Alive Naturalsound]]) – compilation containing Lee's first two albums
===Songs recorded by other artists (partial list)===


{| class="wikitable"
⚫
Lee died from colon cancer in [[Santa Monica, California]] on May 26, 2023, at the age of 71.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bloom |first1=Madison |title=The Nerves’ Jack Lee, Who Penned “Hanging on the Telephone,” Dies at 71 |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-nerves-jack-lee-who-penned-hanging-on-the-telephone-dies-at-71/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |publisher=Pitchfork |date=7 June 2023}}</ref>
|-
! Artist !! Song !! Album !! Year
|-
| [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] || [[Hanging on the Telephone]] || ''[[Parallel Lines]]'' || 1978
|-
| Blondie || Will Anything Happen? || ''Parallel Lines'' || 1978
|-
| [[Suzi Quatro]] || You Are My Lover || ''[[Suzi ... and Other Four Letter Words]]'' || 1979
|-
| [[Rubber City Rebels]] || Paper Dolls || ''Rubber City Rebels'' || 1980
|-
| [[Christie Allen]] || City Lights || ''[[Detour (Christie Allen album)|Detour]]'' || 1980
|-
| [[Paul Young]] || [[Come Back and Stay]] || ''[[No Parlez]]'' || 1983
|-
| Paul Young || Oh Women || ''No Parlez'' || 1983
|-
| Paul Young || Sex || ''No Parlez'' || 1983
|-
| [[The Droogs]] || Paper Dolls || ''Mad Dog Dreams'' || 1989
|-
| [[L7 (band)|L7]] || Hanging on the Telephone || ''[[The Jerky Boys (soundtrack)|The Jerky Boys (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)]]'' || 1995
|-
| [[The Kickovers]] || Hanging on the Telephone || ''[[Osaka (album)|Osaka]]'' || 2002
|-
| [[Def Leppard]] || Hanging on the Telephone || ''[[Yeah! (Def Leppard album)|Yeah!]]'' || 2006
|-
|[[Jimmy Somerville]] || Hanging on the Telephone || ''Suddenly Last Summer'' || 2009
|-
| [[Chicane (musician)|Chicane]] || [[Come Back (Chicane song)|Come Back]] || ''[[Giants (Chicane album)|Giants]]'' || 2010
|-
| [[Georg Wadenius]] || Come Back and Stay || ''Reconnection'' || 2010
|-
| [[Kurt Baker (musician)|Kurt Baker]] || Hanging on the Telephone || ''Got It Covered'' || 2010
|-
| [[Phil Seymour]] || Stand Back and Take a Good Look || ''Prince of Power Pop – His Very Best + 11 Unissued Tracks'' || 2017
|}
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jack-lee-mn0001776979|title=Jack Lee Credits|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|date=|accessdate=27 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/635709-Jack-Lee-2?superFilter=Writing+%26+Arrangement&creditFilter=Written-By|title=Jack Lee: Credits – Writing & Arrangement – Written-By|website=[[Discogs]]|access-date=27 April 2024}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 20:57, 27 April 2024

Jack Lee
Birth nameJack Nathan Lee[1]
Born(1952-03-25)March 25, 1952
OriginAlaska, United States
DiedMay 26, 2023(2023-05-26) (aged 71)
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Guitar
  • vocals
Years active1970s–2020s
Labels

Jack Lee (March 25, 1952 – May 26, 2023)[2] was an American songwriter and musician best known for composing the songs "Hanging on the Telephone", covered by the new wave band Blondie, "Come Back and Stay", covered by the singer Paul Young and "You Are My Lover", recorded by Suzi Quatro.[3]

Biography[edit]

Born in Alaska in 1952, Lee left home at age 15 for Santa Monica, California, before relocating to San Francisco at age 19. There, he busked in the Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood, where he met fellow street musician Peter Case.[4]

Alongside Case and Paul Collins, Lee formed the seminal, yet short-lived power pop trio the Nerves in 1974.[5] The band self-released one self-titled EP in 1976, which included "Hanging on the Telephone". After relocating to Los Angeles in 1977, the Nerves broke up in 1978.[4]

Lee only recorded two solo albums after the Nerves: 1981's Jack Lee's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1, through his own Maiden America label, and a self-titled album in 1985 on the French label Lolita Records.[3] His songs, however, have been covered and recorded by artists such as Blondie, Paul Young and Suzi Quatro.[4]

Subsequently, he more or less disappeared from the music scene, although he kept performing from time to time with his band Jack Lee Inferno.[3][6] A proposed album never materialized, but in 2016, Lee's two out-of-print albums from the 1980s were reissued by Alive Naturalsound Records on the compilation Bigger Than Life.[3]

Lee continued to write songs and work on his music in private[3] until his death from colon cancer in Santa Monica, California on May 26, 2023, at the age of 71.[4]

Discography[edit]

The Nerves[edit]

  • The Nerves (EP) (1976, Maiden America)

Solo[edit]

  • Jack Lee's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (1981, Maiden America)
  • Jack Lee (1985, Lolita)
  • Bigger Than Life (2016, Alive Naturalsound) – compilation containing Lee's first two albums

Songs recorded by other artists (partial list)[edit]

Artist Song Album Year
Blondie Hanging on the Telephone Parallel Lines 1978
Blondie Will Anything Happen? Parallel Lines 1978
Suzi Quatro You Are My Lover Suzi ... and Other Four Letter Words 1979
Rubber City Rebels Paper Dolls Rubber City Rebels 1980
Christie Allen City Lights Detour 1980
Paul Young Come Back and Stay No Parlez 1983
Paul Young Oh Women No Parlez 1983
Paul Young Sex No Parlez 1983
The Droogs Paper Dolls Mad Dog Dreams 1989
L7 Hanging on the Telephone The Jerky Boys (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 1995
The Kickovers Hanging on the Telephone Osaka 2002
Def Leppard Hanging on the Telephone Yeah! 2006
Jimmy Somerville Hanging on the Telephone Suddenly Last Summer 2009
Chicane Come Back Giants 2010
Georg Wadenius Come Back and Stay Reconnection 2010
Kurt Baker Hanging on the Telephone Got It Covered 2010
Phil Seymour Stand Back and Take a Good Look Prince of Power Pop – His Very Best + 11 Unissued Tracks 2017

[7][8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Jack Lee – ASCAP database". ASCAP. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  2. ^ Barnes, Mike (7 June 2023). "Jack Lee, "Hanging on the Telephone" Songwriter, Dies at 71". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Deming, Mark. "Jack Lee Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Bloom, Madison (7 June 2023). "The Nerves' Jack Lee, Who Penned "Hanging on the Telephone," Dies at 71". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  5. ^ Dougan, John. "Biography: The Nerves". AMG. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  6. ^ Gunnarsson, Tommy (22 December 2016). "Jack Lee - Bigger Than Life". Pennyblackmusic. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Jack Lee Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Jack Lee: Credits – Writing & Arrangement – Written-By". Discogs. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
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