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 band Blondie, "Come Back and Stay", covered by the singer Paul Young, and "You Are My Lover", recorded by Suzi Quatro.
Early life 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.
Career Alongside Case and Paul Collins, Lee formed the seminal, yet short-lived power pop trio the Nerves in 1974. 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.
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. His songs have been recorded by artists such as Blondie, Paul Young, and Suzi Quatro.
Subsequently, Lee more or less disappeared from the music scene, although he kept performing from time to time with his band Jack Lee Inferno. 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.
Lee continued to write songs and work on his music in private until his death from colon cancer in Santa Monica, California on May 26, 2023, at the age of 71.
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) – compilation containing Lee's first two albums Songs recorded by other artists (partial list)
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 2002Peter Bjorn and John"When You Find Out"(I Just Wanna) See Through / Say Something Else (split EP)2003 Def Leppard "Hanging on the Telephone" Yeah! 2006Jimmy 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 The Murderburgers "When You Find Out" Old Bullshit, Rare Bullshit, Previously Unreleased Bullshit & Live Bullshit (2007-2013) 2012 Phil Seymour "Stand Back and Take a Good Look" Prince of Power Pop – His Very Best + 11 Unissued Tracks 2017
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