Lionel Frederick Cole was born on October 15, 1931, the youngest of Edward … Read Full Bio ↴Lionel Frederick Cole was born on October 15, 1931, the youngest of Edward and Paulina Nancy Cole's five children. His three elder brothers, Eddie, Ike and Nat (twelve years Freddy's senior) were all musicians.
"I started playing piano at five or six," Freddy remembers. "Music was all around me." In the Chicago home of his youth, visitors included Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton. He also credits Billy Eckstine as a major influence. " He was a fantastic entertainer," Freddy recalls. " I learned so much from just watching and being around him." After a possible career with the NFL was shelved due to a hand injury, he began playing and singing in Chicago clubs as a teenager. Although he was ready to hit the road at 18, his mother intervened and he continued his musical education at the Roosevelt Institute in Chicago.

Freddy moved to New York in 1951, where he studied at the Juilliard School of Music and found himself profoundly influenced by John Lewis, Oscar Peterson and Teddy Wilson. He got a Master's degree at the New England Conservatory of Music and then spent several months on the road as a member of an Earl Bostic band that also included Johnny Coles and Benny Golson.

It was back in New York that Freddy successfully laid the groundwork for a career that continues to flourish to this day. He developed a vast repertoire of songs in Manhattan bistros and concurrently began to supplement his live performances with television and radio commercial jingle work.

A resident of Atlanta since 1972, he currently leads a trio made up of himself, guitarist Jerry Byrd, drummer Curtis Boyd and bassist Elias Bailey that regularly tours the US, Europe, the Far East and South America. Freddy has been a recording artist since 1952, when his first single, "The Joke's on Me", was released on an obscure Chicago-based label.

Freddy recorded several albums for European and English companies during the 1970s that helped him develop a loyal overseas following. Cole believes that becoming an international favorite made him "widen my scope a little bit." He developed a stand-up act, a better rapport with audiences, and learned to sing in other languages. "It made me much more of a performer."

Cole doesn't apologize for sounding like his brother, Nat "King" Cole. There are certain unmistakable similarities. He plays piano and sings and performs live with guitar and upright bass, just like Nat. Yet his voice is raspier, smokier, jazzier even. But he has emerged from the awesome shadow cast by his elder brother. In truth, his phrasing is far closer to that of Frank Sinatra or Billie Holiday than that of his brother and his timing swings a little more. His vocals - suave, elegant, formidable, and articulate - are among the most respected in jazz. Cole's career continues to ascend as he has moved into the front ranks of America's homegrown art form with a style and musical sophistication all his own.

I Remember You
Freddy Cole Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I remember you-ooh
You're the one who made my dreams come true
A few kisses ago

I remember you-ooh
You're the one who said "I love you, too"
Yes, I do, didn'tcha know?

I remember, too, a distant bell and stars that fell
Like the rain out of the blue-ooh-ooh-ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo

When my life is through
And the angels ask me to recall
The thrill of it all
Then I will tell them I remember you-ooh

I remember, too, a distant bell and stars that fell
Just like the rain out of the blue-ooh-ooh-ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo

When my life is through
And the angels ask me to recall
The thrill of it all

Then I will tell them I remember, tell them I remember
Tell them I remember you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "I Remember You" by Freddy Cole describe the memories of a past love. The first two lines of the song establish that the person being referred to is the one who made the singer's dreams come true and said "I love you, too." This sets the tone for the rest of the song, in which the singer expresses their deep feelings of love and fondness for this individual.

The chorus of the song states that even when the singer's life is over and they are asked to recall the most thrilling moments of their life, they will remember this person. There is also a reference to a distant bell and stars falling like rain, which suggests that these memories are romantic and dream-like. The repetition of "ooh-ooh-ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo" throughout the song adds to the nostalgic and sentimental mood.

Overall, "I Remember You" is a romantic and nostalgic song about looking back on a past love with fondness and deep affection. The lyrics capture the feeling of remembering someone who was once an important part of the singer's life and the desire to hold onto those memories forever.

Line by Line Meaning

I remember you-ooh
I haven't forgotten about you.

You're the one who made my dreams come true
You helped me achieve my goals and aspirations.

A few kisses ago
It wasn't too long ago when we were together.

You're the one who said 'I love you, too'
You returned my love and expressed it verbally.

Yes, I do, didn'tcha know?
I loved you and hoped you realized it too.

I remember, too, a distant bell and stars that fell
I also recall certain memories of us such as hearing distant bells and seeing shooting stars.

Like the rain out of the blue-ooh-ooh-ooh-hoo-hoo-hoo
They appeared suddenly, unexpectedly.

When my life is through
When I die.

And the angels ask me to recall
If angels ask me to remember.

The thrill of it all
The excitement and happiness of being with you.

Then I will tell them I remember you-ooh
I'll tell them I haven't forgotten you.