"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.
This Love Of Mine
Freddy Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though life is empty since you have gone.
You're always on my mind, though out of sight,
It's lonesome through the day,
But oh the night.
I cry my heart out, it's bound to break,
Since nothing matters, let it break.
I ask the sun and the moon,
What's to become of it,
This love of mine.
Freddy Cole's "This Love of Mine" is a melancholic ballad that symbolizes the pain of separation. In the song, the singer is dealing with an aching heart after a loved one has departed. The first stanza highlights the persistence of love despite the emptiness it brings when unrequited or lost. The line, "This love of mine goes on and on," suggests that the intensity of the emotion hasn't faded even after the loved one's departure. The second verse explains how the absence of their lover's physical presence doesn't take them out of the singer's thoughts. It goes on to highlight that even though they're not around, they still remain a significant part of their life.
The chorus highlights the pain in the singer's heart. Even though they try to keep themselves together throughout the day, nights are harsh for them. The singer breaks down into tears, unable to take the emotional burden, and demands that their heart shatters. The final verse of the song has the singer addressing the universe to predict what's next for the love that was lost. It shows how the singer is seeking answers and healing through the seemingly unrelenting pain of heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
This love of mine goes on and on
Despite the passing of time, my love for you persists
Though life is empty since you have gone
My life has lost its joy and meaning since you left
You're always on my mind, though out of sight
Even though I can't see you, I think about you constantly
It's lonesome through the day, but oh the night
The days are lonely without you, but the nights are even worse
I cry my heart out, it's bound to break
I weep uncontrollably, knowing that my heart is close to breaking
Since nothing matters, let it break
Because nothing else seems to have meaning without you, I might as well let my heart break
I ask the sun and the moon, the stars that shine
I plead with the celestial beings, hoping they might provide some answers
What's to become of it, this love of mine
I wonder what will happen to my love for you now that you're gone
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, THE MUSIC GOES ROUND, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sol Parker, Henry W. Sanicola, Frank Sinatra
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Selmersoundify
forever relax... harmony... colour... dance... bluerosa collection
@bigT686
Totally brilliant - as the man said, "It doesn't get any better"
@joyslipper815
Fantastic Freddy Cole! Love his smooth velvety voice...Beautiful !
@davebutterfield5067
As nice as a lament could ever be !!!
@beverlyharmon1981
Soothing
@aguyton88
Love it is an understatement!
@kingusmcgee
Guy's fantastic. A schooled pianist, masters from New England Conservatory School of Music. Great singer in his own right, not just labelled Nat Cole's younger brother.
@gigiutush1900
Beautiful!!!!!
@guitargod6997
Beautiful!
@jbvtme
455 views? but God is in the audience tonite.