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.

You And I
Freddy Cole Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here we are on earth together
It's you and I
God has made us fall in love, it's true
I've really found someone like you

Will it say the love you feel for me, will it say
That you will be by my side
To see me through

Until my life is through

Well, in my mind, we can conquer the world
In love you and I, you and I, you and I
I am glad at least in my life I found someone
That may not be here forever to see me through

But I found strength in you
I only pray that I have shown you a brighter day
Because that's all that I am living for, you see
Don't worry what happens to me

Cause in my mind, you will stay here always
In love, you and I, you and I, you and I, you and I

In my mind we can conquer the world
In love, you and I, you and I, you and I

Overall Meaning

The song "You and I" by Freddy Cole is a beautiful love song that expresses the sentiments of two people who have found love in each other. The opening lines, "Here we are on earth together, It's you and I, God has made us fall in love, it's true," establishes the fact that their love is something beyond human control and how divine intervention has brought them together. The song highlights the strength and unbreakable bond between two lovers and how they can conquer everything together.

In the second verse, the lyrics touch upon the insecurities of the singer in the relationship. He wonders if the love his partner has shown him will stay even when he is gone. He asks, "Will it say the love you feel for me, will it say that you will be by my side to see me through until my life is through?" The song expresses the deep trust and reliance he has in the other person, and he believes they will stay by his side until his last breath.

The chorus repeats the line, "In my mind, we can conquer the world in love, you and I," expressing that it is their combined strength and unity that can overcome all obstacles. The song builds on the idea that this love is true and will endure any challenge that comes their way. It is about the deep understanding that they may not have forever with each other, but in the time given, they will make it worthwhile.

Line by Line Meaning

Here we are on earth together
We are two beings sharing the same planet.

It's you and I
It's just the two of us.

God has made us fall in love, it's true
Our love was ordained by a higher power.

I've really found someone like you
You're the perfect person for me.

Will it say the love you feel for me, will it say
Will your actions demonstrate your love for me?

That you will be by my side
That you will support me.

To see me through
To help me in difficult times.

Until my life is through
Until my life has ended.

Well, in my mind, we can conquer the world
I believe that we can accomplish great things together.

In love you and I, you and I, you and I
Our love will be the driving force behind our success.

I am glad at least in my life I found someone
I am grateful to have you in my life.