As a piano player, he formed a jazz trio in 1938 that played Los Angeles nightclubs, one of the first jazz trios featuring guitar and piano. Prior to this he had played music since he was a child and had worked with bands since he was sixteen. He was raised in Chicago and exposed to the abundant jazz scene there. He was heavily influenced by pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines.
Later he became more popularly known as a singer and crooner and his work became more orchestrated.
His first mainstream vocal hit was in 1944 with Straighten Up and Fly Right, based on a black folk tale that his father had used as a theme for a sermon. Although hardly a rocker, the song's success proved that an audience for folk-based material existed. It is considered a predecessor to the first rock and roll records. Indeed, Bo Diddley, who performed similar transformations of folk material, counted Cole as an influence.
Beginning in the late 1940s, Cole began recording and performing more pop-oriented material for mainstream audiences, often accompanied by a string orchestra. His stature as a popular icon was cemented during this period with such hits as The Christmas Song (1946), Nature Boy (1948), Mona Lisa (1950), and his signature tune Unforgettable (1951). While this shift to pop music led some jazz critics and fans to accuse Cole of selling out, he never totally abandoned his musical roots; as late as 1956, for instance, he recorded an all-jazz album, After Midnight. In 1991, Mosaic Records released the Complete Nat King Cole Trio Recordings on Capitol, which contained 349 songs on twenty-seven LPs or eighteen CDs.
Throughout the 1950s Cole continued to rack up hit after hit, including Smile, Pretend, A Blossom Fell, and If I May. Most of his pop hits were collaborations with famed arranger/conductor Nelson Riddle. It was with Riddle that Cole released his first ten-inch long-play album in 1953 entitled Sings for Two in Love. Several more albums followed, including the Gordon Jenkins arranged Love Is the Thing, which reached number one on the album charts in April 1957.
Inspired by a trip to Havana, Cuba in 1958, Nat went back there that same year and recorded Cole Espanol, an album sung entirely in Spanish and Portuguese. The album was a hit not only in the U.S., but in Latin America as well. The album was so popular, that two others followed: A mis amigos in 1959, and More Cole Espanol in 1962.
Musical tastes were changing in the late 1950s, and despite a successful stab at rock n' roll with Send for Me, Cole's ballad singing had grown old to younger listeners. Like contemporaries Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, Nat found that the pop singles chart had been almost entirely taken over by youth oriented acts. In 1960, Nat's longtime collaborator Nelson Riddle, left Capitol Records for Frank Sinatra's newly formed Reprise Records label. The two parted ways with one final hit album Wild Is Love, based on lyrics by Ray Rasch and Dotty Wayne. Nat would later re-tool the concept album into an off-Broadway production called I'm With You.
As the 1960s progressed, Nat once again found success on the American singles chart, starting with the country/pop flavored hit Ramblin' Rose in August of 1962. Three more hit singles followed: Dear Lonely Hearts, Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer, and That Sunday, That Summer. Nat's final album was entitled L.O.V.E, and was recorded in late 1964. It was released just prior to his death and reached number four on the Billboard Albums chart in the spring of 1965. A "Best Of" album went gold in 1968. His 1957 song When I Fall in Love was a chart topping hit for the U.K. in 1987.
Cole was the first African-American to have his own radio program. He repeated that success in the late-1950s with the first truly national television show starring an African-American. In both cases, the programs were ultimately canceled because sponsors shied away from a black artist. Cole fought racism all his life, refusing to perform in segregated venues. In 1956, he was attacked on stage in Birmingham, Alabama by members of the White Citizens' Council who apparently were attempting to kidnap him. Despite injuries, Cole completed the show but vowed never to perform in the South again.
On 23rd August 1956, Cole spoke at the Republican National Convention in the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California. He was also present at the Democratic National Convention in 1960, to throw his support behind President John F. Kennedy. Cole was also among the dozens of entertainers recruited by Frank Sinatra to perform at the Kennedy Inaugural gala in 1961. Nat King Cole frequently consulted with President Kennedy (and later President Johnson) on the issue of civil rights. Yet he was dogged by critics, who felt he shied away from controversy when it came to the civil rights issue. Among the most notable was Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who was upset that Cole didn't take stronger action after the 1956 on-stage attack.
In 1948, Cole purchased a house in the all-white Hancock Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. The property owners association told Cole they didn't want any undesirables moving in, to which Cole retorted "Neither do I. And if I see anybody undesirable coming in here, I'll be the first to complain."
He and his second wife, Maria Ellington, were married in Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church by Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. They had five children, including twin girls. Daughter Carol Cole, and son Kelly Cole were adopted. Kelly Cole died in 1995. Nat's daughter, Natalie Cole, and his younger brother, Freddie Cole are also singers.
Natalie and her father had an unexpected hit in the summer of 1991. The younger Cole mixed a 1961 recording of her father's rendition of Unforgettable with her own voice, creating an electronic duet. Both the song and the album of the same name won several Grammy awards the following year.
Cole performed in many short films, and played W. C. Handy in the film Saint Louis Blues. He also appeared in The Nat King Cole Story, China Gate, and The Blue Gardenia.
Nat King Cole was a heavy smoker of Kool menthol cigarettes, believing that smoking up to three packs a day gave his voice the rich sound it had (Cole would smoke several cigarettes in rapid succession before a recording for this very purpose). Cole died of lung cancer at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, on 15th February 1965. His funeral was held at St. Victor's Catholic Church in West Hollywood, and he was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Cat Ballou, his final film, was released several months later.
Thanks to You
Nat King Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Showing me what the world means
What I've been dreamin' of
And now I know, there is nothing that I could not do
Thanks to You
For teaching me how to feel
Showing me my emotions
From what is not
What I've got is more that I'd ever hoped for
And a lot of what I hope for is
Thanks to you
No mountain, no valley
No time, no space
No heartache, no heartbreak
No fall from grace
Can't stop me from believing
That my love will pull me through
Thanks to You
There's no mountain, no valley
No time, no space
No heartache, no heartbreak
No fall from grace
Can't stop me from believing
That my love will see me through
Thanks to You
Thanks to You
For teaching me how to live
Putting things in perspective
Teaching me how to give
And how to take
No mistake
We were put here together
And if I breakdown
Forgive me but it's true
That I'm aching with the love I feel inside
Thanks to You
Thanks to you
The song Thank You by Nat King Cole is a song of gratitude for a person who has had a profound impact on the singer's life. The lyrics express how this person has taught the singer how to love, how to feel and how to live, lamenting the fact that without this person's influence, the singer would not have gained such valuable lessons. The lyrics also express the belief that nothing can stop the singer from believing that their love will see them through, thanks to the profound impact this person has had on their life.
The first verse expresses gratitude for the person who taught the singer how to love, and in doing so, showed them what the world means. The second verse expresses gratitude for the person who taught the singer how to feel, and in doing so, showed them how to differentiate between what is real and what is not. The third verse expresses gratitude for the person who taught the singer how to live, and in doing so, showed them how to put things in perspective, how to give, and how to take.
The repetition of the lines "No mountain, no valley, no time, no space, no heartache, no heartbreak, no fall from grace" reinforce the message that there is nothing that can come in the way of the singer's love, thanks to the lessons they have learned from this person. The final verse expresses the belief that both the singer and this person were put here together and that the love the singer feels inside is thanks to this person's influence.
Overall, Thank You is a soulful and heartwarming tribute to a person who has had a profound impact on the singer's life, teaching them valuable lessons about love, feeling and living.
Line by Line Meaning
Thank you for teaching me how to love
Expressing appreciation for the person who showed them how to love someone.
Showing me what the world means
Grateful for the guidance provided about the complexities of reality.
What I've been dreamin' of
Acknowledging the fulfillment of a lifelong desire.
And now I know, there is nothing that I could not do
Having confidence and self-assurance thanks to the mentorship and support given.
Thanks to You
Showing gratitude and giving credit where it's due.
For teaching me how to feel
Recognizing the ability that was bestowed on them to interpret and experience their emotions fully.
Showing me my emotions
Being shown how to actively explore, acknowledge and validate one's innermost feelings.
Letting me know what's real
Guiding towards recognizing the truths about the person and the world, regardless of their external representations.
From what is not
Learning to recognize the differences between fact and fiction, reality and fantasy.
What I've got is more that I'd ever hoped for
Feeling blessed and contented with the present blessings that have exceeded expectations.
And a lot of what I hope for is
Acknowledging the inspiration and influence that came from the person in shaping future aspirations.
Thanks to you
Expressing gratitude to the person who enabled their personal growth.
No mountain, no valley
Refusing to let any obstacle preclude progression and success.
No time, no space
Being invigorated by the idea that the possibilities are endless and boundless.
No heartache, no heartbreak
Describing the thought that no amount of pain, whether physical or emotional, can break the spirit.
No fall from grace
Having the conviction that even if they fall from a pinnacle of success, there is still hope for redemption and rebuilding.
Can't stop me from believing
Remaining undeterred and steadfast in one's belief thanks to the lessons and encouragement provided.
That my love will pull me through
Having faith in a love that will see them through every tribulation.
For teaching me how to live
Showing appreciation for the life lessons that were imparted, enabling the person to lead a fulfilling life.
Putting things in perspective
Grateful for the guidance that helped them prioritize the important things and have a clear understanding of what matters most.
Teaching me how to give
Acknowledging the selflessness instilled in them, that led to the desire and ability to give back to others.
And how to take
Recognizing the importance in also being able to accept and receive love and help from others.
No mistake
Underscoring the idea that they trust the person who came into their life, knowing they will not lead them astray.
We were put here together
The belief that the relationship is not just coincidence but is a divine part of their fate and destiny.
And if I breakdown
Having the assurance that they are not alone, and feeling comforted knowing they can rely on the person in times of trouble.
Forgive me but it's true
Apologizing for their vulnerability in emotionally relying on someone, but emphasizing that those feelings are genuine and pure.
That I'm aching with the love I feel inside
Having such intense, deep feelings of affection and care towards the person.
Thanks to You
Emphasizing the connection and gratitude felt towards the individual.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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john
on A Blossom Fell
i want the song" I'll never settle for less" lyrics,would somebody be so kind to give it to me?