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.
These Foolish Things
Nat King Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
These lyrics detail the lingering memories of a love that has ended. Despite the end of the relationship, the singer cannot escape the ties that still bind them to their former lover. The little things that once brought happiness now bring pain, such as a cigarette with a lipstick trace or an airline ticket to romantic places. These small reminders still have the power to make the singer's heart soar, despite the pain they may bring.
The lyrics also describe the beauty of life and the various things that remind the singer of their lost love. From the sounds of a piano in the next apartment to the first daffodils of the season, all of these things evoke memories of their past love. Even the sigh of midnight trains and the scent of smouldering leaves are reminders of their lover.
The lyrics convey the complexity of human emotions and the lingering memories that can be difficult to shake, even after a relationship has ended. The image of the ghost of their former lover clinging to them adds an eerie and haunting dimension to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! Will you never let me be?
The pain of lost love is still present and won't go away.
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The writer knows the relationship is over, but can't seem to let go.
The ties that bound us
The emotional connection and sense of obligation from the relationship still lingers.
Are still around us
The impact of past love is still felt in the present.
There's no escape that I can see
The writer is helpless to escape the memories of the past relationship.
And still those little things remain
Small reminders of the relationship are still present in everyday life.
That bring me happiness or pain
These reminders evoke both positive and negative emotions for the writer.
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
The physical remnants of the relationship are still present.
An airline ticket to romantic places
Memories of romantic trips taken together.
And still my heart has wings
Love still lingers in the writer's heart.
These foolish things remind me of you
These small reminders bring the writer back to thoughts of their past love.
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Everyday sounds bring to mind past shared moments.
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
Words and expressions of love shared in the past.
A fair ground's painted swings
Memories of happy times together.
You came you saw you conquer'd me
The power and impact of the past relationship.
When you did that to me
The writer was powerless against the emotions and feelings of love for their partner.
I knew somehow this had to be
The feeling that this love would have a lasting impact.
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
The change of seasons and emotions that come with it are a reminder of past love.
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
No one left to answer calls from the past love.
The ghost of you clings!
The memories of past love linger on.
First daffodils and long excited cables
The start of Spring and the sense of renewal brings back memories of love.
And candle lights on little corner tables
Small details from past romantic moments.
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
Memories of moments shared in familiar places.
The 'Ile de France' with all the gulls around it
Memories of past travels and experiences shared together.
The beauty that is Spring's
The beauty of Spring reminds the writer of the beauty of past love.
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
The sounds of the night bring back memories of lost love.
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Physical remnants of passionate moments shared.
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Senses bring back memories of times shared with a past love.
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Seeing other happy couples reminds the writer of past love.
How strange how sweet to find you still
Despite the pain, there is still a sense of sweetness to past love.
These things are dear to me
Memories of love are still cherished by the writer.
They seem to bring you near to me
Memories have the power to bring feelings of past love back to the present.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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These Foolish Things
Nat King Cole

Opciones
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces,
An airline ticket to romantic places,
And still my heart has wings...
These foolish things remind me of you.
A tinkling piano in the next apartment,
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant,
A fairground's painted swings...
These foolish things remind me of you.
You came, you saw,
You conquered me.
When you did that to me,
I knew somehow this had to be.
The winds of march that made my heart a dancer,
A telephone that rings,
And who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings...
These foolish things remind me of you.
The first daffodil and long excited cables,
And candle lights on little corner tables,
And still my heart has wings...
These foolish things remind me of you.
The park at evening when the bell has sounded,
The 'ile-de-france' with all the gulls around it,
The beauty that is spring's...
These foolish things remind me of you.
How strange, how sweet
To find you still,
These things are dear to me,
They seem to bring you near to me.
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations,
Silk stockings tossed aside, dance invitations.
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you...
These foolish things remind me of you
Devin Rivas
Nothing can beat this Generation of music. It's just so powerful ! You are never too Young or Old to appreciate good ol' Nat King Cole.
Paul Johnson
His voice is amazing. I never hear anyone on the radio sing like that anymore.
brad dovel
we used to have music of your life on radio, then turned into music of my life ,,, oh im getting old . lol now its not on the air t all
Hi there
@brad dovel thank goodness for YouTube
Stuart Perry
It's amazing when one considers-that, if Nat had only been a jazz pianist, he would have gone down as one of the greatest in history (which he is). That he became one of our greatest and most unique vocalists is the reason that he is Nat KING Cole. There has never been anyone like him.
Juliana
his voice always makes me think of christmas.... its a good thing, it shows that his voice comforts and relaxes me that i feel so happy.. like no worries! :)
Joseph
I just lost my wife. This song that I heard in the fifties... now it makes sense.
catman916
I am so sorry for you. Joe.
Joseph
Liam Berg (STUDENT) Thanks. Engaged again in answer to prayer. And you?
Eleonora Skomorovskaya
One of the best melodies of the world.Magic voice of Nat King Cole. Fantastic band.