Before his international acclaim as a pop vocalist, Nathaniel Adams Coles b… Read Full Bio ↴Before his international acclaim as a pop vocalist, Nathaniel Adams Coles built an indelible reputation as a jazz pianist in the groundbreaking combo, The King Cole Trio. Born into a musical family, young Nat Coles (later changed to Cole) recorded with his older brother, Edward, in 1936 for the Decca label. The four sides cut by Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers gave the general public its first glimpse of Nat’s gentle yet lively piano riffs. After touring with a revival show of Eubie Blake’s revue Shuffle Along, Cole settled in Los Angeles, playing various nightclubs as a soloist. In 1937, club owner Bob Lewis suggested that Cole assemble a small band to work at his Swanee Inn on North La Brea. The group’s unorthodox instrumentation and size - they had no drummer and, at the time, big bands were the rage - featured Wesley Prince on bass and the innovative phrasings of electric guitarist Oscar Moore. The Trio’s blend of jump blues and jazzy instrumentals with bouncy vocal stylings was a collective effort, while Cole occasionally took the lead on standard ballads. After an uneventful 1939 session for the Davis & Schwegler recording company in Hollywood, The Trio accompanied Lionel Hampton on two recording dates the following summer. Their association with Hampton helped, and that winter The Trio signed with Decca. Their 1940-41 sessions for the label yielded sixteen songs and captured the attention of fellow musicians, fans and a handful of critics. Later that fall, The Trio sounded right at home with drummer Lee Young on a four-song session for the Ammor label. In 1942, Cole recorded with Red Callender and saxophonist Lester Young for the Philo/Aladdin label, Oscar Moore with Cole at the piano.

C Jam Blues
Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Baby! take me down to Duke's Place,
Wildest box in town is Duke's Place
Love that piano sound in Duke's Place.
Saxes do their tricks in Duke's Place,
Fellas swing their chicks in Duke's Place
Come on! Get your kicks in Duke's Place!

You find yourself a seat, and when you want to eat,

You look around and yell, "Waiter!"
You fill your cup chock full of dreams and drink it up
You're jetting along with your girlie
It's after three o'clock, but baby, it's still early!

If you've never been to Duke's Place,

Take your tootsies into Duke's Place
Life is in a spin in Duke's Place

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Nat King Cole Trio's song C Jam Blues invite the listener to accompany the singer to Duke's Place. The song describes Duke's Place as the wildest box in town, where the piano sound and saxes do their tricks. The lyrics also mention how people swing their chicks and get their kicks in Duke's Place. As the singer looks for a seat and wants to eat, they call out for the waiter. The song highlights that Duke's Place is a place where people fill their cups with dreams and jet along with their girlie. Although it is after three o'clock, the night is still young in Duke's Place - a place where life is in a spin.

In essence, the lyrics of the song describe Duke's Place as a lively venue where people come to have fun and enjoy themselves. Through the use of playful language, the singer invites the listener to come and experience the thrill of Duke's Place. The song captures an uplifting and energetic vibe that one can feel by just listening to the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

Baby! take me down to Duke's Place,
Let's go to Duke's Place, where the party is wild and merry.

Wildest box in town is Duke's Place
The wildest party in town happens at Duke's Place, where everybody lets loose and has a blast.

Love that piano sound in Duke's Place.
The sound of the piano in Duke's Place captures the heart and soul of anyone who hears it.

Saxes do their tricks in Duke's Place,
The saxophones have their own way of showing off their talent and skills at Duke's Place.

Fellas swing their chicks in Duke's Place
The guys and their girls dance and swing to the rhythm of the music in Duke's Place.

Come on! Get your kicks in Duke's Place!
Join in the fun and excitement at Duke's Place, where you can be yourself and enjoy every moment of it.

You find yourself a seat, and when you want to eat,
Once you get settled in Duke's Place, you can grab a seat and order some food when you get hungry.

You look around and yell, "Waiter!"
To get the waiter's attention, you need to take a look around and call them out when you need service.

You fill your cup chock full of dreams and drink it up
At Duke's Place, you can indulge in your dreams and fantasies by drinking up life and enjoying every moment of it.

You're jetting along with your girlie
You and your girl are both having the time of your lives and enjoying the moment at Duke's Place.

It's after three o'clock, but baby, it's still early!
Even though it's technically late, the night is still young at Duke's Place and there's plenty of partying left to be had.

If you've never been to Duke's Place,
For those who have not yet experienced the magic of Duke's Place,

Take your tootsies into Duke's Place
You need to get yourself down to Duke's Place and let your feet carry you off into a night of wild fun and partying.

Life is in a spin in Duke's Place
At Duke's Place, you enter into a whirlwind of adventure, thrill, and excitement, where life takes a turn for the better.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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