Inspired by the performances of Earl Hines, Cole began his performing career in the mid-1930s while still a teenager, adopting the name "Nat Cole". His older brother, Eddie, a bass player, soon joined Cole's band, and they made their first recording in 1936 under Eddie's name. They also were regular performers at clubs. Cole, in fact, acquired his nickname, "King", performing at one jazz club, a nickname presumably reinforced by the otherwise unrelated nursery rhyme about Old King Cole. He also was a pianist in a national tour of Broadway theatre legend Eubie Blake's revue, "Shuffle Along". When it suddenly failed in Long Beach, California, Cole decided to remain there. He would later return to Chicago in triumph to play such venues as the famed Edgewater Beach Hotel.
Cole and two other musicians formed the "King Cole Swingers" in Long Beach and played in a number of local bars before getting a gig on the Long Beach Pike for US$90 ($1,530 today) per week. The trio consisted of Cole on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Wesley Prince on double bass. The trio played in Failsworth throughout the late 1930s and recorded many radio transcriptions. Cole was not only pianist but leader of the combo as well.
Radio was important to the King Cole Trio's rise in popularity. Their first broadcast was with NBC's Blue Network in 1938. It was followed by appearances on NBC's Swing Soiree. In the 1940s, the trio appeared on the Old Gold, Chesterfield Supper Club and Kraft Music Hall radio shows. The King Cole Trio performed twice on CBS Radio's variety show The Orson Welles Almanac (1944).
Legend was that Cole's singing career did not start until a drunken barroom patron demanded that he sing "Sweet Lorraine". Cole, in fact, has gone on record saying that the fabricated story "sounded good, so I just let it ride". Cole frequently sang in between instrumental numbers. Noticing that people started to request more vocal numbers, he obliged. Yet the story of the insistent customer is not without some truth. There was a customer who requested a certain song one night, but it was a song that Cole did not know, so instead he sang "Sweet Lorraine". The trio was tipped 15 cents for the performance, a nickel apiece.
During World War II, Wesley Prince left the group and Cole replaced him with Johnny Miller. Miller would later be replaced by Charlie Harris in the 1950s. The King Cole Trio signed with the fledgling Capitol Records in 1943. The group had previously recorded for Excelsior Records, owned by Otis René, and had a hit with the song "I'm Lost", which René wrote, produced and distributed. Revenues from Cole's record sales fueled much of Capitol Records' success during this period. The revenue is believed to have played a significant role in financing the distinctive Capitol Records building near Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles. Completed in 1956, it was the world's first circular office building and became known as "The House that Nat Built".
Cole was considered a leading jazz pianist, appearing in the first Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts (credited on the Mercury Record label as "Shorty Nadine"—derived from his wife's name—as he was under exclusive contract to Capitol Records at the time). His revolutionary lineup of piano, guitar, and bass in the time of the big bands became a popular setup for a jazz trio. It was emulated by many musicians, among them Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, and blues pianists Charles Brown and Ray Charles. He also performed as a pianist on sessions with Lester Young, Red Callender, and Lionel Hampton. For contract reasons, Cole was credited as "Aye Guy" on the album The Lester Young Buddy Rich Trio.Cole's first mainstream vocal hit was his 1943 recording of one of his compositions, "Straighten Up and Fly Right", based on a black folk tale that his father had used as a theme for a sermon. Johnny Mercer invited him to record it for his fledgling Capitol Records label. It sold over 500,000 copies, proving that folk-based material could appeal to a wide audience. Although Cole would never be considered a rocker, the song can be seen as anticipating the first rock and roll records. Indeed, Bo Diddley, who performed similar transformations of folk material, counted Cole as an influence.
In 1946, the Cole trio paid to have their own 15-minute radio program on the air. It was called, "King Cole Trio Time." It became the first radio program sponsored by a black performing artist. During those years, the trio recorded many "transcription" recordings, which were recordings made in the radio studio for the broadcast. Later they were used for commercial records.
Beginning in the late 1940s, Cole began recording and performing pop-oriented material for mainstream audiences, in which he was often accompanied by a string orchestra. His stature as a popular icon was cemented during this period by hits such as "The Christmas Song" (Cole recorded that tune four times: on June 14, 1946, as a pure Trio recording, on August 19, 1946, with an added string section, on August 24, 1953, and in 1961 for the double album The Nat King Cole Story; this final version, recorded in stereo, is the one most often heard today), "Nature Boy" (1948), "Mona Lisa" (1950), "Too Young" (the #1 song in 1951), 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 jazz roots; as late as 1956, for instance, he recorded an all-jazz album After Midnight. Cole had one of his last big hits in 1963, two years before his death, with the classic "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer", which reached #6 on the Pop chart.
Straighten Up And Fly Right
The King Cole Trio Lyrics
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The monkey thought that everything was on a square
The buzzard tried to throw the monkey off his back
But the monkey grabbed his neck and said now listen Jack
Straighten up and fly right
Straighten up and fly right
Straighten up and fly right
Ain't no use in divin', what's the use of jivin'
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down papa, don't you blow your top
The buzzard told the monkey you are chokin' me
Release your hold and I will set you free
The monkey looked the buzzard right dead in the eye
And said, your story's so touching but it sounds just like a lie
Straighten up and fly right
Straighten up and stay right
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down papa, don't you blow your top
Straighten up and fly right
Straighten up and stay right
Straighten up and fly right
Cool down papa, don't you blow your top
Fly right
The King Cole Trio's song "Straighten Up And Fly Right" is a classic hit that was released in 1943. The song tells a metaphorical story of a buzzard and a monkey. The buzzard takes the monkey on a ride in the air, and the monkey initially believes everything is on the level, but things soon turn out differently. The buzzard tries to shake the monkey off his back, but the monkey grabs hold of its neck and tells it to straighten up.
The lyrics of "Straighten Up And Fly Right" contain valuable life lessons. Throughout the song, the monkey advises the buzzard to stay true to its path and to keep flying right. The monkey's words are a reminder to us all that when we encounter difficult situations, we should keep our heads up and keep moving forward. The monkey is telling the buzzard not to give up, and to stay focused, even when things get tough.
In conclusion, "Straighten Up And Fly Right" is a timeless classic that has stood the test of time. The song has a mesmerizing tune that is bound to put anyone in a good mood. The lyrics are simple, yet they deliver a powerful message that is still relevant today. This song is an inspiration to many, and it continues to be an emblem of what is possible when we remain focused, positive, and driven.
Line by Line Meaning
The buzzard took a monkey for a ride in the air
A buzzard flew off carrying a monkey with it.
The monkey thought that everything was on a square
The monkey believed that everything was going well and in order.
The buzzard tried to throw the monkey off his back
The buzzard attempted to get the monkey off its back.
But the monkey grabbed his neck and said now listen Jack
The monkey took hold of the buzzard's neck and spoke to it.
Straighten up and fly right
Get your act together and behave properly.
Cool down papa, don't you blow your top
Stay calm and don't lose your temper.
Ain't no use in divin', what's the use of jivin'
Don't bother trying to deceive or trick anyone.
The buzzard told the monkey you are chokin' me
The buzzard said to the monkey that it was suffocating it.
Release your hold and I will set you free
Let go of me and I'll let you go.
The monkey looked the buzzard right dead in the eye
The monkey stared straight into the buzzard's eyes.
And said, your story's so touching but it sounds just like a lie
And responded by saying that the buzzard's excuse was heartfelt, but probably untrue.
Straighten up and stay right
Get yourself together and behave correctly from now on.
Fly right
Do the right thing and act responsibly.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IRVING MILLS, NAT KING COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Barry I. Grauman
Recorded on November 30, 1943.
Nat Cole, piano
Oscar Moore, guitar
Johnny Miller, bass
JDismal
Gramatik brought me here