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. Image courtesy of the Dave Dexter, Jr. Collection.producing a handful of recordings that became benchmarks in their individual careers. Signing with Capitol Records in 1943, The Trio consisted of Cole, Moore, and Johnny Miller, who had settled in as the permanent bassist. Moore left the fold in 1947 and Irving Ashby replaced him. Capitol Records featured The Trio less and less after that, while Cole was singled out as a vocalist often backed by lush string orchestras. By the 1950's, Cole's reputation as a singer had reached a wide pop audience and, upon his death in 1965, his place in music history was forever cemented. His fellow jazz peers, however, never forgot his equally unique touch on the piano and the influence his early trio work had on later performers such as Oscar Peterson, Red Garland, and Tommy Flanagan.

A Little Bit Independent
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A little bit independent in your walk
A little bit independent in your talk
There's nothing like you in Paris or New York
You're awfully easy on the eyes

A little bit independent when we dance
A little bit independent toward romance
A bit of sophistication in your glance

And yet you're easy on the eyes

Whenever I'm alone with you
You weave a magic spell
And though it be a danger zone
I only know that you're swell

A little bit independent with your smile
A little bit independent in your style
But how can I help but love you all the while
When you're so easy on the eyes

And yet you're easy on the eyes
Whenever I'm with you alone
You weave a magic spell
And though it be a danger zone
I only know that you're swell
I never will let you go

A little bit independent with your smile
A little bit independent in your style
But how can I help but love you all the while
When you're so easy on the eyes

A little bit independent

Overall Meaning

in your walk and talk might be interpreted in a few different ways. Firstly, it could be seen as a sense of confidence and self-assuredness. The person being described is not afraid to be a little bit different and go against the norm in terms of how they carry themselves. Secondly, it could be interpreted more literally - the person being described might have a slightly unusual gait or accent that sets them apart from the crowd. Either way, the singer finds this quality incredibly alluring.

The song goes on to highlight other attractive qualities about this person - their sophistication, their smile, and their style. But what's interesting is that despite all of these qualities that make them seem somewhat unattainable or out of the singer's league, they're still "easy on the eyes" - essentially, they're still someone that the singer finds incredibly appealing and desirable.

A Little Bit IndependentThe Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

A Little Bit Independent
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics