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.

Don't Let Your Eyes Go Shopping
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't let your eyes go shopping for your heart
They only see the things that are in view
A cover doesn't make a book a work of art
To know its worth you've got to read it through and through

You must realize that rule also applies
To romance when you seek a mate, that's true
Beware of love at sight, take your time, make sure it's right

Don't let your eyes go shopping for your heart

You must realize that rule also applies
To romance when you seek a mate, that's true
Beware of love at sight, take your time, make sure it's right

Don't let your eyes go shopping for your heart
Don't let your eyes go shopping for your heart

Overall Meaning

The Nat King Cole Trio's song "Don't Let Your Eyes Go Shopping" is a cautionary tale about not allowing oneself to be misled by surface-level appearances. The lyrics warn against making snap judgments based on physical attraction, and implore the listener to take the time to truly get to know someone before committing to a relationship. The first verse establishes the metaphor of "shopping" with one's eyes - i.e. only focusing on what is immediately visible rather than the deeper qualities that make a person who they are. The second verse expands on this idea, suggesting that the same principle applies to love and that one should be careful not to be blinded by instant chemistry.

Overall, this song seems to advocate for a more thoughtful, intentional approach to love and relationships. Rather than simply following one's fleeting desires or getting swept up in romance, the lyrics encourage taking the time to really understand and appreciate the person one is interested in. This message may resonate particularly strongly in a culture where appearances and first impressions often hold significant sway.

Line by Line Meaning

Don't let your eyes go shopping for your heart
Be careful not to let your physical attraction to someone cloud your judgement when it comes to finding true love.

They only see the things that are in view
Physical attraction is often based on superficial things that can be seen at first glance.

A cover doesn't make a book a work of art
Just because someone looks attractive on the outside, it doesn't necessarily mean they are a good person or a good match for you.

To know its worth you've got to read it through and through
To truly understand someone's worth, you need to get to know them beyond just their physical appearance.

You must realize that rule also applies to romance when you seek a mate, that's true
This same principle applies to finding a romantic partner- don't base your decision solely on physical attraction.

Beware of love at sight, take your time, make sure it's right
Don't rush into a relationship based on physical attraction alone. Take your time to get to know the person before making a commitment.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILLY AUSTIN, SHELDON SMITH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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