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.

Harmony
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

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The time has come, let us begin
With all our voices joining in
To sing of love and brotherhood
People doing what they should to
Help there fellow man decree
And fill this land with harmony
The young and old, the rich, the poor
Making sounds, never heard before

Harmony! Harmony!
Let's all join in harmony
Sing away the hurt and fear
A great new dream will soon be here

Like the shepherd guards his sheep
Watch your children as they sleep
Like the potter turns his clay
Help to shape a better day, and
Let us sing a song of love
There's one thing I'm certain of
Love will fill the hearts of men
Peace will come on earth once again

Harmony! Harmony!
Let's all join in harmony
Sing away the hurt and fear
A great new dream will soon be here

Harmony! Harmony!
Let's all join in harmony
Sing of love, and brotherhood
And people doing what they should

Harmony! Harmony!
Let's all join in harmony

Overall Meaning

The Nat King Cole Trio's song "Harmony" is an ode to unity and an appeal for people to come together in harmony. The song starts with Nat King Cole inviting everyone to join in singing and calls for love and brotherhood to prevail. He also urges people to act as their brothers' keepers and help each other where necessary. Nat King Cole emphasizes that the act of togetherness and unity is essential for creating a harmonious society, and alluding to the idea that everyone has a part to play in shaping a better future for humanity, Cole also speaks of love and how this feeling can make the world a better place.

The lyrics of "Harmony" are replete with symbols of unity and peace. The shepherd and the potter depict the care and spirit of working with others to shape the future. The song implies that the world can be at peace once again if people come together and recognize that love and brotherhood should be the primary driving force behind human interaction. The song encourages people to give up fear and to sing away their hurts in the hope of a new world where everyone lives in the spirit of shared responsibility and concern.

HarmonyThe Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Harmony
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics