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.

I've Got a Way With Women
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

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Some men wanna be brilliant
Some want a lot of cash
Some have a whim for the social swim
Just so they can make a splash

I have none of these talents
Still I'm doin' ok
Please don't think I'm conceited

When I say...

I've got a way with women
They like my dreamy eyes
I've got a way with women
A casanova in disguise
I've got a way of talkin'
and moonlight walkin'
Girls just can't resist
And when i started flirtin'
I'm always certain
They just can't wait to be kissed

I've got a way with women
But one girl made me fall
And out of all the women
I really loved her best of all
See I was doin' swell
Until she fell for somebodyelse's line
I've got a way with women
But someone got a way with mine

{Instrumental}

I've got a way with women
But one girl made me fall
And out of all the women
I really loved her best of all
See I was doin' swell
Until she fell for somebodyelse's line
I've got a way with women
But someone got a way with mine
Oh, someone got a way with mine

*** lyrics contributed by mini_me29 ***

Overall Meaning

In the song "I've Got a Way With Women" by The Nat King Cole Trio, the lyrics are about Nat King Cole boasting about his ability to attract women. The song begins with Cole singing about how some men want to be brilliant or have a lot of cash or love the social scene for the attention it brings - but these things are not his talent. Despite not having any of these desired traits, Cole professes that he's still doing okay and proceeds to explain why.

Cole sings that he has a way with women, which is his secret weapon to attracting them. He attributes his dreamy eyes, way of talking, and moonlight walking to his ability to make girls fall for him. Additionally, he states that when he flirts with women, they can't resist and just can't wait for him to kiss them. Cole, however, fell in love with one particular girl who he loved more than any other, but unfortunately, she ultimately fell for someone else's line, leaving him heartbroken.

This song is an example of classic jazz and swing music that was popular in the 1940s and 50s. The message of the song is timeless and relatable, playing on the idea that confidence and charm can help someone achieve romantic success. The upbeat tempo and catchy melody make it a popular choice for swing dancing and still enjoyed by swing dance enthusiasts today.

I've Got a Way With WomenThe Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

I've Got a Way With Women
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics