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.

It Could Happen to You
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

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Hide your heart from sight,
Lock your dreams at night,
It could happen to you.

Don't count stars
Or you might stumble,
Someone drops a sigh
And down you tumble,

Keep an eye on spring,
Run when church bells ring.

It could happen to you
All I did was wonder

How your arms would be
And it happened to me

Overall Meaning

In the Nat King Cole Trio's song, "It Could Happen to You," the artist expresses an air of warning concerning love and the unpredictability of its ways. The lyrics implore listeners to safeguard their hearts and dreams, suggesting that falling in love is not always a choice but rather a circumstance that can happen to anyone. The first verse advises hiding one's heart and locking away dreams at night, implying that opening oneself up to love can be a dangerous and vulnerable thing. The second verse calls attention to the fact that love can catch someone off guard, like stumbling over an unexpected obstacle or falling down after hearing someone else's sigh. The final verse tells the story of the singer who only ever wondered about the ideal feeling of being held in someone's arms, and how those thoughts manifested into a reality for them.

Overall, the song presents a fascinating commentary on the nature of love and relationships. It encourages people to protect themselves from the unknown and unexpected while acknowledging that sometimes love happens without warning. The lyrics reflect the idea that opening your heart to love is an unavoidable risk but also a potentially rewarding experience.

Line by Line Meaning

Hide your heart from sight,
Keep your heart guarded and protected from others, don't easily give it away.

Lock your dreams at night,
Be cautious and keep your hopes and aspirations to yourself, don't share them with everyone.

It could happen to you.
Even if you take all the precautions, life can be unpredictable, and good or bad things can happen to anyone.

Don't count stars
Don't get carried away by daydreaming or fantasizing about what could be, maintain a realistic outlook on life.

Or you might stumble,
If you are not careful, you might trip and fall into a situation that you are not prepared for.

Someone drops a sigh
Someone's expression of sadness, disappointment or yearning can lead to unpredictable events for you.

And down you tumble,
You might find yourself falling into a situation that you did not expect, resulting in potential failure or disappointment.

Keep an eye on spring,
Be aware of the potential changes and opportunities that come with the changing of seasons, be ready to take advantage of them.

It Could Happen to YouThe Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

It Could Happen to You
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics