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.

Jumpin at Capitol
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My baby don't care for shows
My baby don't care for clothes
My baby just cares for me
My baby don't care for furs and laces
My baby don't care for high toned places

My baby don't care for rings
Or other expensive things

She's sensible as can be
My baby don't care who knows it
My baby just cares for me

My baby's no Crosby fan
Dick Tracy is not her man
My baby just cares for me
My baby don't care for Mr. Tibbits
She'd rather have me around to kibitz

Roy Rogers is not her style
And even Clark Gable's smile
Is something that she can't see
(Oh, you lucky so and so)

I wonder what's wrong with baby
My baby just cares for me

Overall Meaning

The Nat King Cole Trio's song "Jumpin at Capitol" features the timeless lyrics, "My baby don't care for shows, My baby don't care for clothes, My baby just cares for me." In this opening verse, the singer is acknowledging that his lover doesn't need material items or fancy experiences to be content. She is not interested in wearing fur, laces, or expensive jewelry, nor does she care about being seen in high society venues. Instead, she is simply happy to be with her partner, as he is the only thing that truly matters to her.

The second verse of the song continues to highlight the singer's lover's lack of interest in pop culture or societal norms. She isn't a fan of Bing Crosby or Dick Tracy, nor does she care for the latest fashion trends. Instead, she prefers to spend time with her partner, joking around and enjoying each other's company. Even the most famous Hollywood stars are nothing compared to the love that she feels for her significant other. The song implies that there is something incredibly special about this kind of love, as it transcends materialism and societal pressure.

Line by Line Meaning

My baby don't care for shows
My sweetheart is not particular about where we go to be entertained

My baby don't care for clothes
My darling puts no emphasis on my dressing style

My baby just cares for me
My lover is in love just with me

My baby don't care for furs and laces
My heartthrob is not impractical towards luxury items.

My baby don't care for high toned places
My significant other doesn't enjoy fancy, exclusive places.

My baby don't care for rings
My cherished one doesn't need any costly jewelry.

Or other expensive things
Or needs other pricey things.

She's sensible as can be
She has logical thoughts and ideas.

My baby don't care who knows it
My honey isn't afraid of displaying her love for me in public.

My baby just cares for me
My baby unwaveringly loves me and me only.

My baby's no Crosby fan
My love doesn't relish listening to Bing Crosby's music.

Dick Tracy is not her man
My hon does not have any attraction towards Dick Tracy.

My baby just cares for me
My lover doesn't need any other kind of stimulation besides me.

My baby don't care for Mr. Tibbits
My lover is not interested in someone like Mr. Tibbits.

She'd rather have me around to kibitz
She would rather spend time with me to chat and share banter.

Roy Rogers is not her style
Roy Roger's style and preference is not suitable to my beloved.

And even Clark Gable's smile
Clark Gable's charm is indifferent to my darling.

Is something that she can't see
My sweetheart can't appreciate Clark Gable's charm as I can.

(Oh, you lucky so and so)
Remark made with a tone of playful jealousy

I wonder what's wrong with baby
I'm questioning if there is anything wrong with my darling.

My baby just cares for me
Final statement summarizing that my loved one has eyes only for me.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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