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.

Love Nest
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

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Just a love nest, cozy and warm,
Like a dove breast, down on the farm,
A veranda with some sort of clinging vine,
Then a kitchen where some rambler roses twine.

In a small room, tea set of blue,
There's the ball room, dream room for two,
Better than a palace with a gilded dome,

Is the love nest you can call home!

Overall Meaning

The Nat King Cole Trio's Love Nest paints a picture of a cozy, intimate dwelling that lovers can call home. The song portrays the love nest as the ultimate abode for two individuals in love. The lyrics suggest that the love nest is a peaceful and serene place with a rustic charm that speaks to a simpler way of life. The opening lines of the song speak of the love nest as "cozy and warm like a dove breast down on the farm." The imagery of a dove's nest, a bird that symbolizes peace, signifies that the love nest is a peaceful and harmonious space. The lyrics further describe the love nest as having a veranda with a clinging vine, indicating that it is surrounded by nature and has a rustic appeal. The kitchen in the love nest is adorned with rambler roses, a flower that symbolizes love, suggesting that the love nest is rich with the warmth of love. A small tea set of blue is featured in one of the smaller rooms, possibly the living room, while the ballroom is reserved for intimate dances for two. The song concludes with the chorus stating that the love nest is better than a palace with a gilded dome, making it the best place for two people in love to call home.

Love NestThe Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Love Nest
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics