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.

My Baby Just Cares for Me
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

As sung by Nat King Cole
Words by Gus Kahn and Music by Walter Donaldson
Sung in the file "Whoopee" by Eddie Cantor
A #4 hit for Ted Weems in 1930
A # 29 hit for the Hi-Los in 1954

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.

(Instrumental interlude)

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 kibbitz.
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

"My Baby Just Cares for Me" by The Nat King Cole Trio is a beautiful love song that celebrates the simple things in life. The song depicts a man expressing his love to his woman, and how he feels cherished by her and doesn't need any fancy or luxurious things to make him happy. The opening lines, "My baby don't care for shows, my baby don't care for clothes, my baby just cares for me," sets the tone for the entire song. The man explains that his woman does not care for things like expensive furs, laces, high-toned places or expensive rings, but rather she is sensible and only cares for him. The instrumental interlude emphasizes the mood of the song, with the melody being simple and easy-going, yet charming and captivating.

The man then goes on to explain how his woman does not care much for the mainstream stars of that era, such as Bing Crosby or Dick Tracy. Instead, she would rather have him around to "kibbitz" with. He mentions how even the popular and handsome stars like Roy Rogers and Clark Gable hold no significance in her life, as she only cares for him. The song ends with the man marveling that he is the lucky one to be loved so unconditionally by his woman. The song celebrates the true essence of a loving relationship, that it is not about materialistic or superficial things, but rather the true affection and warmth that one can offer.

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 significant other is not impressed by fancy displays like theatrical performances or expensive apparel. They only have eyes for me and the relationship between us.

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 partner doesn't desire luxurious items such as fur coats, fancy jewelry or high-end places. They are down-to-earth and rational.

My baby don't care who knows it, My baby just cares for me.
My lover doesn't care who knows about their affection for me. Their happiness just revolves around our romantic relationship.

My baby's no Crosby fan, Dick Tracy is not her man, My baby just cares for me.
My sweetheart doesn't swoon over famous entertainers such as Bing Crosby. They aren't even interested in fictional characters like the comic strip detective Dick Tracy. Their heart is firmly set on being with me.

My baby don't care for Mr. Tibbits, She'd rather have me around to kibbitz.
My partner doesn't care for spending time with superficial people such as Mr. Tibbits. They'd rather have my company for idle chatter.

Roy Rogers is not her style, and even Clark Gable's smile Is something that she can't see.
Even the charm of legendary actors such as Roy Rogers and Clark Gable doesn't sway my significant other's interest. They remain focused on our bond with each other.

(Oh, you lucky so-and-so) I wonder what's wrong with baby, My baby just cares for me.
I feel very lucky that my partner's affections are only for me - and I can't help but wonder why this is so. Regardless of the reason, our love for one another is all that matters.

Contributed by Emma L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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