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.

Sweet Lorraine
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've just found joy
I'm as happy as a baby boy
With another brand new choo-choo toy
When I met my sweet Lorraine, Lorraine, Lorraine

She's got a pair of eyes
That are brighter than the summer sky
When you see them, you'll realize

Why I love my sweet Lorraine

Now when it's rainin', I don't miss the sun
Because it's in my baby's smile
And to think that I'm the lucky one
That will lead her down the aisle

Each night I pray
That no one will steal her heart away
I can't wait until that lucky day
When I marry sweet Lorraine

Now when it's rainin', I don't miss the sun
Because it's in my baby's smile
And to think that I'm the lucky one
That will lead her down the aisle

Each night I pray
That no one will steal her heart away

I can't wait until that lucky day
When I marry sweet Lorraine

Overall Meaning

The Nat King Cole Trio's song Sweet Lorraine is a love song about the singer's newly found joy after meeting the eponymous Lorraine. The opening line of the song, "I've just found joy" suggests that the singer's life was incomplete until he met Lorraine. He compares his happiness to a baby boy with a new toy, emphasizing the level of joy he feels. The chorus of the song repeats the name "Lorraine" multiple times causing an emotional impact, reinforcing the idea that he is truly happy with her.

The second verse goes on to describe Lorraine's physical features, particularly her eyes, which the singer compares to the brightness of the summer sky. This emphasizes Lorraine's beauty and strength which attracts the singer to her. The bridge of the song, which conveys the singer's thoughts about Lorraine marrying him, is especially heartfelt. The singer prays that no one will steal Lorraine's heart away from him, emphasizes how much he loves and wants to marry her.

In summary, the song is a tribute to the beauty and value of Lorraine in the singer's life. The lyrics express the joy and happiness the singer feels having met her, the appreciation for her physical beauty and strength, and the desire to make her his own forever.

Line by Line Meaning

I've just found joy
I am filled with happiness and contentment.

I'm as happy as a baby boy
My happiness is pure and simple like that of a newborn child.

With another brand new choo-choo toy
My happiness is comparable to that of receiving a new toy.

When I met my sweet Lorraine, Lorraine, Lorraine
My joy comes from meeting and falling in love with a woman named Lorraine.

She's got a pair of eyes
Lorraine has striking, beautiful eyes.

That are brighter than the summer sky
Her eyes are so bright and radiant that they remind me of a clear blue sky in summer.

When you see them, you'll realize
Anyone who sees her eyes will understand why I am so infatuated with her.

Why I love my sweet Lorraine
I am in love with Lorraine because of her beauty and spirit.

Now when it's rainin', I don't miss the sun
Lorraine's presence in my life brings me so much happiness that even on a rainy day, I don't feel its absence.

Because it's in my baby's smile
The happiness I find in Lorraine's smile is enough to brighten any dreary day.

And to think that I'm the lucky one
I feel lucky and blessed to have her love and attention.

That will lead her down the aisle
I am looking forward to marrying Lorraine and sharing a future together.

Each night I pray
Every night, I express my gratitude and ask for blessings to protect my love with Lorraine.

That no one will steal her heart away
I fear that someone else may try to win her love, so I pray that she remains faithful to me.

I can't wait until that lucky day
I am filled with excitement and anticipation for the day when I can make Lorraine my wife.

When I marry sweet Lorraine
Marrying Lorraine is my ultimate goal and what brings me the greatest joy and fulfillment.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: CLIFF BURWELL, CLIFFORD BURWELL, MITCHELL PARISH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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