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.

That Ain't Right
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

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Baby, baby, what is the matter with you?
Baby, baby, what is the matter with you?
You got the world in a jug
And you don't have a thing to do

I always told you, baby
You'll be the death of me
'cause when I'm always with you

I get the third degree

That ain't right
Baby, that ain't right at all
Takin' all my money
Goin' out, havin' yourself a ball

I took you to a night club
And bought you big champagne
You rolled home in a taxi
And I caught the subway train

That ain't right
Baby, that ain't right at all
Takin' all my money
Goin' out, havin' yourself a ball

I went to a fortune teller
And had my fortune told
He said, you didn't love me
All you wanted was my gold

That ain't right
Baby, that ain't right at all

Takin' all my money
Goin' out, havin' yourself a ball

Overall Meaning

In The Nat King Cole Trio's song That Ain't Right, the singer expresses his frustration with his girlfriend who is taking advantage of him financially. He questions what is the matter with her, noting that she has the world in a jug but doesn't have anything to do. He acknowledges that he always knew that she would be the death of him because of the third-degree he receives when he is always with her. The third-degree could mean questioning, criticism, or suspicion. The singer then sings the chorus, where he states that it isn't right for her to take all his money and go out and have a good time.

The second verse continues with the theme of her taking advantage of him. He took her to a nightclub and bought her champagne, but she rolled home in a taxi while he had to catch the subway train. In the third verse, he seeks the advice of a fortune teller, who reveals that she doesn't love him, and all she wants is his gold.

The song's lyrics highlight the singer's frustration with his girlfriend's behavior, which he considers unfair and wrong. His girlfriend takes advantage of him, his love, and his resources. The song's theme is a melancholy and harsh look at the inequality that can exist within a relationship. It offers a lesson that being used and taken for granted should not be a norm for anyone in a relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

Baby, baby, what is the matter with you?
My dear, what is bothering you?

You got the world in a jug And you don't have a thing to do
You have everything at your disposal, yet you are idle.

I always told you, baby You'll be the death of me 'cause when I'm always with you I get the third degree
I have warned you that your constant questioning and accusations will be the end of me.

That ain't right Baby, that ain't right at all Takin' all my money Goin' out, havin' yourself a ball
It is unfair to take all my money and spend it on yourself while I am left with nothing.

I took you to a night club And bought you big champagne You rolled home in a taxi And I caught the subway train
I took you out for a night of luxury, but you ended up wasting it while I had to settle for less.

I went to a fortune teller And had my fortune told He said, you didn't love me All you wanted was my gold
I resorted to a fortune teller to seek the truth, who revealed that your true intentions were only to take advantage of me financially.

That ain't right Baby, that ain't right at all Takin' all my money Goin' out, havin' yourself a ball
It is unfair to take all my money and spend it on yourself while I am left with nothing.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL JOHN WELLER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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