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.

The Horse Told Me
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

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(My-mama, mama, mama, ma-ma)
Oh-o-oh yeah
(My-mama, mama, mama, ma-ma)
My mama to-o-o-ld me-ee-ee
(My-mama, mama, mama, ma-ma)
ooh ye-e-e-ah
(My-mama, mama, mama, ma-ma)

Yeah
(Wha-ooh-ooh)
My mama told me there'd be lots of guys
(Wha-ooh-ooh)
Who loohk at me and start to makin' eyes
(Wha-ooh-ooh)
And then they squeeze and wanna hold you tight
(ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
And say they love you both-a day and night

And so ya
(Better be careful hon)
ooh yeah
(Better be careful hon)
Yes, that's what she told me
(Better be careful hon)
Or you're gonna miss out on a lot of fun

(Wha-ooh-ooh)
And then I met a guy whose name was Joe
(Wha-ooh-ooh)
He told me, "Baby I've got lot's of dough"
(Wha-ooh-ooh)
So if you just come along with me
(ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
We'll go places, just you wait and see

I should have listened
(To what my mama told me)
Yes, I should have listened
(To what my mama told me)
To what a-mama told me ye-ah
(To what my mama told me)
(ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
A-but I didn't be-lieve a-what she said

(My-mama, mama, mama, ma-ma)
Oh-ooh-ho-ooh yeah
(My-mama, mama, mama, ma-ma)
Yes, that's what she told me
(My-mama, mama, mama, ma-ma)
A-but I didn't be-lieve a-what she said

(Wha-ooh-ooh)
Well that all happened such a long time ago
(Wha-ooh-ooh)
I've learned my lesson and a-now I know
(Wha-ooh-ooh)
I should have listened to what my mama said
(ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
But I thought I knew everything instead

He ran around
(I should have listened to what my mama told me)
Yes, with every girl in town
(I should have listened to what my mama told me)
Yes, he put me dow-own
(I should have listened to what my mama told me)
Played me for a clown
(I should have listened to what my mama told me)
Oh-ooh Yeah-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eeeh
(I should have listened to what my mama told me)
(I should have listened to what my mama told me)
Yeah-eh now now Yeah-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eeeh
(Fade)
(I should have listened to what my mama told me)
(I should have listened to what my mama told me)

(I should have listened to what my mama told me)
Oh-o mommy mommy Yeah-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eeeh

Overall Meaning

The Nat "King" Cole's song "My Mother Told Me" is a cautionary tale about not listening to wise advice and trusting the wrong people in life. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song when Nat tells us that his mama told him about the pitfalls of love and how he should be careful. In the second verse, he meets a man named Joe who promises him the world if he comes with him, and Nat ignores his mother's warning and decides to go with Joe. The chorus then repeats, this time with Nat regretting not listening to his mama, and how he should have taken heed of the advice she gave him.

Throughout the song, the lyrics showcase Nat's smooth voice and a jazz-inspired melody set against a backdrop of horns and drums. The song was originally released on Nat's 1955 album "Penthouse Serenade," and it quickly became a fan favorite. It's an excellent example of Nat's musical range as he seamlessly transitions from a lively melody to a more reflective tone after the chorus.

In conclusion, "My Mother Told Me" is a classic jazz tune that tells a cautionary tale of ignoring good advice and being cautious in relationships. Nat "King" Cole's smooth voice and the melodic composition make it one of the best songs of his time.

The Horse Told MeThe Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

The Horse Told Me
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics