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.

When I Grow Too Old To Dream
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I grow too old to dream I will have you to remember
When I grow too old to dream your love will live in my heart
So kiss me my sweet and so let us part
And when I grow too old to dream your love will live in my heart

So kiss me, my sweet and so let us part
And when I grow too old to dream your love will live in my heart
Your love will live in my heart, your love will live in my heart

Overall Meaning

The song "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" by The Nat King Cole Trio, is a beautiful rendition that reminds us about the power of love and the value of cherished memories. The theme of the song speaks about a love that transcends time and age. The lyrics suggest that even when one grows too old to dream, the memory of a loved one will live on in their heart.

The first two lines of the song, "When I grow too old to dream, I will have you to remember", directly state the main idea of the song. It is a song of hope and promises that love is something that can stand the test of time. The song talks about the power of love to create memories that last a lifetime. It touches on the idea that with love, even when all the physical attributes of youth have gone, love endures and carries on.

The following two lines, "When I grow too old to dream, your love will live in my heart", reemphasize the message of the song. The lines indicate that even when dreams and aspirations have left us, love remains a precious memory. The final lines, "So kiss me my sweet and so let us part, And when I grow too old to dream, your love will live in my heart", closes the song with the idea that true love is eternal, and the cherished memories stay with you forever.

Overall, this romantic ballad emphasizes the value of love and its ability to transcend time and age. The song reminds us that love and memorable moments are precious gifts that we can hold onto, and when we are grown old, we can still treasure them in our hearts.

Line by Line Meaning

When I grow too old to dream I will have you to remember
I will remember you when I am no longer capable of dreaming

When I grow too old to dream your love will live in my heart
Even when I can no longer dream, your love will always be in my heart

So kiss me my sweet and so let us part
Let us share a sweet goodbye kiss as we part

And when I grow too old to dream your love will live in my heart
Even when I am too old to dream anymore, your love will still reside deeply in my heart

Your love will live in my heart, your love will live in my heart
Repeated affirmation that their love will always be in the artist's heart, no matter what

Writer(s): Oscar Hammerstein Ii, Sigmund Romberg

Contributed by Savannah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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