The Famous Nat King Cole

Download Classic Cole

Born in Alabama and raised in Chicago, Nat King Cole had the best of both musical worlds. His parents inspired his early organ playing and expected he become learned in not only the jazz and pop of the period, but also gospel and classical composers. Chicago was charged with jazz and blues and Nat could not have possibly escaped the influence of greats like Louis Armstrong during the 20s and 30s.

By the 40s Cole had formed a small band and relocated to Long Beach, California where the trio cut its teeth in small jazz clubs. Although Nat King Cole was later known for his deep and velvety voice, he used it seldom during his early career; and did not consider himself a vocalist. And at this point his talent lay in composing and playing.

Cole Goes Pop

But this changed in 1943 when his single “Straighten Up and Fly Right” hit audiences. This was a Cole original and has since become one of his most well recognized pieces. This single earned him the career-long contract with Capitol Records. Over the next decade, under Capitol’s lead, Cole recorded his most remarkable and signature body of work, including “Mona Lisa”, “The Christmas Song”, and “Unforgettable”. While he clearly forged an audience in the pop genre, Cole continued to record jazz when he could. After Midnight remains one of his most popular jazz albums.

With the rise of rock ‘n roll in the late and early 60s Cole’s style became less mainstream and less popular. Regardless he managed to regularly boost his career with occasional hits, including: “Ramblin’ Rose” and “When I Fall In Love”.

Nat King Cole died of lung cancer in 1965.

The Nat King Cole Trio Recordings, Vol. 1 (1944):

1. Little Joe From Chicago
2. It’s Only a Paper Moon
3. (What Can I Say) After I Say I’m Sorry?
4. I Wanna Turn Out My Light
5. You Call it Madness (But I Call it Love)
6. If I Had You
7. Don’t Blame Me
8. Three Little Words
9. How High the Moon
10. I Got Rhythm
11. Sweet Lorraine
12. Besame Mucho
13. Please Consider Me
14. Rhythm Sam
15. (Back Home Again In) Indiana

The Nat King Cole Trio Recordings, Vol. 2 (1944):

1. Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby?
2. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
3. Shoo Shoo Baby
4. Solid Potato Salad
5. Miss Thing
6. On the Sunny Side of the Street
7. It Only Happens Once
8. Swingin’ the Blues
9. Baby (We Could Have a Lot of Fun)
10. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home
11. Boogie a la King
12. Rosetta
13. Man I Love
14. Liza (All the Clouds’ll Roll Away)
15. I’m In the Mood for Love
16. That’ll Just About Knock Me Out
17. Man I Love

The Nat King Cole Trio Recordings, Vol. 3 (1948):

1. You Must Be Blind
2. Too Marvelous for Words
3. I May Be Wrong
4. I Realize Now
5. ‘Tain’t Me
6. Laura
7. Keep Knockin’ on Wood
8. If Yesterday Could Only Be Tomorrow
9. Blues and Swing
10. Just Another Blues
11. Wild Goose Chase
12. Mexico Joe
13. Lester Leaps In
14. Wouldn’t You Like to Know
15. Barcarolle
16. I Thought You Ought To Know
17. Bring Another Drink

Penthouse Serenade (1952):

1. Penthouse Serenade
2. Somebody Loves Me
3. Laura
4. Once In a Blue Moon
5. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
6. Down by the Old Mill Stream
7. If I Should Lose You
8. Rose Room
9. I Surrender Dear
10. It Could Happen To You
11. Don’t Blame Me
12. Little Girl
13. Surrender Dear
14. Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
15. Too Marvelous for Words
16. Too Young
17. That’s My Girl
18. It’s Only a Paper Moon
19. Unforgettable

Songs For Two In Love (1954):

1. Love Is Here To Stay
2. A Handful of Stars
3. This Can’t Be Love
4. A Little Street Where Old Friends Meet
5. Autumn Leaves
6. Let’s Fall In Love
7. There Goes My Heart
8. Dinner for One Please, James
9. Almost Like Being In Love
10. Tenderly
11. You Stepped Out of a Dream
12. There Will Never Be Another You
13. Too Much
14. A Thousand Thoughts of You
15. If You Said No

Love Is the Thing (1957):

1. When I Fall In Love
2. Stardust
3. Stay As Sweet As You Are
4. Where Can I Go Without You?
5. Maybe It’s Because I Love You Too Much
6. If Love Ain’t There
7. Love Letters
8. Someone To Tell It To
9. Ain’t Misbehavin’
10. The End of a Love Affair
11. I Thought About Marie
12. At Last
13. It’s All in the Game
14. When Sunny Gets Blue
15. Love Is the Thing

After Midnight (1957):

1. Just You, Just Me
2. Sweet Lorraine
3. Sometimes I’m Happy
4. Caravan
5. It’s Only a Paper Moon
6. You’re Looking at Me
7. The Lonely One
8. Don’t Let it Go to Your Head
9. I Know That You Know
10. Blame it on My Youth
11. When I Grow Too Old to Dream
12. Route 66
13. I Was a Little Too Lonely
14. You Can Depend On Me
15. What Is There to Say?
16. Two Loves Have I
17. Candy
18. You’re Looking at Me

The Very Thought of You (1958):

1. Very Thought of You
2. But Beautiful
3. Impossible
4. I Wish I Knew the Way to Your Heart
5. I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five and Ten Cent Store)
6. Magnificent Obsession
7. My Heart Tells Me
8. Paradise
9. This Is All I Ask
10. Cherie, I Love You
11. Making Believe You’re Here
12. Cherchez La Femme
13. For All We Know
14. More I See You

Nat King Cole Story (1961):
Disc 1:

1. Straighten Up and Fly Right
2. Sweet Lorraine
3. It’s Only a Paper Moon
4. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
5. (I Loved You) For Sentimental Reasons
6. The Christmas Song
7. Nature Boy
8. Lush Life
9. Calypso Blues
10. Mona Lisa
11. Orange Colored Sky
12. Too Young
13. Unforgettable
14. Somewhere Along the Way
15. Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
16. Pretend
17. Blue Gardenia
18. I Am In Love (Can Can)

Disc 2:

1. Answer Me
2. Smile
3. Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
4. The Sand and the Sea
5. If I May
6. A Blossom Fell
7. To the Ends of the Earth
8. Night Lights
9. Dance Ballerina Dance
10. Stardust
11. Orange Colored Sky
12. Too Young
13. Unforgettable
14. Somewhere Along the Way
15. Paradise
16. Oh Mary Don’t You Weep
17. Ay Cosita Linda
18. Wild Is Love

The Christmas Song (1963):

1. The Christmas Song
2. Deck the Halls
3. Adeste Fidelis
4. O Tannenbaum
5. O, Little Town of Bethlehem
6. I Saw Three Ships
7. O Holy Night
8. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
9. A Cradle in Bethlehem
10. Away In a Manger
11. Joy To the World
12. The First Noel
13. Caroling, Caroling
14. Silent Night

Golden Years 1943-1946 (2000):

1. I’m Lost
2. Got a Penny, Benny (1943 version)
3. F.S.T. (Fine, Sweet and Tasty)
4. My Lips Remember Your Kisses
5. Miss Thing
6. Let’s Spring One
7. Beautiful Moons Ago
8. Pitchin’ Up a Boogie
9. Let’s Pretend
10. Bugle Call Rag
11. Got a Penny, Benny (1946 version)
12. Melancholy Madeline
13. I’ve Found a New Baby
14. Rosetta
15. Sweet Lorraine
16. Blowed and Gone

Rockin’ Boppin’ and Blues (2000):

1. I’m An Errand Boy for Rhythm
2. Straighten Up and Fly Right
3. Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You
4. Easy Listenin’ Blues
5. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
6. The Frim Fram Sauce
7. Baby, Baby All the Time
8. Chant of the Blues
9. I Think You Get What I Mean
10. Ooh, Kickeroonie
11. Blues In My Shower
12. If I Were You, Baby, I’d Love Me
13. Walkin’
14. Send For Me
15. Beale Street Blues
16. Wee Baby Blues
17. Joe Turner Blues (Live)
18. Mr. Cole Won’t Rock & Roll (Live)

Very Best of Nat King Cole (2006):

1. Stardust
2. Sweet Lorraine
3. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
4. Straighten Up and Fly Right
5. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
6. What’ll I Do?
7. Morning Star
8. Penthouse Serenade
9. Candy
10. Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
11. Unforgettable
12. Mona Lisa
13. Nature Boy
14. Somewhere Along the Way
15. Smile
16. A Blossom Fell
17. Can’t I?
18. Let There Be Love
19. Almost Like Being In Love
20. Ballerina
21. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself a Letter)
22. Let’s Face the Music and Dance
23. Autumn Leaves (French Version)
24. When I Fall In Love
25. That Sunday, That Summer
26. Looking Back
27. L-O-V-E
28. I Wish You Love (Live)