Little Known Gems from the Repertoire of Nat King Cole

[JSngry]

I can think of two right off the bat - "You're Looking At Me" & "Can't Help It", both superb songs all but lost to modern song-consciousness (although, hell, what with all the "singer" thing of the last 10-15 years that I've gone out of my way to ignore, maybe they've become standards by now...). And yeah, I still think that song-form is not particularly a relevant creative arena going forth, but otoh, a good song is fun just because, and in that sense, yeah, hey, that's certainly relevant. So, let's hear it for the fun of a good song and carry that with us no matter where else we may or may not go.

Anyway, that's the criteria for this thread - great songs recorded by Nat that haven't taken on a life/legend of their own.

And now....

Edited December 3, 2008 by JSngry

[Stereojack]

One of my favorite obscure Nat Cole tunes is "Come In Out of the Rain", recorded in 1946. Originally had it on a 78, now have it on the Mosaic box.

[zen archer]

Is there another release besides the Mosaic that you can find "Come In Out of the Rain" by Nat King Cole ?

[jazzbo]

One of my favorites sung by Nat anytime. . . "Blame it on my Youth". . . .And also "You're Looking at Me." Both songs I only really know from him, and well sung by him.

[BruceH]

I have "You're Looking At Me" on the After Midnight album. Great song and great performance.

(To me all the songs on that album are "famous" because I've played it about a billion times.)

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Chris Connor did a lovely version of "Blame it on my youth" on Bethlehem. Art Farmer has recorded it, too, as the title track of an album.

I have a great fondness for the more R&B type of songs he was doing in his early days at Capitol with the trio. "Frim fram sauce" is a great piece of black nonsense. But "I'm just a shy guy", which he wrote himself, is one of my favourites.

Another great song, which a friend had on a 45 way back when, is "I'd rather have the blues than what I've got". I think that was early/mid fifties vintage. It's certainly not the trio, because I remember strings on it, very moodily arranged.

MG

[ghost of miles]

GREAT idea for a thread, Jim...and though I know it costs a helluva lot of pennies, I'd still advise Nat fans to somehow acquire either or both of the Bear Family boxes that have come out in the past several years--they provide a wealth of such tracks. I'd say just about anything off WHERE DID EVERYONE GO? qualifies for me, but most especially "I Keep Going Back to Joe's". Good God, that's a heartbreaker of a song, and a performce... I've also got a real soft spot for "Song of Raintree County," though that might not qualify as lesser-known, as well as the late-period (1964ish) and rather Dylan-sounding "Let Me Tell You, Babe."

[zen archer]

Chris Connor did a lovely version of "Blame it on my youth" on Bethlehem. Art Farmer has recorded it, too, as the title track of an album.

I have a great fondness for the more R&B type of songs he was doing in his early days at Capitol with the trio. "Frim fram sauce" is a great piece of black nonsense. But "I'm just a shy guy", which he wrote himself, is one of my favourites.

Another great song, which a friend had on a 45 way back when, is "I'd rather have the blues than what I've got". I think that was early/mid fifties vintage. It's certainly not the trio, because I remember strings on it, very moodily arranged.

MG

He did the song "I'd Rather Have The Blues" in the film noir "Kiss me deadly"

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Chris Connor did a lovely version of "Blame it on my youth" on Bethlehem. Art Farmer has recorded it, too, as the title track of an album.

I have a great fondness for the more R&B type of songs he was doing in his early days at Capitol with the trio. "Frim fram sauce" is a great piece of black nonsense. But "I'm just a shy guy", which he wrote himself, is one of my favourites.

Another great song, which a friend had on a 45 way back when, is "I'd rather have the blues than what I've got". I think that was early/mid fifties vintage. It's certainly not the trio, because I remember strings on it, very moodily arranged.

MG

He did the song "I'd Rather Have The Blues" in the film noir "Kiss me deadly"

Ah yes - that sounds the right sort of place for that song.

MG

[Dave James]

With regard to Blame It On My Youth, Sammy Davis Jr. does a great version of this on the album he did with Marty Paich called The Wham of Sam.

As to Nat King Cole, some of my "obscure gem" favorites are I Realize Now, I'm Through With Love and Beautiful Moons Ago.

Up over and out.

Edited December 3, 2008 by Dave James

[carnivore]

For a long time (decades ago!) Nat's recording of 'Never Let Me go' was the only one around.

[alocispepraluger102]

GREAT idea for a thread, Jim...and though I know it costs a helluva lot of pennies, I'd still advise Nat fans to somehow acquire either or both of the Bear Family boxes that have come out in the past several years--they provide a wealth of such tracks. I'd say just about anything off WHERE DID EVERYONE GO? qualifies for me, but most especially "I Keep Going Back to Joe's". Good God, that's a heartbreaker of a song, and a performce... I've also got a real soft spot for "Song of Raintree County," though that might not qualify as lesser-known, as well as the late-period (1964ish) and rather Dylan-sounding "Let Me Tell You, Babe."

i agree completely. 'where did every one go?' is one of the finest recordings i own, of any genre, and has been a favorite since the first time i heard it almost 50 years ago. to see this great talent later wasted in more contemporary, lighter settings, sickened me.

Edited December 4, 2008 by alocispepraluger102

[Rosco]

"You're Looking At Me" .... what with all the "singer" thing of the last 10-15 years that I've gone out of my way to ignore, maybe they've become standards by now...

D. Krall did it on one of her Impulse albums. Still far from the 'standard' it deserves to be.

[Edward]

Two of my all-time favorites by the NKC Trio are "It Only Happens Once" (April 13, 1945) and "It Is Better To Be By Yourself" (October 11, 1945).

[GA Russell]

"You're Looking At Me" .... what with all the "singer" thing of the last 10-15 years that I've gone out of my way to ignore, maybe they've become standards by now...

D. Krall did it on one of her Impulse albums. Still far from the 'standard' it deserves to be.

You're Looking at Me is on Krall's All For You album, which I think is her best seller.

Mark Murphy did two NKC LPs, and my favorite song from the bunch was I Keep Going Back to Joe's.