The Nat King Cole Story

~ Release by Nat King Cole (see all versions of this release, 5 available)

Annotation

all are stereo re-recordings in this 1961 album, recorded during: March 22–24, 27, 29–30; April 3; and July 6, 19–20 1961
except for the following 6 tracks: "Stardust", "St. Louis Blues", "Paradise", "Oh Mary Don't You Weep", "Ay cosita linda" and "Wild Is Love" which are reissues of previously released tracks.

Annotation last modified on 2012-12-07 11:56 UTC.

Tracklist

| |
▼CD 1
#TitleRatingLength
1Straighten Up and Fly Right
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (on 1961-03-23)
producer:
Lee Gillette
double bass:
Charlie Harris (jazz bassist) (on 1961-03-23)
guitar:
John Collins (jazz guitarist) (on 1961-03-23)
piano:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-23)
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-23)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Straighten Up and Fly Right (on 1961-03-23)
writer:
Nat King Cole and Irving Mills
publisher:
American Academy of Music, Inc., EMI Mills Music (ASCAP-affiliated) and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング CMP外国事業部 (sub‐publisher for foreign (non‐Japanese) works) (from 2021-07-01 to present)
sub-publisher:
Mills Music, ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (holding company - do not use as release label) and コンソーシアム音楽出版 C・F事業部 (until 2021-06-30)
recording of:
Straighten Up and Fly Right (in 1961)
writer:
Nat King Cole and Irving Mills
publisher:
American Academy of Music, Inc., EMI Mills Music (ASCAP-affiliated) and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング CMP外国事業部 (sub‐publisher for foreign (non‐Japanese) works) (from 2021-07-01 to present)
sub-publisher:
Mills Music, ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (holding company - do not use as release label) and コンソーシアム音楽出版 C・F事業部 (until 2021-06-30)
2:37
2Sweet Lorraine
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (on 1961-03-22)
producer:
Lee Gillette
bass and double bass:
Charlie Harris (jazz bassist) (on 1961-03-22)
guitar:
John Collins (jazz guitarist) (on 1961-03-22)
piano:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-22)
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-22)
recorded at:
Capitol Studios (New York City) in New York, New York, United States (on 1961-03-22)
recording of:
Sweet Lorraine (on 1961-03-22)
lyricist:
Mitchell Parish (in 1928)
composer:
Cliff Burwell (in 1928)
publisher:
EMI Mills Music Inc. (ASCAP-affiliated), Everbright Music Co. and Mills Music, Inc.
3:22
3It's Only a Paper Moon
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
It’s Only a Paper Moon (in 1961)
lyricist:
E.Y. Harburg (in 1933) and Billy Rose (lyricist and Broadway producer) (in 1933)
composer:
Harold Arlen (in 1933)
publisher:
Anne-Rachel Music Corp., Chappell Music Ltd., Gloccamorria Music, S.A. Music Co., Shapiro Bernstein & Co. Ltd. and Warner Bros. Music (publisher; do NOT use as release label)
2:58
4(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66 (in 1961)
lyricist and composer:
Bobby Troup
publisher:
Chappell Morris Ltd., E. H. Morris, LondonTown Music, Inc., Troup-London, LLC, ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (holding company - do not use as release label), ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 and Burke-Van Heusen, Inc. (on 1946-04-22)
2:56
5(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
recorded in:
New York, New York, United States (on 1961-03-23)
producer:
Lee Gillette
double bass:
Charlie Harris (jazz bassist) (on 1961-03-23)
guitar:
John Collins (jazz guitarist) (on 1961-03-23)
piano:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-23)
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-23)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
cover recording of:
(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (on 1961-03-23)
lyricist:
Ivory “Deek” Watson
composer:
William “Pat” Best
publisher:
MCA Duchess Music Corporation and Peter Maurice Music Co. Ltd.
recording of:
(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
lyricist:
Ivory “Deek” Watson
composer:
William “Pat” Best
publisher:
MCA Duchess Music Corporation and Peter Maurice Music Co. Ltd.
3:04
6The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1961)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1961)
orchestrator:
Charles R. Grean and Pete Rugolo
cover recording of:
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) (on 1961-03-30)
writer:
Mel Tormé ("The Velvet Fog") (from 1944 until 1945) and Robert Wells (songwriter) (from 1944 until 1945)
publisher:
Chappell/Morris Ltd., Sony/ATV Tunes LLC, Warner Chappell Ltd. and E. H. Morris & Co., Inc. (a division of MPL Communications Inc.) (from 1946 to present)
3.53:11
7Nature Boy
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-27)
orchestra:
The Ralph Carmichael Orchestra and Chorus (on 1961-03-27)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (on 1961-03-27)
recording of:
Nature Boy (on 1961-03-27)
lyricist and composer:
eden ahbez (composer of "Nature Boy", artist name lowercase by intent) (in 1947)
publisher:
Burke-Van Heusen, Inc., Crestview Music Corp., David J. Janowiak d/b/a Golden World (music publisher, ASCAP-affiliated), Edwin H. Morris & Company (a division of MPL Communications Inc.) and Warner Chappell Music Ltd. (no slash; used 1988–1996)
sub-publisher:
ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (holding company - do not use as release label) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部
2:53
8Lush Life
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Lush Life (in 1961)
lyricist:
Billy Strayhorn (from 1933 until 1938)
composer:
Gary Fuhrmann and Billy Strayhorn (from 1933 until 1938)
publisher:
Billy Strayhorn Songs, Inc., Campbell Connelly & Co. Ltd., Reservoir Media Music, ミュージック・セールス (Japan, subsidiary of Shinko Music Entertainment) and Tempo Music Inc (from 1949 to present)
part of:
The Real Book (compilation of jazz standards, Volume I)
3:46
9Calypso Blues
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Calypso Blues (in 1961)
lyricist:
Don George (US songwriter/composer, 1909–1987)
composer:
Nat King Cole
3:25
10Mona Lisa
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-30)
orchestra:
Ralph Carmichael Orchestra (on 1961-03-30)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (on 1961-03-30)
recorded at:
Capitol Studios (New York City) in New York, New York, United States (on 1961-03-30)
cover recording of:
Mona Lisa (on 1961-03-30)
lyricist:
Raymond B. Evans (US lyricist)
composer:
Jay Livingston
publisher:
Famous Chappell and Famous Music Corporation (renamed since 2007-05 as Sony/ATV Harmony/Melody)
part of:
Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 23)
3:28
11Orange Colored Sky
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-07-06)
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-07-06)
orchestra:
Stan Kenton and His Orchestra (on 1961-07-06)
conductor:
Stan Kenton (on 1961-07-06)
recorded at:
Capitol Studios (Hollywood, CA) in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (on 1961-07-06)
recording of:
Orange Colored Sky (on 1961-07-06)
writer:
Milton DeLugg and William Stein
publisher:
Amy Dee Music Corp.
2:34
12Too Young
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Too Young (in 1961)
lyricist:
Sylvia Dee (American lyricist)
composer:
Sidney Lippman (American songwriter)
publisher:
Aria Music Co.
3:25
13Unforgettable
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole (in 1961)
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1961)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1961)
recording of:
Unforgettable (in 1961)
lyricist and composer:
Irving Gordon (US songwriter)
publisher:
Bourne Co. (not for release label use, this is a music publisher) and Bourne Music Ltd.
3.853:27
14Somewhere Along the Way
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recorded at:
Capitol Studios (New York City) in New York, New York, United States (on 1961-03-29)
cover recording of:
Somewhere Along the Way (on 1961-03-29)
lyricist:
Sammy Gallop
composer:
Kurt Adams
publisher:
United Music Corp.
recording of:
Somewhere Along the Way
lyricist:
Sammy Gallop
composer:
Kurt Adams
publisher:
United Music Corp.
3:00
15Walkin' My Baby Back Home
producer:
Lee Gillette
bass:
Joe Comfort (on 1961-07-20)
drums (drum set):
Lee Young (40s-60s US jazz drummer, then producer/A&R) (on 1961-07-20)
guitar:
Alvino Rey (on 1961-07-20)
piano:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-07-20)
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-07-20)
conductor:
Billy May (on 1961-07-20)
recorded at:
Capitol Studios (Hollywood, CA) in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (on 1961-07-20)
cover recording of:
Walkin’ My Baby Back Home (on 1961-07-20)
lyricist:
Roy Turk (in 1930)
composer:
Fred Ahlert (in 1930)
publisher:
Chappell & Co., Inc. (USA)
recording of:
Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
lyricist:
Roy Turk (in 1930)
composer:
Fred Ahlert (in 1930)
publisher:
Chappell & Co., Inc. (USA)
42:43
16Pretend
producer:
Lee Gillette
double bass:
Joe Comfort (on 1952-12-30)
guitar:
Irving Ashby (on 1952-12-30)
piano:
Nat King Cole (on 1952-12-30)
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1952-12-30)
orchestra:
Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra (on 1952-12-30)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael and Nelson Riddle
recording of:
Pretend (on 1952-12-30)
lyricist:
Lew Douglas, Frank Lavere and Cliff Parman
composer:
Dan Belloc, Lew Douglas, Frank Lavere and Cliff Parman
publisher:
Music Sales Corporation (American copyright holder in both popular and classical music)
2:46
17Blue Gardenia
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Blue Gardenia (on 1961-07-19)
writer:
Lester Lee and Bob Russell (US songwriter/lyricist Sidney Keith “Bob” Russell)
publisher:
Harrison Music Corp., WB Music Corp. (1929–2019) (until 2019-05-28) and WC Music Corp. (from 2019-05-28 to present)
3:04
18I Am in Love
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
I Am in Love (Can-Can musical) (in 1961)
lyricist and composer:
Cole Porter (composer) (in 1953)
2:33
▼CD 2
#TitleRatingLength
1Answer Me, My Love
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-24)
orchestra:
Ralph Carmichael Orchestra (on 1961-03-24)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (on 1961-03-24)
recorded at:
Capitol Studios (New York City) in New York, New York, United States (on 1961-03-24)
cover recording of:
Answer Me, My Love (on 1961-03-24)
lyricist:
Fred Rauch, Carl Sigman and Gerhard Winkler
composer:
Fred Rauch and Gerhard Winkler
translator:
Carl Sigman
publisher:
Bourne Co. (not for release label use, this is a music publisher)
translated version of:
Mütterlein
2:56
2Smile
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-24)
orchestra:
Ralph Carmichael Orchestra (on 1961-03-24)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (on 1961-03-24)
recorded at:
Capitol Studios (New York City) in New York, New York, United States (on 1961-03-24)
recording of:
Smile (on 1961-03-24)
lyricist:
Geoffrey Parsons (lyricist) and John Turner (lyricist)
composer:
Charlie Chaplin (filmmaker)
publisher:
Bourne France Éditions Musicale, Bourne Music Ltd. and Bourne Co. (not for release label use, this is a music publisher) (in 1954)
sub-publisher:
日音 Synch事業部
is based on:
Smile (Modern Times; original instrumental version)
part of:
Chaplin
2:53
3Darling, je vous aime beaucoup
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-03-24)
orchestra:
Ralph Carmichael Orchestra (on 1961-03-24)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recorded at:
Capitol Studios (New York City) in New York, New York, United States (on 1961-03-24)
cover recording of:
Darling, je vous aime beaucoup (on 1961-03-24)
lyricist and composer:
Anna Sosenko (in 1935)
publisher:
Chappell & Co., Inc. (USA) and Francis Day S.A.
medley of:
La Vie en rose (French original)
2:49
4The Sand and the Sea
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
The Sand and the Sea (in 1961)
writer:
Hal Hester and Barry Parker
publisher:
Barry Parker Music
2:41
5If I May
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
If I May (in 1961)
writer:
Rose Marie McCoy and Charles Singleton (composer/lyricist)
2:58
6A Blossom Fell
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
A Blossom Fell (in 1961)
writer and composer:
Howard Barnes, Harold Cornelius and Dominic John
2:42
7To the Ends of the Earth
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
To the Ends of the Earth (in 1961)
writer:
Joe Sherman and Noel Sherman
2:25
8Night Lights
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Night Lights (in 1961)
lyricist:
Sammy Gallop
2:49
9Ballerina
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole (on 1961-07-20)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (on 1961-07-20)
cover recording of:
Ballerina (on 1961-07-20)
lyricist:
Bob Russell (US songwriter/lyricist Sidney Keith “Bob” Russell)
composer:
Carl Sigman
2:42
10Stardust
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano and lead vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
cover recording of:
Stardust (the jazz standard) (from 1956-12-19 until 1956-12-28)
lyricist:
Mitchell Parish (in 1929)
composer:
Hoagy Carmichael (in 1927)
publisher:
Mills Music, Inc. (ended), All Nations Music, EMI Mills Music Inc. (ASCAP-affiliated), EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS-affiliated), Everbright Music Co., Hoagy Publishing Co., Lawrence Wright Music Co., Ltd. and Songs of Peer, Ltd. (ASCAP)
sub-publisher:
イーエムアイ音楽出版 ソニー事業部 (until 2021-06-30) and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング EMI外国事業部 (sub‐publisher for foreign (non‐Japanese) works) (from 2021-07-01 to present)
part of:
American Splendor
2.653:14
11Send for Me
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Send for Me (in 1961)
lyricist and composer:
Ollie Jones
2:30
12St. Louis Blues
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
cover recording of:
St. Louis Blues (in 1962)
lyricist and composer:
William Christopher Handy (in 1913)
2:25
13Looking Back
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Looking Back (in 1961)
writer:
Brook Benton, Belford Hendricks and Clyde Otis (American songwriter and record producer)
publisher:
The Clyde Otis Music Group, Inc. (publisher; do NOT use as release label)
2:27
14Non dimenticar
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Non dimenticar (in 1961)
lyricist:
Michele Galdieri
composer:
Gino Redi (Italian composer)
3:07
15Paradise
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Paradise
lyricist:
Nacio Herb Brown (US songwriter) and Gordon Clifford
composer:
Nacio Herb Brown (US songwriter)
publisher:
Keith Prowse Music Publishing Co. Ltd. and Leo Feist, Inc.
3:11
16Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Mary Don’t You Weep
lyricist and composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 11823)
1:56
17Ay, Cosita Linda
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Ay cosita linda
lyricist and composer:
Pacho Galán
2:14
18Wild Is Love
producer:
Lee Gillette
piano:
Nat King Cole
vocals:
Nat King Cole
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael
recording of:
Wild Is Love
writer:
Raymond Rasch and Dottie Wayne
2:48