Liner Notes

Romantic Voice for Valentines

It’s special Valentine’s Day episode of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

That means, of course, my girlfriend Karen gets to join me as we once again grab some music from one of the most romantic voices ever recorded.

We featured this voice two years ago in our Valentines special and it’s the third of five Nat King Cole records in his dad’s collection. This was one of 30 albums Cole recorded for Capitol Records.

So, get ready to hear the smooth velvety voice that sold more than nine million records in Special Volume: Nat’s Very Thoughtful Valentine.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here or on YouTube:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Nat King Cole, Gordon Jenkins And His Orchestra – The Very Thought Of You
Label: Capitol Records – W-1084
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, Scranton Pressing
Released: Nov 1958
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Easy Listening, Vocal

We will hear 6 of the 14 songs on this album

The Very Thought Of You
Written-By – Ray Noble

Paradise
Written-By – Gordon Clifford, Nacio Herb Brown

This Is All I Ask
Written-By – Gordon Jenkins

Cherchez La Femme
Written-By – Bob Marcus and Lorenzo Pack

I Found A Million Dollar Baby (In A Five And Ten Cent Store)
Written-By – Billy Rose, Harry Warren, and Mort Dixon

The More I See You
Written-By – Harry Warren, and Mack Gordon

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#natkingcole #valentinesday #vinylcollector

Here is the Episode Script!

Frank
Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into a special Valentine’s Day episode of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

That means, of course, my girlfriend Karen gets to join me as we once again grab some music from one of the most romantic voices ever recorded.

Karen
We featured this voice two years ago in our Valentines special and it’s the third of five Nat King Cole records in his dad’s collection.

This was one of 30 albums Cole recorded for Capitol Records.

Frank
So, get ready to hear the smooth velvety voice that sold more than nine million records in Special Volume: Nat’s Very Thoughtful Valentine.

[Music: The Very Thought Of You]

Karen
Nat King Cole with Gordon Jenkins And His Orchestra performing the title track of this album, The Very Thought Of You.

It was written by Ray Noble.

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Because I know very few of the artists in Frank’s dad’s collection, but Nat King Cole has always been one of my favorites. While I’m only familiar with one song on this record, I knew it was the perfect voice to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Frank
Cole is always among my first choice when I plan these special episodes with Karen. And I only knew two other songs myself from this disk.

Now let’s see where Nat is sending us this time.

[Music: Paradise]

Frank
Paradise
Written-By – Gordon Clifford, Nacio Herb Brown

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl we are spinning for this episode.

Nat King Cole, Gordon Jenkins And His Orchestra – The Very Thought Of You
Label: Capitol Records – W-1084
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, Scranton Pressing
Released: Nov 1958
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Easy Listening, Vocal

We will hear 6 of the 14 songs on this album

The liner notes are short so Karen will read them all.

Karen
These are the songs which come to heart when you think of songs for your very special love. Nat King Cole fashions each lyric in his intimate warm style.

The sympathetic backgrounds for Nat’s songs were conceived by conductor Gordon Jenkins, whose varied string voicings lend a rich, emotional caress to each melody.

As Nat sings these timeless songs of love you feel that each was created with The Very Thought of You in mind.

Frank
Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

$40.92 High
$1.00 Low

$9.10 Average
$6.29 Median

Last sold on Dec 09, 2024 for $7 although the one sold before that went for 30.

My dad’s record is in really good condition except for some crackle at the beginning of each side which settles down. The surface is still very nice. Except for an odd substance in a very small part of the first side, which I think is what is causing that crackle.

The cover has aged well, so I’ll call it in good condition. There are no markings we usually see on my dad’s covers. Not even his address label.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at three dollars.

Karen
Next up is a song written by the orchestra leader for this album.

[Music: This Is All I Ask]

Karen
This Is All I Ask
Written-By – Gordon Jenkins

Now let’s hear a summary of Cole’s life

Frank
Nat King Cole was a famous singer, pianist, and bandleader who became one of the most beloved musicians of the 20th century. He was born in 1919 in Montgomery, Alabama, but grew up in Chicago, where he learned to play the piano from his mother. As a young man, he formed the King Cole Trio, a jazz group that became popular in the 1940s. His smooth voice and gentle style made songs like Unforgettable, Mona Lisa, and The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) big hits. Over time, he moved away from jazz and focused on pop music, becoming one of the first Black artists to have widespread success with white audiences.

Karen
Even though he was a popular entertainer, Cole faced racism throughout his career. He was attacked by white supremacists during a concert in Alabama, and when he moved into an all-white neighborhood in Los Angeles, his family was threatened.

He was one of the first Black performers to have his own television show, The Nat King Cole Show, but it was canceled after a year because sponsors were afraid of losing white customers.

Cole wanted to break racial barriers through his music, but he did not see himself as a civil rights leader. When asked about segregation, he once said, “I’m an entertainer, not a politician,” which upset some activists who wanted him to speak out more.

Frank
Despite his reluctance to take a strong stand, Cole did support civil rights in quiet ways. He donated money to the cause and performed at benefits for organizations fighting for equality. Later in his career, he even spoke out against discrimination, though he never became as vocal as other Black celebrities of his time. Sadly, his career was cut short when he was diagnosed with lung cancer, likely caused by years of heavy smoking. He died in 1965 at the age of 45, but his music remains loved by people all over the world.

Next up. A song title in French, and when I first heard it I actually pictured it being sung at some cafe during the war.

[Music: Cherchez La Femme]

Frank
Cherchez La Femme or Look for the Woman
Written-By – Bob Marcus and Lorenzo Pack

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with the ancient history of this holiday.

Valentine’s Day has been around for a very long time. It started way back in ancient Rome, around the 3rd century. The holiday is named after Saint Valentine, a priest who secretly married couples when the emperor had banned marriage for soldiers. He was caught and put to death on February 14th. Later, the Catholic Church made him a saint, and people started celebrating love on this day. Some believe the holiday also comes from an old Roman festival called Lupercalia, where people would celebrate love and fertility in mid-February. Which is probably why birth rates are high in November.

Karen
At first, Valentine’s Day was mostly a religious holiday, and it took a long time to become popular across different countries.

By the Middle Ages, people in England and France started sending love notes, believing that birds choose their mates in mid-February.

In the 1700s and 1800s, people began exchanging handmade cards and small gifts. When printing became cheaper, companies started making Valentine’s cards, and by the early 1900s, the holiday had spread across the United States.

Now, almost every country has some form of Valentine’s celebration.

Frank
Over time, businesses saw how much people loved celebrating Valentine’s Day and turned it into a big industry. Today, stores sell millions of cards, chocolates, flowers, and even expensive gifts like jewelry.

Restaurants offer special meals, and advertisements encourage people to spend money to show their love. While many people still enjoy writing personal notes or making homemade gifts, the holiday has become very commercial, with companies trying to sell more products each year. Even though it started as a simple day for love, Valentine’s Day is now one of the biggest shopping holidays in the world!

Except I don’t think there are many five and dime stores around anymore. More like Dollar General.

[Music: I Found A Million Dollar Baby (In A Five And Ten Cent Store)]

Frank
I Found A Million Dollar Baby (In A Five And Ten Cent Store)
Written-By – Billy Rose, Harry Warren, and Mort Dixon

Well, we hope you enjoyed this episode as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you.

I don’t think I remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

But it’s a good one. It’s a photo of Nat with eyes closed, lips slightly parted as he sings out a note into the microphone which is barely seen on the far right side of the image. He’s wearing a collared shirt, with what appears to be a red and gray sweater vest. He has topped it off with a Bear Bryant style hat.

The photographer was not identified.

Karen
I always look forward to appearing on this special episode with Frank each year. And I love listening to the music we have played.

This last song has a MASH connection according to Frank, but since I’m introducing it, we’ll have to leave it for another time.

[Music: The More I See You]

Frank
The More I See You
Written-By – Harry Warren and Mack Gordon

And also the title for season 4 episode 22 of MASH.

Karen
And there you have selections from a very romantic record for Valentines Day.

Frank
So thanks for tuning into Special Volume: Nat’s Very Thoughtful Valentine

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back soon with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR another volume of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

Until then,

Go with the flow my friends.