Songs from Stage and Screen

• Artist: Nat King Cole
• Rating:
• Release Date: January 23, 2001
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Vocal Music

Review

As an introduction to their new "Songbook Series," Capitol has reeled together a sampling of one of the greatest interpreters of the Great American Songbook. On this CD (one of two in the Cole-ection), Cole takes listeners on a musical trip through WWII era celluloid history. From the crisp phrasing of "I'm Shooting High" and the lyrical recitation of "Love Letters" to the string-fed themes of "An Affair to Remember" and the reluctant romance of "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," this collection demonstrates Cole's command of both music and mood. Lerner and Lowe's "Almost Like Being in Love" swings at a peppy pace while Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'" floats along on Cole's warm vocal breezes. Though the movies may not all be that memorable (anyone have Hello Frisco Hello on DVD?), the voice is unmistakable and can now be conveniently preserved for future generations of music lovers to treasure. ~ Matthew Robinson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Almost Like Being in Love	Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe	Nat King Cole	(1:54)
Let's Face the Music and Dance	Irving Berlin	Nat King Cole	(2:26)
You'll Never Know [*]	Mack Gordon, Harry Warren	Nat King Cole	(2:44)
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)	Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster	George Shearing, Nat King Cole	(3:44)
I Remember You	Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger	Nat King Cole	(3:14)
Pick Yourself Up	Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields	Nat King Cole	(3:12)
I'm Shooting High	Jimmy McHugh, Ted Koehler	Nat King Cole	(1:34)
I Should Care	Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston	Nat King Cole	(2:47)
O.K. for TV	Johnny Mercer	Nat King Cole	(2:28)
Love Letters	Edward Heyman, Victor Young	Nat King Cole	(2:45)
Ain't Misbehavin'	Fats Waller, Andy Razaf, Harry Brooks	Nat King Cole	(3:16)
Should I?	Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed	Nat King Cole	(2:07)
Again	Lionel Newman, Dorcas Cochran	Nat King Cole	(2:24)
An Affair to Remember	Harry Warren, Harold Adamson, Leo McCarey	Nat King Cole	(3:02)
Just One of Those Things	Cole Porter	Nat King Cole	(2:14)
Spring Is Here	Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart	Nat King Cole	(2:33)
I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face	Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe	Nat King Cole	(2:47)
The Party's Over	Al Green, Betty Comden, Jule Styne	Nat King Cole	(2:42)

Credits

Les Baxter (Conductor), Gordon Jenkins (Conductor), Billy May (Conductor), George Shearing (Performer), Ralph Carmichael (Conductor), Nat King Cole (Main Performer), Nelson Riddle (Conductor), Bob Norberg (Digital Remastering), Billy Vera (Producer), Billy Vera (Liner Notes), Billy Vera (Compilation), Wayne Watkins (Original Concept), William Claxton (Photography), Andy Engel (Design), Sam Gay (Art Direction), Bryan Kelley (Producer), Wendy Brueder (Project Manager), Chris Clough (A&R)