Night Lights

Nat King Cole | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B00005IA0F
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,402 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the "lost" album now available, June 6, 2001

By 

wendyb1 (Glendale, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Night Lights (Audio CD)

NIGHT LIGHTS (an unissued studio album from 1955-56) is the missing link in the recorded history of Nat King Cole.

For NIGHT LIGHTS, Cole and his longtime arranger and conductor Nelson Riddle planned a lovely, thoughtful collection of new songs. These were the work of composers ranging from such established hitmakers as Jimmy McHugh to comparative newcomers like Moose Charlap (father of contemporary jazz pianist, Bill Charlap). Cole and Riddle recorded 20 tracks over several sessions, yet the album was never released in that form, and 12 of the tracks have never been heard at all.

A handful of tracks did see the light of day as singles. And all of these singles became milestones in the Cole career, being both chart hits and Cole perennials: "Too Young To Go Steady," "To The Ends Of The Earth," "Never Let Me Go" and "I Just Found Out About Love." It should come as no surprise then, that the songs that were not released are of the same high caliber. Fans will appreciate hearing these songs for the first time which come from a high point in Cole's vocal career.

1. Night Lights (#11 Pop 9/56) 2. I Got Love * 3. Stay * 4. Mr. Juke Box * 5. I Just Found Out About Love (from the musical STRIP FOR ACTION) 6. Dame Crazy (from STRIP FOR ACTION) 7. Too Young To Go Steady (from STRIP FOR ACTION) (#21 Pop 3/56) 8. Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow (from STRIP FOR ACTION) 9. The Shadows * 10. Believe * 11. To The Ends Of The Earth (#25 Pop 9/56, flip side of Night Lights) 12. Never Let Me Go (from Paramount Pictures' "The Scarlet Hour" 1955) (#79 Pop 3/56) 13. I Promise You 14. The Way I Love You * 15. Once Before * 16. Make Me * 17. Sometimes I Wonder * 18. I Need A Plan * 19. I'm Willing To Share This With You * 20. The Story's Old * * previously unreleased track

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best new albums of 2001 was made in 1956!, July 29, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Night Lights (Audio CD)

Take a trip on a CD time-machine to a different era, and enjoy a "brand new" Nat King Cole album that was recorded more than 45 years ago, but which somehow never saw release. Except for a few singles that came out of these sessions, the album was buried in the Capitol Records' vaults until now. Night Lights has been expertly remastered by Bob Norberg, and the songs sound fresh in clean in their original mono format. There are also nice liner notes written by Nat King Cole expert Will Friedwald that give insight into who wrote the songs, how they were recorded, etc.

The songs themselves are a treat--lovely confections arranged by the legendary Nelson Riddle. And Nat's voice is in top form--sensuous or jaunty depending on the song. When Nat sings "Believe in what you're doing/And do what you believe in/And Life will offer love and laughter/Ever after--just believe!" you'll smile and probably get a mood boost that will last the rest of the day. About the half of the songs are jazzy, brassy, uptempo, numbers, while the other half are three minute string laden romantic epics of the kind they just don't make anymore (although I guess Diana Krall is helping them make a comeback). If you're a Nat King Cole fan, you owe it to yourself to buy this great disc which gets my vote as one of the best new albums of the year.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gems nevertheless, January 10, 2002

By 

KENT D BRICK (Mandan, North Dakota United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Night Lights (Audio CD)

It is utterly remarkable that this set of recordings, never previously released, fits so uniformly in a package that is so superb. It is Nat King Cole in his early days as a vocal giant, but it is crystal clear he knows that America in 1955 wanted a softly swinging, sincerely sentimental approach in music. He nails it in this package. Mind you, I don't think it's Nat at his balladeer best; for that you go to "The Touch of Your Lips" and for Nat at his flat out musical best, you go to "Let's Face the Music." I've been a big fan of Nat's for 40 years, when I first heard Ramblin' Rose at age 7. The "Night Lights" release deserves some kind of Grammy, but I don't see that happening.
Anyhow, any serious American music collection should contain this one (and if you want "Face the Music" just order the three-cd Billy May sessions package--it's in there, intact, Nat doin' the jammin Hammond and otherwise lightin' it up big time)