1950’s Love Songs by Nat King Cole

by Avis Yarbrough


Nat King Cole was born in 1919 in Montgomery, Alabama.

In the 1930’s the Nat King Cole trio was formed, but by the late 1940’and early 1950’s, Nat King Cole had decided to become a solo artist.

He recorded a string of love songs in the 1950’s, with hits that included Mona Lisa, and Too Young. Here are some facts about those two songs.

Too Young was the #1 for five weeks on the Billboard and the #1 song on the Hit Parade for five weeks. The words were written by Sylvia Dee and music by Sid Lippman.

The lyrics are as follows:

They try to tell us we are too young
To Young to fall in Love
They say that love is just a word, A word we only heard.
But can’t begin to know its meaning of.
And yet we are not too young to know,
This love will last though many years will go
And then someday they may recall
That we are not too young at all.

In 1950,Mona Lisa was listed at number #1 on Billboard for eight weeks. It was written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for a film and one the Academy Award for the most original song.

The lyrics are as follows:

Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you
You are so like the lady with the mystic smile
It is only because you are lonely that they blame you?
For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile?
Do you tempt a lover, Mona Lisa?
Or is this a way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep,
But they just lay there and they die there
Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?

Nat King Cole died February 15, 1965 of lung cancer.

A revered a much love singer and musician his love songs are still played today.

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