Capitol Records has released the fourth volume of Nat King Cole’s From the Capitol Vaults, just in time for Father’s Day and Juneteenth.
Following the first two digital volumes released in 2022 and a third released in 2023, this edition includes 14 rare songs from Cole, many of which have never been previously available on streaming platforms.
The fourth edition of From the Capitol Vaults features tracks from the 50s and 60s, and it includes strong elements of swing and jazz. Among Cole’s performances include the swaying “The Right Thing to Say,” spirited “You Will Never Grow Old,” and playful “The First Baseball Game.”
In 1956’s “We Are Americans Too,” Cole delivers a pro-Civil Rights Message that reflects the emancipatory spirit of Juneteenth. As he looks back to the nation’s history of slavery, he sings, “By the pick and the plow and the sweat of our brow / We are Americans too / We have given up our blood and bone / Helped to lay the Nation’s cornerstone.”
Additionally, the compilation includes Cole’s jazzy cover of Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell’s “You Are My Sunshine.” The country song was first released in 1939, and it has since been covered by artists such as Bing Crosby and Gene Autry. In his 1955 recording, Cole imbues the famous track with a swinging, big band sound.
A jazz and classic pop artist who began his career in the 1930s, Cole is best known for songs such as “Nature Boy” and “The Christmas Song.” Since his early death in 1965, he has received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Today, Cole is remembered by his two living children. “We are so proud that our father touched the soul with his voice and was a quiet leader in the arts,” his daughter Casey Cole said in a 2021 interview. “He believed that he could bring harmony among people with his music. We want to continue that dream in a time when we really need it.”
Stream Nat King Cole’s From the Capitol Vaults (Vol. 4)