What does it matter if we're rich or we're poor?

Continuing my trip back through the 1957 album charts.

18/08/57 : Love Is The Thing - Nat King Cole 

For a change, no weeks were skipped - and it was a nice coincidence to bump into Nat after having mentioned him in the last post.  I'm not aware I've ever listened to one of his albums, so I'm quite looking forward to it.

Hmmm - it's all a bit slow and crooning for me, but when it works well, as it does on "When I Fall In Love", it's a fine thing indeed.  There's nothing wrong with the rest of it, but it's a bit musical wallpapery.  And that's about all I have to say about a musical legend, I'm afraid.

We're at #5 in the charts this week on his second run which was a pleasing five weeks, all of which were spent at #5.  His first week was nine weeks, with it managing one week at #1.  The rest of the chart was TKAI (back in its rightful place), Tommy Steele, Frank and Oklahoma!.

Wikipedia tells me this is "the first of four collaborations between Cole and influential arranger Gordon Jenkins" - all of which are considered to be the best work by both of them.  And that's about all it has to say, other than that it sold a million copies in the US.  His entry is quite interesting - the man suffered so much racism in his life that it has its own section!  I also never knew he died at 45 of lung cancer - before I was even born!

"Customers also listened to" Duke Ellington, Lester Young, Buddy Rich and, errr, Susan Boyle.  Obviously.  I feel I should have liked this more than I did - it's fine, but no more than that for me, I'm afraid.

14/07/57 - Yet more Frank!
25/08/57 - Not his finest offering