Studio Album · No. 5
Just One of Those Things Songwriting Credits by Nat King Cole
Produced by Lee Gillette
Holds writing credit on 0 of 12 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 0 / 12 documented
Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Nat King Cole carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Just One of Those Things is a pure interpreter's record, so the writing credits belong entirely to the great American songbook, not to Cole. He sings twelve standards drawn from Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Jule Styne, and others, with none of the songs written by Cole himself. The value he adds is vocal and interpretive, set against Billy May's swinging orchestral arrangements rather than any authorship. The composer column reads as a roll call of Tin Pan Alley and jazz writers, and the only through-line performer credit is Cole on vocals with May conducting. It is a singer's album in the classic Capitol mold, where the star's name sells songs written by other hands.
Just One of Those Things is a 1957 studio album by Nat King Cole, released on Capitol Records and recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood across sessions in July and August 1957. It was Cole's first full-length collaboration with arranger and conductor Billy May, whose swinging big-band charts frame Cole's baritone on a program of pop standards and jazz staples. Cole is the interpreter here rather than the writer: every song was composed by others, from Cole Porter's title track to Duke Ellington and Bob Russell's 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore.' Produced by Lee Gillette, the record reached number 18 on the Billboard popular albums chart and is widely regarded as one of Cole's classic vocal sets. The album pairs a singer at the height of his powers with May's brassy, uptempo arrangements, a contrast to the string-laden ballad records Cole was also making in this period.
Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
When Your Lover Has Gone
|
Einar Aaron Swan | Einar Aaron Swan | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 2 |
A Cottage for Sale
|
Larry Conley | Willard Robison | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 3 |
Who's Sorry Now?
|
Bert KalmarHarry Ruby | Ted Snyder | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 4 |
Once in a While
|
Bud Green | Michael Edwards | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 5 |
These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)
|
Holt MarvellHarry Link | Jack Strachey | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 6 |
Just for the Fun of It
|
Lorenz Hart | A. Jackson | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 7 |
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
|
Bob Russell | Duke Ellington | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 8 |
I Understand
|
Kim Gannon | Mabel Wayne | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 9 |
Just One of Those Things
|
Cole Porter | Cole Porter | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 10 |
The Song Is Ended (but the Melody Lingers On)
|
Irving Berlin | Israel Isidore Baline | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 11 |
I Should Care
|
Sammy Cahn | Axel StordahlPaul Weston | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 12 |
The Party's Over
|
Betty ComdenAdolph Green | Jule Styne | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Billy May (Arranger, Conductor) |