Solamente una vez (You Belong To My Heart)

When Nat King Cole recorded More Cole Español in 1962, he had already explored Spanish music for some time. This album, which includes the track Solamente una vez (You Belong to My Heart), was his third and final venture into this style. The album was recorded in Mexico City and featured arrangements by Ralph Carmichael. Previously, Cole had released Cole Español in 1958 and A Mis Amigos in 1959, demonstrating a consistent interest in this repertoire. It was noticeable that, while he continued to work on his pronunciation, in More Cole Español he seemed to enjoy the process of interpreting these songs much more.

This musical journey of Nat King Cole into Spanish is particularly interesting if we consider his origins. Born as Nathaniel Adams Coles in Montgomery in 1919, his musical training began in Chicago, the city his family moved to. There, his mother, Perlina Adams, was his only piano teacher, teaching him not only jazz and gospel, but also classical music. He grew up in the Bronzeville neighborhood, an epicenter of nightlife and jazz at the time, where he had the opportunity to listen to figures like Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines. Inspired by Hines, Nat began his artistic career in the mid-1930s. Along with his older brother, Eddie, a bassist, he made his first recording in 1936. It was in the clubs of Chicago where he earned the nickname "King," before settling in Long Beach, California, after a tour as a pianist with Eubie Blake. His ability to connect with diverse genres and audiences led him to explore sounds beyond his roots, as evidenced by his Spanish recordings.