Straighten Up and Fly Right

"Straighten Up and Fly Right" is a song based on an African American folk tale that Nat King Cole's father used in his sermons. The story revolves around a vulture that carries different animals on a flight, but when it gets hungry, it throws them off to eat them. A monkey, who had observed this tactic, decides to climb onto the vulture and surprises it by wrapping its tail around its neck, nearly suffocating it. This clever narrative translates into a fun and catchy melody that became one of the first major hits of the King Cole Trio.

The recording of this song took place on November 30, 1943, at C.P. MacGregor Studios in Hollywood, during a three-hour session. It was produced by Johnny Mercer and engineered by John Palladino. "Straighten Up and Fly Right" stood out not only for its story but also for its harmonic structure, which is inspired by the classic "I Got Rhythm" by George and Ira Gershwin. This single reached number one on the Harlem Hit Parade for ten non-consecutive weeks and also charted at number nine on the pop charts, in addition to leading the Most Played Jukebox Hillbilly Records lists.

It is interesting to note that Nat King Cole sold his share of the song's copyright for just $50 in the 1930s, before it was recorded. Later, he attempted to reclaim those rights through a lawsuit but was unsuccessful. This anecdote adds a layer of personal history to the song, which remains a classic of 1940s jazz and a testament to Cole's creativity in his early years as an artist.