Dads And Daughters - Nat And Natalie Cole - Page 2

Part of: Retro Redux

There were a number of videos that appealed to me, but the one that sticks in my mind the most was playing frequently about fifteen years ago, while my daughter was in college and still living at home. I'm sure she wasn't quite as attuned to MTV by then, but in a strange twist of events, her Dad was — and I think I watched Natalie Cole singing "Unforgettable" with the ghost of her Dad about a zillion times. Of course, it was my kind of music, but there was also the sentiment of the whole thing. And even if the feeling persisted that there was some manipulation taking place, it still made me a little misty to watch the two of them.

Nat died when Natalie was a teenager, and although she forged a solid singing career of her own for a number of years, she went through some tough times in her personal life. (If you go to the music Wiki, you can read all about Nat and/or Natalie.) She had many, many problems, and, through it all, she resisted the temptation to record her father's songs because she wanted to succeed with her own music and also because it was too painful for her.By 1991, she was ready, and she brought out her album Unforgettable... with Love. It featured many of Nat's hits and was a smash, not only ringing up huge sales, but also winning several Grammys — including Record Of The Year — and paving the way for her subsequent albums of old standards. The song that drew the most attention on the album was the title track, a virtual duet with Nat that was the basis for the video I saw again and again on MTV, and it's still one of my favorite songs of all time.

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Article Author: Big Geez

The Big Geez is a retiree who takes time off from trimming his ear hair to write about music -- sometimes doing conventional reviews, but often just sharing his opinions about how something resonates with his memories and those of his generation. …

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  • Unforgettable: With Love Unforgettable: With Love

    Four years after her return to recording after a much-publicized battle with drug addiction, Natalie Cole found herself unexpectedly experiencing a virtual reinvention as a bestselling artist and ...

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