Nat King Cole didn’t write one song on his first album, “The Nat King Cole Trio”, but that didn’t stop it from becoming the first number-one-selling album on Billboard’s very first popular album chart.
Billboard released the popular album chart on March 24, 1945.
Albums were just beginning to be popular when Billboard started its album chart. Billboard originally recorded sales from 200 record sellers and only listed the top ten albums. Today, the chart includes the highest-selling 200 albums.
Nat King Cole already was a popular singer and leader of the Nat King Cole Trio when he made the album. He recorded eight songs on four 78 rpm discs, including “Embraceable You,” “It’s Only a Paper Moon” and “Sweet Lorraine.”
Cole’s album stayed number one on the Billboard chart for three weeks.
Cole probably would not have made it to number one without our Song of the Day, “Straighten Up and Fly Right.” He wrote the single in 1943. He sold the song and gave up all royalties to music publisher Irving Mills for $50 so he could pay his hotel bill. He also agreed to give Mills a writing credit.
Cole knew he was being ripped off, but he knew what Mills could do with the song. Mills took it to radio shows. Other groups recorded it. And Cole’s star rose with it.
Nat King Cole signed a record deal with Capitol Records thanks to the song. He would never need to make a bad deal to pay a hotel bill again.
Straighten Up and Fly Right stayed at number one for nine weeks on the Harlem Hit Parade, reached number nine on the Billboard pop chart, and was number one for six weeks on what is equivalent to the Billboard Country Chart today.
Song of the Day is created by Sheldon Zoldan, and produced by Pam James for WGCU.
