The World of Nat King Cole

1	Smile 2:56
2	It's Only a Paper Moon 2:56
3	Straighten Up and Fly Right 2:27
4	Route 66 3:03
5	(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons 2:54
6	Nature Boy 2:40
7	Too Young 3:13
8	Unforgettable 3:12
9	Walkin' My Baby Back Home 2:41
10	Orange Colored Sky 2:33
11	Send for Me 2:32
12	A Blossom Fell 2:33
13	Mona Lisa 3:16
14	Quizás, Quizás, Quizás (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps) 2:45
15	On the Street Where You Live 3:11
16	Almost Like Being in Love 1:53
17	Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup 2:51
18	Ramblin' Rose 2:50
19	Let There Be Love 2:46
20	You Stepped Out of a Dream 2:37
21	When I Fall in Love 3:11
22	L-O-V-E 2:34
23	Let's Face the Music and Dance 2:26
24	Just One of Those Things 2:15
25	Day In - Day Out 2:24
26	Thou Swell 1:58
27	Unforgettable 3:30
28	Stardust 3:15

Barnes & Noble

A famous story about the unflappable pianist and singer tells of the one time he lost his temper: He called his office and a switchboard operator answered, “Capitol Records, home of the Beatles.” That was shortly before he died, and some people had forgotten that Capitol had been largely built on his genius for crafting hit singles for 20 years, regardless of changing fashions. These 28 tracks, celebrating the 40th anniversary of his death, are weak on his piano and otherwise predictable, but who can quibble? The big band material dominating the middle section is radiant and the ballads can induce tears, even now. Gary Giddins

All Music Guide

Easily the longest of any Capitol single-disc compilation, 2005's The World of Nat King Cole also benefits from a fresh remastering of its material to make it the best introduction to the interpretive brilliance of Nat King Cole. Nearly all the hits that need to be here are indeed present: "Straighten Up and Fly Right," "Route 66," "Nature Boy," "Too Young," and "Mona Lisa." The compilers also wisely chose a few representative songs to replace some of the middling hits; the only surprise is the absence of "The Christmas Song" and "Lush Life," although the chart hits -- "Answer Me, My Love," "Pretend," "Looking Back," and the much-maligned "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer" -- are missing for good reasons. In their places are excellent selections like "Let There Be Love" from a 1961 George Shearing collaboration, "Thou Swell" from Cole's 1960 LP at the Sands hotel in Las Vegas, his sublime 1956 version of "Stardust," and the ghost duet on "Unforgettable" between Nat and daughter Natalie Cole that earned seven Grammy awards in 1992. The liner notes include many great photographs as well as an essay written by Natalie. John Bush