"Someone That I Used to Love" by Natalie Cole

Song#:  0221
Date:  06/21/1980
Debut:  87
Peak:  21
Weeks:  21
Genre:  Adult Contemporary, R&B



Pop Bits:  Being the child of a legendary parent can often make a career in the same field difficult. But Nat King Cole's daughter seemed destined to be a star when she became an instant success with her first album "Inseparable" in 1975. The album boasted two R&B #1's (with "This Will Be" hitting #6 on the pop chart) and it got her two Grammy awards in 1976 including one for Best New Artist. The hit songs and albums continued through to 1979, but when the 80s approached she experienced a slip in popularity. Her 1980 album "Don't Look Back" was her first not to reach gold status and this first single couldn't get much traction on the pop or R&B charts (however, it did reach #3 on the AC chart). The beginning of the 80s would be a rough period for Cole and it would take a few years before her career got a second wind.

ReduxReview:  This is a well-written AC ballad that sounds like it should have been a theme from either a TV movie of the week or a feature film. It has her straying even further away from her R&B/Urban beginnings, but it was a solid song even if not the best first-single choice for the album.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Although she grew up surrounded by famous musicians and even performed as a child, Cole did attend college before embarking on a music career. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1972 with a degree in child psychology. 2) This song was covered by Barbra Streisand and released on her 1989 album "A Collection: Greatest Hits...and More."

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