Nature's Way

Some people will be familiar with the song ‘Nature Boy’s’ because George Benson recorded it in the 1970s on his ‘In Flight’ album. It was originally recorded by Nat King Cole back in the 1940s and it’s a song with an interesting tale. Its composer eden ahbez (he liked his name spelled in lower case) has been called a premature hippie and legend has it he lived underneath the first L of the ‘Hollywood’ sign on Mt. Lee in the Hollywood Hills, surviving on a diet of nuts and berries. Does this sound too good to be true? Well ahbez was born Alexander Aberle in Brooklyn, New York in 1908. He had written his song about a "strange enchanted boy" "who wandered very far" only to learn that "the greatest gift" "was just to love and be loved in return." One day he hustled Nat Cole’s manager giving him a manuscript copy of the song. Cole recognized the old Jewish melody of the song, but liked the words and decided to record it.

After it was recorded the publisher of the original song ‘Schwieg Mein Hertz’ settled with ahbez for a share of the royalties. Ahbez had already given away shares in the song to Cole’s valet (who subsequently sold his share to a man with the wonderful name of Bullets Durgom, because he needed the money) for helping him get to the singer and a further 12 1/2% share to another man who also helped him, leaving ahbez with 75%. Nat Cole recorded another of his songs called ‘Land of Love’ and in the 1960s ahbez even made a couple of records himself. He died in March 1995 in Los Angeles after being hit by a car.

I’d just love to know more about Mr. ahbez. The picture was taken in 1953 and shows E.A. alongside Nat King Cole. Ahbez looks like he's auditonaing for the role of General Custer