An Unforgettable 3:39 Seconds
3:39 is how long the song “Unforgettable” lasts when sung as a duet by the late Natalie Cole and her father, Nat King Cole. The first time I heard this iconic song was in 1991, a year that marked a significant turning point in my life. I had just purchased one of my first CDs, containing 22 songs, all carefully constructed as a tribute to her late father. It became the most played album in my collection. At just 26, I was working as a DJ at various venues across Florida’s west coast. My gigs often took me to unique locations, including Walt Disney World, where my roles as a DJ and emcee were critical to creating unforgettable moments.
As you listen, it is obvious that the connection between Natalie and Nat goes beyond the ordinary parent-child relationship. Nat passed away from lung cancer when Natalie was only 15 years old, just one month before I was born in 1965. Despite their years apart, his immense influence on her artistry is clearly recognizable. In interviews about her dad after the album won many Grammys, including album of the year in 1992, she often spoke about the devastation of losing him and how that loss shaped her both personally and professionally. The “Unforgettable” album is a unique tribute, encapsulating her enduring love for her father and offering listeners a glimpse into their relationship.
As a DJ with three decades of experience with one mission in mind, creating unforgettable moments for weddings, parties, and once-in-a-lifetime events, I can attest to the powerful impact of music on our lives. Ever since 1991, the thousands of events where I DJ’d, one or two songs from Natalie’s album found a place on my playlists.
Personal Connection
The significance of this album in my life is profound, as it marks several important events. When the album came out, my first son was born in 1990, and later that year, I lost both my mom’s parents. Track 7, “Smile,” served as a song of grief recovery for me. Even the additional versions of that song released over the years continued to help me through the grief process. A decade later, “The Very Thought of You” was used as the first dance song at my wedding to my daughter’s mother back in 2000. Even though we have been divorced for 20 years now, that song still connects me to a meaningful moment in our lives, and I never feel negative about it, even though the outcome of the relationship was not what I had hoped.
Originally released in 1951 and then again in 1991, “Unforgettable” remains a perfect expression of love and a tribute to the bond between father and daughter. Fast forward to April of this year, and it became the perfect song yet again. I knew it would be our father-daughter dance song. My daughter and I sang our own silly version of car karaoke on social media when she was just 11. Naturally, my now 21-year-old daughter chose “Unforgettable” for our father-daughter dance at her recent wedding. It fit so timelessly, echoing the sentiments of love, legacy, and remembrance that we share. In that moment, during the song, it felt as though time stood still.
What strikes me about “Unforgettable” is how it creates a bridge across time and space. This interconnectedness is reminiscent of God’s existence beyond our physical limitations. He is transcendent—forever outside of space and time, yet intimately involved in our lives. Similarly, experiencing a song like “Unforgettable” transports us to a realm that reveals a divine purpose.
Music Makes us Remember
The connection between music and our origin is undeniable. It extends well beyond the material world and stirs our souls towards the transcendent nature of our Creator. Each melody and each lyric serve as reminders of time’s passing and the connections that shape our souls. In Colossians 3:16, we learn that God uses music to help, comfort, and even gently correct our fellow believers. Whether it’s at a wedding or while remembering a lost loved one, music can provide a moment of solace, guiding our emotions and anchoring us to our memories. This connection is precisely what gives us insight into the Divine transcendent nature of God.
Unforgettable
The beauty of a song like “Unforgettable” lies in its capacity to unify two worlds—the world of the living and the world of those we have gone before us, as well as those not yet born. It transcends time, creating space for love to flourish amid heartache. In our significant moments in life, let us turn to the music that carries our stories, the songs that fill our hearts, and the harmonies that remind us what it means to love and be loved. As long as there are songs like “Unforgettable,” the bonds we share will resonate transcendently through time.
In Luke 22:19, Jesus commands us, “Do this in remembrance of me,” as an act of communion with him transcendently.
Christ’s love, as with all true love, is truly unforgettable.
