Unforgettable by Nat "King" Cole TTBB - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1850256

"Unforgettable" was written by Irving Gordon.




When he first wrote it in 1951, the original title was actually "Uncomparable," but his publishing company asked him to change it. While many people associate the lush sound of the song with Nelson Riddle (who wrote the iconic musical arrangement for Nat King Cole), the melody and lyrics are all Gordon.


In the key of G major, a four-part a cappella arrangement for men's voices (Tenor, Lead, Baritone, Bass) typically thrives on close harmony and resonant intervals. This style, common in both Barbershop and "Rat Pack" swing, relies on the "ring" of the chords and smooth, stepwise voice leading.

The Vocal Stack (G Major)
To achieve a full, balanced sound in G, the parts are usually voiced within these ranges:

Tenor (Part 1): The highest voice, usually singing a light, clear harmony above the melody. In a $Gmaj$ chord, the Tenor often takes the B (3rd) or D (5th).
Lead (Part 2): Carries the melody. In G major, the Lead stays primarily within the G major scale, anchoring the arrangement.
Baritone (Part 3): The "glue" that fills in the missing chord tones. The Baritone often jumps around more than other parts to complete the harmony, frequently crossing above or below the Lead.
Bass (Part 4): The foundation. In G major, the Bass provides the root (G) or the dominant (D) to ground the quartet's tuning.

Harmonic Characteristics in G
A professional arrangement in G will often utilize the chords we’ve discussed to create movement and "crunch":

The "Ring": Arrangements often aim for "just intonation," where the 3rds and 7ths are tuned slightly off standard piano tuning to create overtones.
Secondary Dominants: Using $C#7$ to lead into $D7$ creates a sophisticated, "swinging" lift.