Peter
Ambrose and His Orchestra Lyrics
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That goes for Albert Einstein, the League of Nations too,
So now my fine and feathered friend,
I'll leave it up to you.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
How much do I love you?
Then what have I got to pick to turn the trick
If Simple Simon sat beside a shallow saucer
Tryin' to catch a whale
Then what have I got to try to make you buy
The heart I've got for sale?
How much wood would a wood-chuck chuck
If a wood-chuck could chuck wood?
I'd chuck double with no trouble
If it did me any good
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
I'll tell you what I'd do
I'd pick a peck of peppers
Sit beside a saucer
I'd even be a wood-chuck
Chuck-in all I could chuck
Just to make you love me too.
The lyrics of "Peter" by Ambrose and his Orchestra are a playful jumble of famous tongue twisters and nonsensical phrases. The singer is in the middle of solving a riddle that seems impossible to solve, even for brilliant minds like Albert Einstein and the League of Nations. In frustration, the singer turns to their "fine and feathered friend," leaving the solution up to them. The lyrics then shift into a series of nonsensical phrases that all circle around the theme of love and what the singer can do to make their love interest return their affection.
The first tongue twister referenced is "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers," which is then juxtaposed with the question "how much do I love you?" The singer is perhaps suggesting that their love is just as complicated and hard to measure as the tongue twister. The next set of phrases includes "Simple Simon sat beside a shallow saucer / Tryin' to catch a whale," which seems to be a playful nod to the absurdity of some nursery rhymes. Again, the lyrics tie back to the theme of love, with the singer wondering what they have to do to make their love interest "buy" their heart.
The final section of the lyrics returns to the tongue twister about the woodchuck, but adds a twist. The singer claims they could chuck double the amount of wood with no trouble if it would make their love interest love them back. They then circle back to the first tongue twister, saying they would pick a peck of pickled peppers and even be a woodchuck just to win their love.
Overall, the lyrics of "Peter" are lighthearted and playful, with a touch of absurdity. They use common tongue twisters and nonsense phrases to explore the idea of love and what one would do to win someone's heart.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in the middle of solving a riddle that no one can do;
I am currently trying to answer a question that has baffled everyone.
That goes for Albert Einstein, the League of Nations too,
Even the most intelligent and powerful individuals in the world have failed to solve it.
So now my fine and feathered friend,
Addressing the listener as a close friend.
I'll leave it up to you.
I will let you come up with the answer.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
If a tongue-twisting phrase can become well-known and popular,
How much do I love you?
Then my love for you should be just as famous.
Then what have I got to pick to turn the trick
What else do I need to do to win your love?
And make you love me too?
And make you reciprocate my love.
If Simple Simon sat beside a shallow saucer
If a foolish character tries to achieve something impossible.
Tryin' to catch a whale
In this case, catch an animal in the wrong environment.
Then what have I got to try to make you buy
What must I do to make you accept my feelings?
The heart I've got for sale?
The love that I am willing to give to you.
How much wood would a wood-chuck chuck
If a hypothetical creature could chuck wood,
If a wood-chuck could chuck wood?
How much could it actually chuck?
I'd chuck double with no trouble
If it meant winning your love, I would work twice as hard.
If it did me any good
If it would actually make a difference.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
If something as trivial as tongue twisters can make headlines,
I'll tell you what I'd do
I will tell you what I am willing to do.
I'd pick a peck of peppers
I would do something equally noteworthy or even more remarkable.
Sit beside a saucer
I would attempt to do the impossible.
I'd even be a wood-chuck
I would try my best to do something unrealistic.
Chuck-in all I could chuck
I would exert all my effort to show you how much I love you.
Just to make you love me too.
I would go to great lengths to make you fall in love with me as well.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY MERCER, RICHARD WHITING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Carey
Absolutely fantastic sound. The tempo might be just a tad too fast, but still it's a very good version of this song. I like it!
SAHBfan
Excellent sound quality, thanks for uploading. I have for a while been trying to find out who the percussionist was who played alongside Max Bacon. Tall guy with a moustache who appears on that most famous Ambrose Orchestra picture that is all over youtube. I can't find him listed in any of the usual places. It is likely he isn't on this recording - but do you know who he is? Thanks.
SAHBfan
Hi thanks for the reply. I've just read Jimmy Blades' biographies on several sites as well as his obituary. There was no mention at all of him playing with Ambrose. There is even less information on Jock Cummings, just a brief mention about The Squadronaires. I'm sure you are right in both cases, but I could find no decent photographs of either of them, certainly not from the 1030s, so I'm still not sure who is in the photo I was referring to. I find it a bit infuriating that there seems to be so little information on the Internet on one of the best (if not the best) dance bands of all time!
Andy LeMaitre
Hi SAHBfan, could it be Jimmy Blades or Jock Cummins? Blades played timpany and xylophone with Ambrose and Cummins is listed as a drummer alongside Bacon.
antonio campagnefilho
boas musicas para se ouvirem são mortais estas orquestras anda hoje ano 2017 são vendidas em cd e dvd remasterizadas e a moçidade compra de monte
gilles lairaudat
J'adore le jazz , en particulier la musique swing
gilles lairaudat
Belle musique, on se croirai dans les années 30
blackpoolbarmpot
Certainly one of the best arrangements of this popular song with the ever dependable 'Sam Browne' vocal. I wonder why 'The Gramophone Company' issued it on 'Regal / Zonophone' rather than their prestigious 'HMV' label ? Still, it makes no difference to the quality of recording and the great Bert Ambrose Orchestra ! Thanks for posting
Andy LeMaitre
Perhaps it was because Ambrose had already signed up for Brunswick and The Gramophone Company were getting a little petulant and decided to put the great Ambrose on the budget label. Just my little hypothesis, I'm probably wrong.
MrQuintonia
Thanks for this, added to my list of wants..