Born in Montreal, Canada, Peterson began learning trumpet and piano from his father at the age of five, but by the age of seven, after a bout of tuberculosis, he concentrated on the piano. Some of the artists who influenced Peterson during the early years were Teddy Wilson, Nat "King" Cole, James P. Johnson, and the legendary Art Tatum, to whom many have tried to compare Peterson in later years. In fact, one of his first exposures to the musical talents of Art Tatum came early in his teen years when his father played an Art Tatum record to him and Peterson was so intimidated by what he heard that he didn't touch the piano for over a week.
He soon developed a reputation as a technically brilliant and melodically inventive jazz pianist, and became a regular on Canadian radio. His United States introduction was at Carnegie Hall, New York City in 1949 by Norman Granz; owing to union restrictions his appearance could not be billed.
Some of his musical associates have included Lester Young, Ray Brown, Ben Webster, Herb Ellis, Ed Thigpen, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Louis Armstrong, Stéphane Grappelli, Ella Fitzgerald, Clark Terry, Joe Pass, Count Basie, and Stan Getz. An important step in his career was joining impresario Norman Granz's labels (especially Verve records) and Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic package, with which he was able to play with the major jazz artists of the time. Granz was also his manager for most of Peterson's career. Some cognoscenti assert that Peterson's best recordings were made for the MPS label in the late 'sixties and early 'seventies. For some years subsequently he recorded for Granz's Pablo Records after the label was founded in 1973 and in more recent years for the Telarc label.
In 1993, Peterson suffered a serious stroke that weakened his left side and sidelined him for two years. However he overcame this setback and went back to touring, recording, and composing on a limited basis. In 1997 he received a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement and an International Jazz Hall of Fame Award. He died on December 24th, 2007 of kidney failure.
'S Wonderful
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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'S marvelous, 's marvelous
That you should care for me
'S awful nice, 's awful nice
'S paradise, 's paradise
'S what I love to see
You can't blame me for feeling amorous
Oh, 's wonderful, 's marvelous
That you should care for me
The lyrics to Oscar Peterson's 'S Wonderful exude a sense of awe at the feeling of being loved, and the singer's appreciation for the impact that their lover has had on their life. The repetition of 's wonderful' and 's marvelous' echoes the sentiment of being overwhelmed by emotion, and highlights the sensation of experiencing something truly remarkable. The lyrics keep returning to the idea of paradise and glamour, suggesting that the singer views their relationship as something incredibly special, and that their lover has elevated and made more beautiful all aspects of their life.
The appearance of the word 'amorous' toward the end of the song underlines the depth of the singer's feelings, as they admit to being so enamored with their lover that they cannot be held responsible for their intense attraction. Overall, the lyrics of 'S Wonderful are a romantic tribute to the power of love and its ability to transform a life, evoke joy, and create a sense of wonder.
Line by Line Meaning
'S wonderful, 's wonderful
It's truly wonderful, truly wonderful
'S marvelous, 's marvelous
It's absolutely marvelous, absolutely marvelous
That you should care for me
It's unbelievable that you have feelings for me
'S awful nice, 's awful nice
It's incredibly nice, incredibly nice
'S paradise, 's paradise
It's like paradise, like paradise
'S what I love to see
It's exactly what I love to experience
You've made my life so glamorous
You have transformed my life into a world of glamour and luxury
You can't blame me for feeling amorous
It's understandable that I feel deeply in love with you
Oh, 's wonderful, 's marvelous
Oh, it's truly wonderful and absolutely marvelous
That you should care for me
I am truly amazed that you have feelings for me
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind