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.
At Long Last Love
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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Is it the good turtle soup or merely the mock?
Is it a cocktail, this feeling of joy?
Or is what i feel the real McCoy?
Is it for all time or simply a lark?
Is it Granada i see or only Asbury Park?
Is it a fancy not worth thinking of?
Is it an earthquake, or simply a shock?
Is it the good turtle soup, or is it merely the mock?
Is it a cocktail, this feeling of joy?
Or is what i feel the real McCoy?
Is it for all time or simply a lark?
Is it Granada i see or only Asbury Park?
Is it a fancy, not worth thinking of?
Or is it at long long long last love?
In Oscar Peterson's song At Long Last Love, the lyrics depict the confusing and overwhelming feelings that love can evoke in a person. The opening lines ask if the sensation they are experiencing is as drastic as an earthquake or just a simple shock, playing with the idea of how love can seem to shake one's whole world or just catch them off guard. The following lines compare the feeling to a delicious and satisfying soup, or just a cheap imitation, and to a luxurious cocktail or just a temporary joy.
The remainder of the song continues with these comparisons, questioning whether the love they are feeling is enduring or just a fleeting fancy, whether the beauty they are seeing is real or just a mirage. It culminates with the repeated refrain of "is it at long last love?" as if questioning the validity of the feeling, unsure if they can finally trust it. Overall, the lyrics convey the overwhelming emotions of love and the struggle to discern whether it is true or just an illusion.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it an earthquake or simply a shock?
Am I experiencing a life-altering event or just a passing tremor?
Is it the good turtle soup or merely the mock?
Is this feeling genuine or just a shallow imitation?
Is it a cocktail, this feeling of joy?
Is this happiness temporary and illusory like a drink, or real and sustaining?
Or is what i feel the real McCoy?
Is this the genuine article, the real thing?
Is it for all time or simply a lark?
Is this a deeper commitment or just a temporary fling?
Is it Granada i see or only Asbury Park?
Am I seeing things clearly, or am I in a state of confusion?
Is it a fancy not worth thinking of?
Is this just a fleeting fantasy that I shouldn't bother pursuing?
Or is it at long last love?
Or is this the one true love that I have been waiting for all my life?
Is it an earthquake, or simply a shock?
Again, am I experiencing a life-altering event or just a passing tremor?
Is it the good turtle soup, or is it merely the mock?
Am I really experiencing something great, or is it just an imitation of something greater?
Is it a cocktail, this feeling of joy?
Once again, is this happiness temporary and illusory like a drink, or real and sustaining?
Or is what i feel the real McCoy?
Am I truly feeling the genuine article, the real thing?
Is it for all time or simply a lark?
Still wondering if this is a deeper commitment or just a temporary fling?
Is it Granada i see or only Asbury Park?
Still trying to determine if I'm seeing things clearly or in a delusional state?
Is it a fancy, not worth thinking of?
Still feeling uncertain about the value of pursuing this seemingly fleeting fantasy?
Or is it at long long long last love?
But finally coming to the realization that this is indeed the one true love that I have been waiting for all my life.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind