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 Sundown
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll build a dream house of love dear
Close to the sun in the day
Near to the moon at night
We'll live in a lovely way dear
Sharing our love in the pale moonlight
Just you and I,
Love will not die,
We'll keep it that way
Up among the stars
We'll find a harmony of life to a lovely tune
East of the sun and west of the moon dear
East of the sun and west of the moon
The song "East of the Sun" by the Oscar Peterson Trio is a love song that invites the listener to imagine a world where love is all-encompassing and eternal. The lyrics describe a dream world where the lovers will build a house of love close to the sun during the day and close to the moon at night. In this world, they will live in a lovely way, sharing their love in the pale moonlight. The song speaks of a love that will not die, and the couple will be forever and a day. They will find harmony up among the stars, to a lovely tune. The song creates a sense of romantic escapism, transporting the listener to a world where love is always present and all-encompassing.
Line by Line Meaning
East of the sun and west of the moon
Let's go somewhere far away, beyond the known and expected boundaries, to create our own reality.
We'll build a dream house of love dear
Together we'll create a place where our love can thrive and where we'll always feel at home.
Close to the sun in the day
We'll bask in the warmth of love and light, feeling alive and energized.
Near to the moon at night
We'll embrace the coolness of the night, finding comfort in each other's arms and in the quietness of our surroundings.
We'll live in a lovely way dear
We'll enjoy each other's company and find happiness in the simple things, cherishing every moment we spend together.
Sharing our love in the pale moonlight
Our love will shine bright in the darkness, illuminating the beauty of the world around us and bringing us closer together.
Just you and I
No one else matters, as long as we have each other.
Forever and a day
Our love will endure the trials of time, growing stronger with each passing day.
Love will not die
Even in the face of adversity and challenges, our love will survive, resilient and unfaltering.
We'll keep it that way
We'll protect and nurture our love, never taking it for granted and always working to keep it alive.
Up among the stars
We'll reach for the heavens, striving for greatness and fulfillment in all aspects of our lives.
We'll find a harmony of life to a lovely tune
We'll integrate all aspects of our lives, finding balance and joy in everything we do, guided by the rhythm of our love.
East of the sun and west of the moon dear
We'll continue to journey together, exploring the unknown and facing each new challenge with courage and optimism.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brooks Bowman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bambi
omg really this is too much feeling