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.
East of the Sun
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll build a dream house so lovely
Near to the sun in a day, near to the moon at night,
We'll live in a lovely way dear
Living our love in memory
Just you and I, forever and a day,
Love will not die, we'll keep it that way,
A harmony of life, too lovely tune
East of the sun and west of the moon, dear,
East of the sun and west of the moon.
The lyrics of Oscar Peterson's song East of the Sun depict the idea of a harmonious and idyllic love that transcends time and space. The lines "East of the sun and west of the moon" allude to a fairytale sense of adventure and discovery, suggesting that the couple is willing to venture far and wide to create their dream house and maintain their love. The desire to live close to the sun and the moon is also symbolic of a balance of extremes, a balance that is fundamental to a healthy and enduring relationship.
The lyrics further suggest that the couple is committed to preserving their love forever, even when they are apart. While they may not always be physically together, their love will stay alive in their memories. The line "up among the stars we'll find a harmony of life, too lovely a tune" is a metaphor for their unfaltering love, which will persist in the heavens beyond human life. The last line "East of the sun and west of the moon" repeats the opening line to emphasize the sense of adventure and quest that the couple is on together.
Overall, Oscar Peterson's song East of the Sun presents an aspirational view of romantic love, one that transcends physical and temporal constraints and centers on the idea of love as a harmonious, enduring force that is essential to a fulfilling life.
Line by Line Meaning
East of the sun and west of the moon,
We will go to a place far away from here, beyond what we know.
We'll build a dream house so lovely
We will create a home for ourselves that is perfect and beautiful.
Near to the sun in a day, near to the moon at night,
Our home will be in a place where we are close to both the sun and the moon, experiencing their warmth and light.
We'll live in a lovely way dear
We will live together in a way that is filled with love and happiness.
Living our love in memory
We will cherish and hold onto our love for each other forever.
Just you and I, forever and a day,
We will be together always, for an eternity.
Love will not die, we'll keep it that way,
We will make sure to always nurture and preserve our love so that it never fades.
Up among the stars we'll find
We will explore the vast universe and find new wonders to experience together.
A harmony of life, too lovely tune
The beauty and perfection of our life together will be like a beautiful melody that fills our hearts.
East of the sun and west of the moon, dear,
We will continue to journey together to a place far beyond what we know, with each other by our side.
East of the sun and west of the moon.
We will wander together, exploring the unknown and experiencing life to the fullest.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brooks Bowman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind