Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer.
Read Full Bio ↴Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer.

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.

Falling in Love with Love
Oscar Peterson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yesterday you came my way,
And when you smiled at me,
In my heart I felt a thrill you see,
That it was love at sight and
I was right to love you as I do.
Still I never dreamed that you could love me too.

Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,

I never knew what they could do.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.

You're telling ev'ry one I know
I'm on your mind each place we go
They can't believe that you're in love with me.

I have always placed you far above me.
I just can't imagine that you love me.
And after all is said and done,
To think that I'm the lucky one.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.

Skies are gray. I'm blue each day
When you are not around.
Ev'ry thing goes wrong, my dear I've found
But when you're by my side I fill with pride
For I'm so proud of you
It all seems too good to me to all be true

Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
I never knew what they could do.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.

You're telling ev'ry one I know
I'm on your mind each place we go
They can't believe that you're in love with me.

I have always placed you far above me.
I just can't imagine that you love me.
And after all is said and done,

To think that I'm the lucky one.
I can't believe that you're in love with me.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Oscar Peterson's song, Falling In Love With Love, depict the feeling of surprise and disbelief that comes when love is reciprocated. The first verse reveals how the singer fell in love with someone at first sight, feeling a thrill in their heart, but never dreamed that this person could love them back. Peterson then describes the ways in which this person's eyes and kisses stir something within them they never knew existed. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is in disbelief that their beloved is actually in love with them. They cannot believe that this person could love them back, and others around them find it hard to believe as well. This disbelief is rooted in the singer's feelings of unworthiness, as they sing about how they have always placed their beloved above them and cannot imagine being loved by them.

The lyrics reflect the feeling of being swept off your feet and completely taken aback when someone you are interested in shows an equal interest in you. It highlights the insecurity and self-doubt that can accompany the experience of falling in love. It speaks to the common fear of not being good enough and can resonate with anyone who has experienced a love that feels too good to be true.

Line by Line Meaning

Yesterday you came my way,
Referring to the moment when the singer first met the person they are addressing.

And when you smiled at me,
Expressing the emotional effect that the person’s smile had on the singer.

In my heart I felt a thrill you see,
The singer is describing the intense emotional reaction they felt when they saw the person’s smile.

That it was love at sight and
Emphasizing that the singer fell in love with the person as soon as they saw them.

I was right to love you as I do.
Expressing the singer’s belief that they were justified in falling in love with the person.

Still I never dreamed that you could love me too.
The singer is surprised and amazed that the person feels the same way about them.

Your eyes of blue, your kisses too,
Describing some of the things about the person that the singer finds attractive.

I never knew what they could do.
The singer didn’t realize how deeply affected they would be by the person’s eyes and kisses.

I can't believe that you're in love with me.
The singer is marveling at the fact that the person loves them back.

You're telling ev'ry one I know
The singer is describing how the person is openly expressing their love for them to others.

I'm on your mind each place we go
The singer is saying that the person is always thinking about them, no matter where they are.

They can't believe that you're in love with me.
Other people are surprised that the person loves the singer.

I have always placed you far above me.
The singer has always felt that the person is better than them.

I just can't imagine that you love me.
The singer finds it hard to believe that the person actually loves them.

And after all is said and done,
Referring to the fact that despite everything that has happened, the person still loves the singer.

To think that I'm the lucky one.
The singer feels fortunate to be loved by the person.

Skies are gray. I'm blue each day
The singer feels sad and unhappy when they are not with the person.

When you are not around.
When the person is not with the singer.

Ev'ry thing goes wrong, my dear I've found
The singer is saying that everything seems to go wrong when the person is not with them.

But when you're by my side I fill with pride
Expressing how the singer feels when they are with the person.

For I'm so proud of you
The singer is proud of the person and all their accomplishments.

It all seems too good to me to all be true
The singer finds it hard to believe that they have such a wonderful person in their life.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: CLARENCE GASKILL, JIMMY MC HUGH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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