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.
How Deep Is The Ocean?
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll tell you no lie
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?
How many times a day do I think of you?
How many roses are sprinkled with dew?
To be where you are?
How far is the journey
From here to a star?
And if I ever lost you, how much would I cry?
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?
How far would I travel
To be where you are?
How far is the journey
From here to a star?
And if I ever lost you, how much would I cry?
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?
How high is the sky?
The lyrics to How Deep Is The Ocean express the depth of love that the singer has for their significant other. They use the vastness of nature to describe the intensity of their feelings. The first verse asks how much they love their partner and answers with the question, "How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky?" The second verse continues with rhetorical questions, emphasizing the frequency with which they think of their loved one and their willingness to travel to be with them. The final line repeats the initial question, but this time asks how much they would cry if they lost their beloved.
The use of natural elements in the lyrics is effective in conveying the immensity of the singer's love. The ocean and the sky are boundless and seemingly infinite, just like the depth of their affection. Additionally, the use of rhetorical questions creates a sense of wonder and amazement, as if the answer to these questions is unknowable, just like the depth of love the singer has for their partner. The final line adds a sense of vulnerability to the song, as it acknowledges that even with such intense feelings of love, there is always a possibility of losing the person they care for most.
Line by Line Meaning
How much do I love you?
Inquiring about the intensity of affection towards the listener.
I'll tell you no lie
Promising to be truthful in the expression of love.
How deep is the ocean?
Asking the vastness of love in comparison with the depth of the sea.
How high is the sky?
Asking the immense nature of love when compared to the height of the sky.
How many times a day do I think of you?
Asking the frequency of thoughts about the listener throughout the day.
How many roses are sprinkled with dew?
Comparing the number of roses soaked with dew to the extent of love.
How far would I travel
Questioning the distance a person is willing to journey.
To be where you are?
Referring to the listener's location as the desired destination.
How far is the journey
Asking the length of the distance to the desired destination.
From here to a star?
Referring to the nearest star system as an example of a far-off location.
And if I ever lost you, how much would I cry?
Questioning the depth of sadness if the listener were no longer in the singer's life.
How deep is the ocean?
Repeating the initial question about the vastness of love in comparison with the depth of the sea.
How high is the sky?
Repeating the initial question about the immense nature of love when compared to the height of the sky.
How high is the sky?
Repeating the previous question about the vastness of love compared to the height of the sky.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind