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 High the Moon
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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How faint the tune
Somewhere there's heaven
How high the moon
There is no moon above
When love is far away too
Till it comes true
That you love me as I love you
Somewhere there's music
How near, how far
Somewhere there's heaven
It's where you are
The darkest night would shine
If you would come to me soon
Until you will, how still my heart
How high the moon
Somewhere there's music
How faint the tune
Somewhere there's heaven
How high the moon
The darkest night would shine
If you would come to me soon
Until you will, how still my heart
How high the moon
The lyrics of Oscar Peterson's song "How High the Moon" convey a heartfelt message of longing and hope for love. The song discusses how the concept of love and music exist somewhere, but they are often out of reach. The lyrics begin with a sense of uncertainty and ambiguity, with the first line stating that somewhere there is music, but it is also very faint. The next line says that somewhere there is heaven, but it is elevated and out of reach.
The lyrics then describe the sorrow and emptiness that can be felt when love is far away, comparing this to a moonless night. The lyrics then change to a more optimistic tone, as the singer wishes for their love to come true and reciprocate their feelings in the same manner. The second verse brings hope as it reveals how close and within reach love and heaven can be when they are found in the person who the singer is addressing. The lyrics say that the darkest of nights would light up if the person they love would come to them soon. Finally, the lyrics end with an expression of how still the singer's heart is while they wait for their love to come, but also emphasizes how high the moon is, symbolizing the vastness of their love for that person.
Overall, the lyrics of "How High the Moon" are a longing reflection of the power of love, music, and hope. The lyrics convey how elusive love and heaven can be, but they also hold out hope and faith that these things are not too far away to find in the right person.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere there's music
There is a place where music can be heard
How faint the tune
The melody is barely audible
Somewhere there's heaven
There exists a state of bliss
How high the moon
This state seems unreachable and insurmountable
There is no moon above
Without love, there is no light
When love is far away too
When love is not present, it's like there isn't any moon
Till it comes true
Hope remains for the eventual arrival of love
That you love me as I love you
The desire for mutual feelings of love
How near, how far
The distance between the listener and the place where music and happiness exist
It's where you are
The presence of the beloved is the key to reaching this place
The darkest night would shine
The arrival of love would light up even the darkest of nights
If you would come to me soon
The hope for the beloved to arrive quickly
Until you will, how still my heart
The longing for the beloved makes the heart still and quiet
How high the moon
The distance to the place where happiness resides is still vast and insurmountable
Somewhere there's music
The possibility of hearing music exists
How faint the tune
The music is still barely perceptible
Somewhere there's heaven
The potential for blissful, happy states is still out there somewhere
How high the moon
The distance to this state seems daunting and impossible
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind