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.
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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But I can weather the storm!
What do I care how much it may storm?
I've got my love to keep me warm
I can't remember a worse December
Just watch those icicles form!
Oh, what do I care if icicles form?
[Chorus]
Off with my overcoat, off with my glove
I need no overcoat; I'm burning with love!
My heart's on fire; the flame grows higher
So I will weather the storm!
What do I care how much it may storm?
Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm
The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing
But I can weather the storm!
What do I care how much it may storm?
I've got my love to keep me warm
I can't remember a worse December
Just watch those icicles form!
What do I care if icicles form?
I've got my love to keep me warm
[Chorus]
The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing
But I can weather the storm, storm, storm
What do I care how much it may storm?
Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm
The song "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" by Oscar Peterson is a love song that depicts the resilience and comfort derived from being in love. The lyrics are an affirmation of the power of love to provide emotional warmth and stability, even in the face of external challenges. The opening lines, "The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing / But I can weather the storm!" sets the stage for the rest of the song, highlighting the fact that the singer is not deterred by the harsh winter weather as long as they have their love to keep them warm.
The next line, "What do I care how much it may storm? / I've got my love to keep me warm" reinforces this idea that love is a source of strength and comfort in difficult times. The second verse, "I can't remember a worse December / Just watch those icicles form! / Oh, what do I care if icicles form? / Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm" continues this theme, highlighting the singer's indifference to external factors that might normally be a cause for concern. Instead, they focus on their love as a source of joy and fulfillment.
The chorus, "Off with my overcoat, off with my glove / I need no overcoat; I'm burning with love! / My heart's on fire; the flame grows higher / So I will weather the storm!" captures the singer's passion and dedication to their love. They are so consumed by their feelings that they don't need any additional warmth to survive the storm. The song concludes with a repetition of the first verse, emphasizing the resilience of the singer and their faith in their love to provide comfort and support no matter what.
Overall, "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" is a powerful ode to the transformative power of love in difficult times. It encourages listeners to focus on the positive aspects of life and find strength in their relationships, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing
The weather is very bad and it's snowing heavily with strong winds
But I can weather the storm!
Despite the difficult weather conditions, I can manage to deal with them
What do I care how much it may storm?
I'm not worried about the bad weather outside
I've got my love to keep me warm
Because of the love I have, I feel warm and protected from everything that's happening outside
I can't remember a worse December
This is one of the worst Decembers I have ever experienced
Just watch those icicles form!
It's so cold that icicles are starting to form
Oh, what do I care if icicles form?
I'm not concerned about icicles forming because I have something else to keep me warm
Off with my overcoat, off with my glove
I don't need my warm clothes anymore
I need no overcoat; I'm burning with love!
My love is keeping me so warm that I don't need to wear any more layers
My heart's on fire; the flame grows higher So I will weather the storm!
My love is like a fire inside of me, and it is growing stronger so I can deal with anything that comes my way
The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing
The weather is still very bad and has not changed
But I can weather the storm!
Despite everything, I am still able to manage and get through this weather
Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm
Love is still what is keeping me warm and safe
I can't remember a worse December
December is still terrible, and it's hard to remember a worse one
Just watch those icicles form!
It's still so cold that icicles are continuing to form
What do I care if icicles form?
I'm still not worried about the outside elements because of the love I have
Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm
Love is still my source of warmth and comfort
The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing
The weather is still bad and has not changed
But I can weather the storm, storm, storm
Despite how bad the weather is, I can still handle it
What do I care how much it may storm?
No matter how bad it gets outside, I am not worried because of my love
Oh, I've got my love to keep me warm
Love is still my source of comfort and warmth
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind