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 Concentrate On You / Moon River
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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And trouble begins to brew,
Whenever the Winter winds become too strong,
I concentrate on you.
When fortune cries "Nay! Nay!" to me
And people declare "You're through!",
Whenever the blues become my only song,
On your smile so sweet, so tender,
When at first your kiss I decline.
On the light in your eyes when I surrender,
And once again our arms intertwine
And so, when wise men say to me
That love's young dream never comes true,
To prove that even wise men can be wrong,
I concentrate on you.
In the song "I Remember You" by the Oscar Peterson Trio, the lyrics describe coping with difficult moments by focusing on the person they love. The song begins with the singer explaining their strategy for dealing with troubling situations. They concentrate on the object of their affection, or the person they love, whenever they are feeling down or faced with obstacles. The love that they feel for this person makes the clouds disappear, strengthens them against the harsh Winter winds, and helps them rise above the blues.
The song also highlights the transformative powers of love. When the singer declines a kiss at first, they describe the sweetness and tenderness of their love's smile. Their love's light in their eyes is what causes the singer to surrender to their love once again. These details help to create a vivid image of this beloved person, and show how their presence can change a difficult situation into a hopeful one.
Finally, the song emphasizes the strength of the singer's love, and their refusal to accept the belief that love's young dream never comes true. The singer chooses to prove the wise men wrong by focusing on the person they love, and in doing so, finds strength and hope.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Remember You" convey the power of love to transform and uplift the human spirit in times of struggle and hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Whenever skies look gray to me
Whenever I feel down or sad
And trouble begins to brew,
And things start to go wrong
Whenever the Winter winds become too strong,
When life gets tough and difficult to bear
I concentrate on you.
I focus on the positive things in my life, like you
When fortune cries "Nay! Nay!" to me
When luck is not on my side
And people declare "You're through!",
And people doubt my abilities or success
Whenever the blues become my only song,
When I feel sad and hopeless
I concentrate on you.
I focus on the love and happiness you bring into my life
On your smile so sweet, so tender,
On the beauty and kindness of your smile
When at first your kiss I decline.
Even when I hesitate to show affection
On the light in your eyes when I surrender,
On the joy and love in your eyes when I finally let go and embrace you
And once again our arms intertwine
And we hold each other close, wrapped in love and warmth
And so, when wise men say to me
And even when knowledgeable people tell me
That love's young dream never comes true,
That the excitement and joy of young love cannot last
To prove that even wise men can be wrong,
To show that even the most knowledgeable can make mistakes
I concentrate on you.
I focus on the love and happiness you bring into my life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind