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 Get a Kick Out of You
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But practically everything leaves me totally cold
The only exception I know is the case
When I'm out on a quiet spree
Fighting vainly the old ennui
And I suddenly turn and see
Your fabulous face
Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all
So, tell me, why should it be true
That I get a kick out of you?
Some get a kick from cocaine
I'm sure that if I took even one sniff
That would bore me terrifically too
Yet I get a kick out of you
I get a kick every time I see
You're standing there before me
I get a kick though it's clear to see
You obviously do not adore me
I get no kick in a plane
Flying too high with some gal in the sky
Is my idea of nothing to do
But I get a kick out of you
In the first two lines of the song, Oscar Peterson states that his life is full of sadness and disappointment, and that he is insensitive to everything around him. He then mentions that he finds one exception to this: when he's out having a good time and trying to fight off boredom, he sees the object of his affection and everything changes. He becomes elated by the sight of this person and experiences a sudden rush of excitement.
The chorus of the song addresses the commonly-held belief that champagne and alcohol are sources of pleasure, but Oscar Peterson refutes this, saying that they don't really do anything for him. Instead, he finds that simply being around the object of his affection is enough to give him a "kick". He then goes on to state that other people may find pleasure in drugs like cocaine, but he's sure he wouldn't. However, he still gets a "kick" out of being around the person he's in love with.
The final verse makes it clear that there are other things in life that some people may enjoy (like flying in a plane with a loved one), but Oscar Peterson's pleasures are simple and tied directly to the person he loves. He acknowledges that this love may not be reciprocated, but he still feels alive when he's around them.
Line by Line Meaning
My story is much too sad to be told
I have gone through a lot of pain and I don't want to burden others with my troubles.
But practically everything leaves me totally cold
There are very few things in life that truly excite me, most of it is mundane and uninteresting.
The only exception I know is the case
However, there is one thing that never fails to lift my spirit.
When I'm out on a quiet spree
When I am alone and seeking solitude.
Fighting vainly the old ennui
Trying to shake off the feeling of monotony and boredom.
And I suddenly turn and see
And then, out of nowhere, I catch a glimpse of you.
Your fabulous face
Your beautiful, dazzling smile and face.
I get no kick from champagne
Alcohol does nothing for me, I don't find it exciting or enjoyable at all.
Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all
In fact, I find it quite boring and uninteresting.
So, tell me, why should it be true
Therefore, it is a mystery to me as to why I feel so exhilarated when I am with you.
That I get a kick out of you?
Why do I feel so alive and passionate around you?
Some get a kick from cocaine
Some people find their high from drugs like cocaine.
I'm sure that if I took even one sniff
If I tried cocaine for even just one time.
That would bore me terrifically too
I would not find it thrilling or exciting in the least.
Yet I get a kick out of you
Despite that, I feel the same excitement and rush of adrenaline when I am around you.
I get a kick every time I see
Every time I lay my eyes on you.
You're standing there before me
When you are right there in front of me.
I get a kick though it's clear to see
Despite knowing that our love is not mutual, I still get excited around you.
You obviously do not adore me
It is apparent that you don't share the same feelings towards me.
I get no kick in a plane
I don't find flying fun or exhilarating.
Flying too high with some gal in the sky
Flying in a plane with someone I don't love is meaningless to me.
Is my idea of nothing to do
It would be a tedious and boring way to spend my time.
But I get a kick out of you
But when I am with you, even the most mundane things become exciting and enjoyable.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Clyde Sandry
Everything Sir Oscar did was masterful. He is sadly missed.
DELANO PALAIA
Fantástico ! Tive a Honra de assistir ao vivo no teatro Municipal de São Paulo e no Parque do Ibirapuera.
Rickey Davis
Masterful!
Nella Rivet
Awesome !
ALF8892
Amazing
Michael Butler
Great, as ever, but, for this particular song, I prefer the Errol Garner version.
jsbrules
Yes, for every piece of music on YouTube (no matter how good) we ALWAYS need to read several random other people pointing out that they think somebody else does it even BETTER. We always need to hear "who is number one". After all, it's all a big competition. Otherwise, we might just appreciate all the great music and its own qualities.
Michael Butler
Just a personal opinion that's all.