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.
Isn't It Romantic
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say it isn't so.
Everyone is saying you don't love me,
Say it isn't so.
Everywhere I go,
Everyone I know
Whispers that you're growing tired of me,
People say that you
Found somebody new,
And it won't be long before you leave me,
Say it isn't true.
Say that everything is still okay,
That's all I want to know.
And what they're saying,
Say it isn't so.
People say passing by
Say he's younger than i
And it won't be long before you leave me,
Tell me it's a lie.
Say that everything is still okay,
That's all I want to know.
And what they're saying,
Say it isn't so.
The first verse of Oscar Peterson's "Say It Isn't So" expresses the sadness and anxiety of a person who fears their partner no longer loves them. Everywhere they go, everyone seems to be whispering about the relationship coming to an end. The person begs their partner to deny the rumors and confirm that everything is still okay between them. In the second verse, the person hears that their partner has found someone new and that they'll soon be leaving. They ask their partner to tell them it's a lie and that everything is still fine.
The theme of the song is the fear of losing love and the desire for reassurance that the relationship is still intact. The lyrics capture the feeling of insecurity that comes with rumors and gossip. The song's melody is slow and melancholy, contributing to the emotional weight of the lyrics. The combination of lyrics and melody creates a poignant portrait of a person wrestling with the possibility of a breakup.
Line by Line Meaning
Say it isn't so
Please tell me it's not true
Everyone is saying you don't love me
All around me, people are telling me you no longer have feelings for me
Everywhere I go, everyone I know whispers that you're growing tired of me
No matter where I am or who I talk to, people are spreading rumors that you're losing interest in me
People say that you found somebody new, and it won't be long before you leave me
Several individuals have informed me that you're seeing someone else and won't stay with me for much longer
Say that everything is still okay, That's all I want to know
All I need to hear is that our relationship is still good and intact
And what they're saying, say it isn't so
Please refute the rumors that are being spread about us and tell me they aren't true
People say passing by, say he's younger than I
Even strangers that walk by make comments about you possibly preferring someone younger than me
Tell me it's a lie
Assure me that what they're saying isn't true
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Berlin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind