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.
It's Impossible
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's just impossible
It's impossible, ask a baby not to cry
It's just impossible
Can I hold you closer to me
And not feel you goin' through me?
Split the second that I never think of you
Can the ocean keep from rushin' to the shore?
It's just impossible
If I had you, could I ever want for more?
It's just impossible
And tomorrow, should you ask me for the world?
Somehow I'd get it
I would sell my very soul and not regret it
For to live without your love is just impossible
Can I hold you closer to me
And not feel you goin' through me?
Split the second that I never think of you
Oh, how impossible
Can the ocean keep from rushin' to the shore?
It's just impossible
If I had you, could I ever want for more?
It's just impossible
And tomorrow, should you ask me for the world?
Somehow I'd get it
I would sell my very soul and not regret it
For to live without your love is just impossible
Impossible, impossible
The song "It's Impossible" by Oscar Peterson is a romantic ballad that explores the depths of love and emotion. The lyrics describe the impossibility of living without the one you love and the longing to be closer to them. The opening lyrics "It's impossible, tell the sun to leave the sky" express the magnitude of the emotions that the singer feels, as if it were impossible to imagine a world without their love. Comparing this to the impossibility of asking a baby not to cry, the song highlights the innate nature of love and emotion, which cannot be suppressed or controlled.
Throughout the song, the singer asks questions such as "Can I hold you closer to me, and not feel you going through me?" and "If I had you, could I ever want for more?" These questions speak to the deep connection that he feels with his lover and the fear of losing them. The repetition of "It's just impossible" in the chorus reinforces the idea that the singer cannot fathom living without the love of their life. The closing lyrics "For to live without your love is just impossible" tie the entire song together and express the profoundness of love and its impact on our lives.
Overall, "It's Impossible" is a poignant and heartfelt song that beautifully captures the essence of love and devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
It's impossible, tell the sun to leave the sky
Expressing the impossible task of telling the sun to stop shining
It's just impossible
Emphasizing the impossibility of the task
It's impossible, ask a baby not to cry
Stating the impossible task of stopping a baby from crying
Can I hold you closer to me
And not feel you goin' through me?
Questioning whether they can hold their lover without feeling their presence deeply
Split the second that I never think of you
Oh, how impossible
Acknowledging that the possibility of not thinking of their lover even for a split second seems impossible
Can the ocean keep from rushin' to the shore?
It's just impossible
Drawing a comparison between the unstoppable force of the ocean's waves and their love for their partner
If I had you, could I ever want for more?
It's just impossible
Acknowledging how complete their life feels with their lover, making wanting anything else seem impossible
And tomorrow, should you ask me for the world?
Somehow I'd get it
Stating that if their partner asked for the impossible, they would still try to make it happen
I would sell my very soul and not regret it
For to live without your love is just impossible
Saying they would do anything, even something as drastic as selling their soul, to ensure they never have to live without their lover
Impossible, impossible
Reiterating the theme of the song - that their love is impossible to live without
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Armando Manzanero Canche, Sid Wayne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@glevito
I believe the name of the tune is L'impossible... translated to English is The Impossible. Thank you for posting this masterpiece.
@ronaldunkel2681
Indeed superb recordings. Imo Oscar’s best live (very small crowd) recordings. They are all (5 CD’s) exquisite. Jazz art in it’s highest form. G’day & Cheers!
@evolandkatrin
Per me il più gran capolavoro!
@najponkjazz9111
Yeah Oscar from MPS 👍👍👍👍such a beautiful recordings from that famous studio....Oscar Lives 🎹
@HarrisonFerlauto
Oscar lives!
@auroradarienzo
<3
@evolandkatrin
Pornografia musicale
Al massimo godimento