Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer.
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.

Just You Just Me
Oscar Peterson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Just you, just me
Let's find a cozy spot
To cuddle and coo

Just us, just we
I've missed an awful lot
My trouble is you

Oh, gee!
What are your charms for?
What are my arms for?
Use your imagination!
Just you, just me

I'll tie a lover's knot
'Round wonderful you!

Overall Meaning

The opening line of the song "Just you, just me" sets the tone for a romantic and intimate setting. The singer is suggesting that they find a favorable spot where they can snuggle and coo, indulging in each other's company. "Just us, just we" in the second line signify that there is nothing else but their relationship that matters at that moment. The singer expresses their feelings of missing the other person but acknowledges that the issue is their presence in their life that makes everything bothersome.

The lyric "Oh, gee! What are your charms for?" implies that the singer is in awe and admiration of their partner's alluring qualities. Their follow-up line "What are my arms for? Use your imagination!" shows that they're ready to embrace and please their love interest in whatever ways possible. The final line "I'll tie a lover's knot 'round wonderful you" suggests the commitment to the person they love and the commitment to make that moment unforgettable.

Line by Line Meaning

Just you, just me
Only you and I matter at the moment.

Let's find a cozy spot
Let's locate a comfortable place.

To cuddle and coo
To express our affection through hugs and sweet words.

Just us, just we
Only we share this special bond.

I've missed an awful lot
I have missed you deeply and for a while.

My trouble is you
You are both my happiness and my difficulty.

Oh, gee!
Expressing surprise or amazement.

What are your charms for?
What makes you attractive or appealing?

What are my arms for?
What is the purpose of my arms, if not to hold you?

Use your imagination!
Think creatively and envision the possibilities.

I'll tie a lover's knot
I'll commit myself to loving you deeply and unconditionally.