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.
Love For Sale
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Appetizing, young love for sale.
Love that's fresh and still unspoiled. Love that's only slighty soiled.
Love for sale.
Who will buy?
Who will like to sample my supply?
Who's prepared to pay the price for a trip to paradise?
Let the poets pipe of love in their childish way.
I know every type of love better far than they.
If you want the thrill of love I've been through the mid'l of love.
Old love. New love. Every love, but true love.
Love for sale.
Appetizing young love for sale.
If you want to buy my wares, follow me and climb the stairs.
Love for sale.
The lyrics to Oscar Peterson's Love for Sale are a commentary on the commodification of love and the transactional nature of romantic relationships. The repetition of the phrase "love for sale" emphasizes how love has become something that can be bought and sold, rather than a genuine emotion shared between two people. The lyric "appetizing, young love for sale" paints a picture of love as a commodity that can be consumed like any other product. The line "love that's fresh and still unspoiled, love that's only slightly soiled" suggests that love can be categorized, rated and priced according to its perceived quality or condition.
The song challenges the idea that love is an inherently pure and noble emotion, and implies that it can be manipulated and used for personal gain. The lines "who will like to sample my supply, who's prepared to pay the price for a trip to paradise" illustrate the idea that some people see love as a means to an end, using it to satisfy their desires and achieve a sense of fulfillment or happiness.
The lyric "let the poets pipe of love in their childish way, I know every type of love better far than they" suggests that the singer is a jaded cynic who has seen it all when it comes to love. The final line "if you want to buy my wares, follow me and climb the stairs" is both literal and metaphorical, inviting the listener to come along on this cynical journey through the world of love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Love for sale.
Love is being sold.
Appetizing, young love for sale.
Desirable and youthful love is being offered for purchase.
Love that's fresh and still unspoiled. Love that's only slightly soiled.
The love being sold is new and has yet to be ruined, although some may have minor imperfections.
Who will buy?
Who is interested in purchasing love?
Who will like to sample my supply?
Who would like to try out the love being sold?
Who's prepared to pay the price for a trip to paradise?
Who is willing to pay the cost to experience love and happiness?
Let the poets pipe of love in their childish way.
Poets can write about love in their simple manner.
I know every type of love better far than they.
The seller knows all forms of love better than the poets.
If you want the thrill of love I've been through the mid'l of love.
If someone wants to experience the excitement of love, the seller has been in numerous love affairs.
Old love. New love. Every love, but true love.
The love being sold is not true love, but instead various types of other loves experienced by the seller.
If you want to buy my wares, follow me and climb the stairs.
If someone wants to purchase the love being sold, they should follow the seller and go upstairs.
Love for sale.
Love is still being sold.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
dontheshark
What a marvelous version. Nobody but Oscar rises to his level.
dave daverson
This is one of his best. Nobody does it like Oscar did. Nobody can hum off key like that while playing and actually make the song even better. A true genius.
- uɐɯllǝפ
dave daverson see Keith Jarrett for some other worldly hum along
Mark Berry
Love this rendition, and Oscar's phrasing, pulling just so slightly on the beat. So glad to have met him backstage and got to thank him for all the wonderful music before he passed - one of a kind!
carl armstrong
Oscar is the very greatest.Practicing 10 hrs a day when he was in Toronto made him incomparable.
Nancy Eckroad-Haney
Thanks for this. No one can compare to Oscar. It's great to hear this jazz GIANT at his youthful vigor! I love his two-handed rolls at 2:44.
nestor torres
Cuando escuché este trío, siendo aún adolescente, quedé impresionado y debo reconocer que Peterson ha sido uno de los pianistas que más he disfrutado, por su técnica exquisita y su gran sensibilidad como acompañante.
Spark _
Oscar Peterson was so keen to music!!! And we were keen to his style...often I heard , or hear any great version of the standards...it's often his & we know that's got to be him by listening.What a true talent & quality he had!
Jorge VERGARA VERGARA
Que trío tan fantástico! ... geniales caray!..en música, para mi, no hay nada mas bello que el sonido del jazz ...
paulos.artes souzasilva
Maravilhoso!!!