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.
Ol' Man River
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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That ol' man river
He don't say nothing
But he must know something
Cause he just keeps rolling
He keeps rolling along
Rollin' along
He don't plant tators
Them that plants 'em is soon forgotten
But ol' man river
He keeps rolling along
You and me
We sweat and strain
Body all aching
And wracked with pain
Tote that barge
Lift that bale
Get a little drunk
And you land in jail
I gets weary
Sick of trying
I'm tired of living
Feared of dying
But ol' man river
He's rolling along
In Oscar Peterson’s song Ol’ Man River, the singer introduces a metaphorical character of a river, personified with the characteristics of an old man. The river is described as not speaking words out loud, but the singer believes that it knows something important because it never stops rolling. The river is then compared to people who work hard, using the example of plantation workers who plant and harvest crops, and are forgotten and replaced quickly. The river, in contrast, keeps rolling along, seemingly never-ending.
The singer then describes the back-breaking labor that he and others endure, working all day in pain and exhaustion. They have to lift and carry heavy objects, and to relieve their stress they drink alcohol, which can get them into trouble with the law. The singer is shown to be weary and frustrated by the relentless nature of the work, and is terrified by the thought of dying. The river, however, never stops rolling, even if the people on its banks may change. The singer seems to be acknowledging that life is hard and can be unfair, and that the only constant in it is the river that flows ceaselessly.
Line by Line Meaning
Ol' man river
The river that has been flowing for a long time
That ol' man river
The same old river that has been flowing for a long time
He don't say nothing
The river does not speak or express anything.
But he must know something
The river has witnessed many things that humans might not know.
Cause he just keeps rolling
Because the river keeps flowing continuously.
He keeps rolling along
The river keeps flowing forward without stopping.
Rollin' along
The river keeps moving forward continually, and nothing can stop it.
He don't plant tators
The river does not cultivate or grow potatoes.
He don't plant cotton
The river does not cultivate or grow cotton.
Them that plants 'em is soon forgotten
People who grow crops are often not remembered for their work.
But ol' man river
Despite not doing the same work as humans, the river keeps flowing continuously.
He keeps rolling along
The river keeps moving forward continually, and nothing can stop it.
You and me
People like us.
We sweat and strain
We work hard and put in a lot of effort.
Body all aching
Our bodies are sore and in pain from working hard.
And wracked with pain
Our bodies are in great pain due to hard work.
Tote that barge
Carry that load on our shoulders or backs.
Lift that bale
Pick up that heavy object and move it.
Get a little drunk
Relax by having a drink.
And you land in jail
But sometimes you can get into trouble by drinking too much and end up in jail.
I gets weary
I become tired and exhausted.
Sick of trying
I become frustrated with trying too hard to accomplish something.
I'm tired of living
I am exhausted with the struggles of life.
Feared of dying
I am scared of what happens after death.
But ol' man river
Despite all the struggles and fears, the river keeps flowing continuously.
He's rolling along
The river keeps moving forward continually, and nothing can stop it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar Ii Hammerstein
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind