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.
The Good Life
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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It rains pennies from heaven
Don't you know each cloud contains
Pennies from heaven
You'll find your fortune
Fallin' all over town
Be sure that your umbrella is upside down
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
You must have showers
So when you hear it thunder
Don't run under a tree
There'll be pennies from heaven
For you and me
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
If you want the things you love
You must have showers
So when you hear it thunder
Don't run under a tree
There'll be pennies from heaven
For you and me
The lyrics of "Pennies from Heaven" are reminiscent of a time when people believed that every cloud that brought rain also brought pennies from heaven. The song personifies the dream of striking riches out of a heavy rain, with the wishful thoughts that fortune may befall the listener if they keep their head up in the rain. One interpretation of the song suggests that 'Pennies from Heaven' represent the small joys of life which we often take for granted. The lyrics suggest that one can find good things even during the toughest times. The line "Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers, If you want the things you love, You must have showers" serves as a reminder that to enjoy the brighter things in life, one must be willing to endure the difficult times, and that true happiness and good things in life come from weathering storms and facing adversity.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of being prepared and open to receiving good luck, keeping an open mind and an open umbrella, and listening for the sound of thunder that indicates pennies from heaven are on the way. The song lyrically encourages the listener to be optimistic and hopeful, and to not let the dark clouds of life defeat them, but instead embrace the rain and keep the faith that the sun will shine again.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time it rains
Whenever rain falls from the sky
It rains pennies from heaven
Fortunes or blessings come down from above during such times
Don't you know each cloud contains
It's a common fact that clouds carry blessings
Pennies from heaven
Rainfall equals blessings and good fortunes
You'll find your fortune
Your good luck or fortunes will come to you
Fallin' all over town
It will happen everywhere you go
Be sure that your umbrella is upside down
Make sure you're ready to catch the blessings that come your way
Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers
Use these blessings to get the things you love or make yourself happy
If you want the things you love
If you want happiness or comfort or anything that means something to you
You must have showers
You must go through some hardships or troubles to obtain those things
So when you hear it thunder
When you hear something bad or frightening happening
Don't run under a tree
Don't seek refuge in something that cannot protect you
There'll be pennies from heaven
There will be blessings or good fortunes that will come anyway
For you and me
For all of us to enjoy if we keep our eyes and hearts open to them
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jack Reardon, Sacha Distel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind