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 Sheik of Araby
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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Your love belongs to me.
At night when you're asleep
Into your tent I'll creep.
The stars that shine above,
Will light our way to love.
You'll rule this land with me;
Let's make Arabia free.
The lyrics of Oscar Peterson's song, The Sheik of Araby, depict a man proclaiming himself to be the sheik of Araby and claiming ownership of his love. The idea of a sheik reflects a ruler, and the singer's declaration suggests that he is taking on this role, as his love belongs to him. The lyric "At night when you're asleep, into your tent, I'll creep" can be interpreted as an invasive and possessive move towards the singer's love. The idea of the stars lighting the way to love suggests the singer's confidence in his love and in his role as a ruler. The final lines of the song, "You'll rule this land with me; let's make Arabia free," indicate a desire for his love to join him in his ruling of Araby and bring about freedom to the land.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the Sheik of Araby
I am the dominant leader of Araby, possessing absolute power and authority.
Your love belongs to me.
Your affection and devotion are my rightful and exclusive possession.
At night when you're asleep
During the hours of darkness when you are unconscious and defenseless.
Into your tent I'll creep.
I will stealthily enter your shelter and invade your personal space.
The stars that shine above,
The celestial bodies in the sky that emit light and twinkle.
Will light our way to love.
They will illuminate the path we take towards passion and romance.
You'll rule this land with me;
You will govern and control this territory alongside me, as my partner and equal.
Lyrics © HARRY B. SMITH COPYRIGHTS, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ted Snyder, Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind