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.
Willow Weep For Me
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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Willow weep for me
Bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea
Listen to my plea
Hear me willow and weep for me
Gone my lovers dream
Lovely summer dream
Sad as I can be
Hear me willow and weep for me
Whisper to the wind and say that love has sinned
Left my heart a-breaking, and making a moan
Murmur to the night to hide its starry light
So none will see me sighing and crying all alone
Weeping willow tree
Weep in sympathy
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
When the shadows fall, hear me willow and weep for me
Oh, Weeping willow tree
Weep in sympathy
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
When the shadows fall, hear me willow and weep for me
The song "Willow Weep for Me" by Oscar Peterson is a heartfelt plea to a weeping willow tree. The lyrics are addressed to the tree asking it to weep in sympathy for the singer who is bereft of his lover's love. The willow tree is chosen as it is a symbol of sorrow and mourning, its branches bending low as if in mourning. The tree's green branches along the stream are also significant as they imply a natural, soothing quality to the song.
The first two lines of the lyrics emphasize the central theme of the song, the weeping willow tree being used as a metaphor for heartbreak and sorrow. The third line provides an image of the stream that runs to the sea, and the fourth line is a request to the tree to listen to the plea of the singer and weep for him. The second verse describes how the singer's dreams of love have been shattered, leaving him sad and crying. The third verse describes the devastation wrought by his heartbreak, with the singer imploring the willow to hide his weeping from the world. The final verse repeats the plea to the tree to weep in sympathy and cover the singer with its branches.
Line by Line Meaning
Willow weep for me
The singer is asking the willow tree to weep for him and show sympathy.
Bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea
The singer wants the tree to bend and show sorrow, as the stream leads to the sea.
Listen to my plea
The singer is making a plea to the willow tree to hear his request.
Gone my lovers dream
The singer's lover's dream is gone, and he is feeling sad.
Lovely summer dream
The lover's dream was beautiful and took place in the summer.
Gone and left me here to weep my tears into the stream
The lover has left, and the singer is crying tears that are flowing into the stream.
Sad as I can be
The singer is feeling extremely sad about the loss of his lover's dream.
Whisper to the wind and say that love has sinned
The singer wants the willow tree to tell the wind that love has failed him.
Left my heart a-breaking, and making a moan
The lover leaving has caused the singer's heart to break, and he is making a moaning sound.
Murmur to the night to hide its starry light
The singer wants the willow tree to ask the night to hide its stars, so no one can see him crying.
So none will see me sighing and crying all alone
The singer is afraid of being seen crying alone.
Weeping willow tree
The singer is addressing the willow tree again.
Weep in sympathy
The singer wants the willow tree to weep in empathy with him.
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
The singer wants the willow tree to cover him with its branches as if it is giving him a hug.
When the shadows fall, hear me willow and weep for me
The singer wants the tree to weep for him when the shadows fall.
Oh, Weeping willow tree
The singer addresses the willow tree a final time.
Weep in sympathy
The singer wants the willow tree to weep once more in sympathy with him.
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
The singer still wants the willow tree to cover him with its branches as if it is giving him a hug.
When the shadows fall, hear me willow and weep for me
The singer repeats his request for the tree to weep when the shadows fall.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANN RONELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind