Read Full Bio ↴Oscar Peterson (1925-2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer.
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.
You Go To My Head
Oscar Peterson Lyrics
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You linger like a haunting refrain
And I find you spinning round
In my brain
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne
You go to my head
Like a sip of sparkling burgundy brew
Like the kicker in a julep or two
The thrill of the thought
That you might give a thought
To my plea, casts a spell over me
Still I say to myself
Get ahold of yourself
Can't you see that it never can be
You go to my head with a smile
That makes my temperature rise
Like a summer with a thousand Julys
You intoxicate my soul with your eyes
Though I'm certain that this heart of mine
Hasn't a ghost of a chance
In this crazy romance
You go to my head, you go to my head
Though I'm certain that this heart of mine
Hasn't a ghost of a chance
In this crazy romance
You go to my head, you go to my head
The song "You Go to My Head" by the legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson is a classic love song that describes the experience of being completely enamored with someone. The opening lines "You go to my head, you linger like a haunting refrain," set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is unable to shake this person from their mind, and their presence lingers like a melody from a song that won't leave your head. The following lines, "And I find you spinning round in my brain, like the bubbles in a glass of champagne," add to the feeling of intoxication and the idea that the person is like a drink that has gone to their head.
The lyrics also explore the power of attraction and how it can overwhelm the logical mind. The lines "The thrill of the thought, that you might give a thought to my plea, casts a spell over me," depict the idea that just the possibility of this person reciprocating their feelings is enough to make them feel entranced. The singer knows that this love may be unrequited, but they cannot help being swept up in the feeling. The line "Still I say to myself, get ahold of yourself," speaks to this internal conflict between the heart and the mind.
Despite the uncertainty of the situation, the singer cannot deny the overwhelming attraction they feel. The lines "You intoxicate my soul with your eyes, though I'm certain that this heart of mine hasn't a ghost of a chance in this crazy romance," convey the idea that the person is so captivating that they have the power to intoxicate the singer's very being. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the idea that this person has a hold on the singer's thoughts and emotions that cannot be shaken.
Line by Line Meaning
You go to my head
You have a powerful effect on my thoughts and emotions.
You linger like a haunting refrain
You stay in my mind like a repeating melody that I cannot forget.
And I find you spinning round
I cannot escape thoughts of you whirling around in my mind.
In my brain
You occupy my mind and thoughts.
Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne
You cause my mind to buzz and sparkle with excitement, just like the bubbles in champagne.
Like a sip of sparkling burgundy brew
Thinking about you is like taking a sip of delicious sparkling wine that fills me with sensations of joy.
And I find the very mention of you
Just hearing your name or thinking about you brings me immense pleasure.
Like the kicker in a julep or two
You are the extra kick in my drink that makes everything taste better and feel more alive.
The thrill of the thought
The excitement of the idea
That you might give a thought
That you might consider me or my feelings
To my plea, casts a spell over me
Just the idea of you hearing me out fills me with a magical feeling.
Still I say to myself
Despite my feelings
Get ahold of yourself
Control your emotions
Can't you see that it never can be
I know that we cannot be together.
You go to my head with a smile
Your smile affects me deeply and stays with me.
That makes my temperature rise
Your smile generates a physical and emotional reaction in me that affects my temperature.
Like a summer with a thousand Julys
Your smile fills me with heat and passion, like a thousand summers combined.
You intoxicate my soul with your eyes
Your eyes have a powerful effect on my inner self and emotions.
Though I'm certain that this heart of mine
Even though I know
Hasn't a ghost of a chance
There is no possibility of us being together.
In this crazy romance
Despite the impossibility and craziness of our situation
You go to my head, you go to my head
You continue to affect me powerfully and stay in my thoughts and emotions.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J.F. Coots, Haven Gillespie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adilzar Lisboa
Lindo a musica do Oscar Peterson ! Magnifica !
Miss Liz
😘😍😘🤩🤩