Wilson studied piano and violin at Tuskegee Institute. After working in the Speed Webb and Louis Armstrong bands, he joined Benny Carter's Chocolate Dandies in 1933. In 1935 he joined the Benny Goodman Trio (which consisted of Goodman, Wilson and drummer Gene Krupa, later expanded to the Benny Goodman Quartet with the addition of Lionel Hampton). The trio performed during the big band's intermissions. By joining the Trio, Wilson became the first black musician to perform in public with a previously all-white jazz group.
In the 1930s and 1940s he recorded fifty hit records with various singers such as Lena Horne and Helen Ward, including many of Billie Holiday's most successful records. During these years he also recorded many highly regarded sessions with a wide range of important swing musicians, such as Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Charlie Shavers, Red Norvo, Buck Clayton and Ben Webster.
Wilson formed his own short-lived big band in 1939, then led a sextet at Cafe Society from 1940 to 1944. In the 1950s he taught at the Juilliard School. Wilson performed as a soloist and with pick-up groups up until the final years of his life.
I Surrender Dear
Teddy Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sworn enemy of love
Kept my lips from saying
Things I was thinking of.
But now my pride you've humbled,
I've cast it to the winds,
Broken, beaten, sick at heart
My confession begins.
We've played the game of stay away
But it cost more that I can pay.
Without you I can't make my way,
I surrender, dear.
I may seem proud, I may act gay,
It's just a pose, I'm not that way,
'Cause deep down in my heart I say
I surrender, dear.
Little mean things we were doing
Must have been part of the game,
Lending a spice to the wooing,
But I don't care who's to blame.
When stars appear and shadows fall,
Why then you'll hear My poor heart call,
To you my love, my life, my all
I surrender, dear.
We've played the game of stay away
But it cost more that I can pay.
Without you I can't make my way,
I surrender, dear.
I may seem proud, I may act gay,
It's just a pose, I'm not that way,
'Cause deep down in my heart I say
I surrender, dear.
Little mean things we were doing
Must have been part of the game,
Lending a spice to the wooing,
But I don't care who's to blame.
When stars appear And shadows fall,
Why then you'll hear My poor heart call,
To you my love, my life, my all
The lyrics to Teddy Wilson's song "I Surrender Dear" speak to the internal battle of maintaining pride while simultaneously yearning for love. The opening lines describe pride as a "splendid liar" and an "enemy of love," suggesting that the persona has held back their feelings due to a desire to maintain a sense of dignity or self-worth. However, as the song progresses, it is revealed that the persona has been humbled and is ready to confess their feelings to the object of their affection. The lines "We've played the game of stay away / But it cost more than I can pay / Without you I can't make my way" convey the desperation and longing that the persona feels for their love interest. The repetition of the phrase "I surrender, dear" emphasizes the persona's willingness to let go of their pride and submit to their emotions.
The second half of the song explores the dynamic between the persona and their love interest. The lines "Little mean things we were doing / Must have been part of the game / Lending a spice to the wooing / But I don't care who's to blame" suggest that the persona and their love interest may have engaged in some sort of game-playing or teasing behavior but that the persona is now willing to overlook it in their pursuit of love. The final lines, "To you my love, my life, my all / I surrender, dear" further emphasize the depth of feeling that the persona has for their love interest and their willingness to put everything on the line to be with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Pride, sad, splendid liar,
I may seem confident and happy, but that is just a façade; in reality, I am filled with sadness and deceitful ways.
Sworn enemy of love
I have always been against the notion of love
Kept my lips from saying Things I was thinking of.
I have always held back from saying the things that have been in my heart.
But now my pride you've humbled,
You have broken down my pride and made me realize what I was missing.
I've cast it to the winds,
I have thrown my pride away and opened myself up to you.
Broken, beaten, sick at heart My confession begins.
I am shattered and so full of emotion that I must now confess my love to you.
We've played the game of stay away But it cost more that I can pay. Without you I can't make my way, I surrender, dear.
We have been playing a game of avoidance, but it has been too costly for me to continue; I need you in my life and I am surrendering to you.
I may seem proud, I may act gay, It's just a pose, I'm not that way, 'Cause deep down in my heart I say I surrender, dear.
While I may appear confident and carefree, it is all just an act; the truth is that I am ready to surrender everything to you.
Little mean things we were doing Must have been part of the game, Lending a spice to the wooing, But I don't care who's to blame.
I understand that we were just playing a game, and that sometimes there were hurtful things that were said or done, but I don't want to dwell on that anymore.
When stars appear And shadows fall, Why then you'll hear My poor heart call, To you my love, my life, my all
Even when the world is at its darkest, my heart will always call out for you, because you are the love of my life and the source of all my happiness.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music
Written by: GORDON CLIFFORD, HARRY BARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thomas .Hennessey
Third session under Red Norvo's name. Jack Jenney, trb takes first chorus except for, Charlie Barnet, ts on bridge. Teddy Wilson, p gets next 16 bars with Artie Shaw's cl on bridge and Red Norvo's xylophone on last 8 to end. Red's not using vibes yet.