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.
In the Mood
Teddy Wilson Lyrics
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Simply because you're near me.
Funny, but when you're near me
I'm in the mood for love.
Heaven is in your eyes
Bright as the stars we're under
Oh! Is it any wonder
Why stop to think of whether
This little dream might fade?
We've put our hearts together
Now we are one, I'm not afraid!
If there's a cloud above
If it should rain we'll let it
But for tonight, forget it!
I'm in the mood for love
The lyrics to Teddy Wilson's song The Mood That I'm In touch upon the feeling of being in the right state of mind for love. The singer sings about how they never dared to have arms around them before, but tonight they want nothing more than to feel the embrace of someone they care about. They justify this sudden desire to solely being in the right mood for it.
The singer of the song talks about the different factors that might have contributed to their current emotional state - perhaps it is the music that's playing or the way the violin is being played that has subconsciously made them yearn for affection. It's almost as if they're implying that they don't really know where the desire to be in the arms of someone came from, but they are so overcome by it that they cannot resist it.
The reference to cocktails in the song might also suggest that the singer is inebriated or at least a little buzzed enough to have the confidence to ask for love. The lyrics urge the person they're speaking to, to talk about love and let the rhapsody of life begin. The singer seems ready to surrender themselves to the whims of love, as long as it lasts. Overall, the song is a powerful declaration of being swept away by the emotions associated with being in the right mood for love.
Line by Line Meaning
Never dared to have your arms around me
I have never risked the affectionate touch of your arms
Not that I considered it a sin
I do not view such intimacy as improper or immoral
But tonight I want your arms around me
However, tonight I yearn for your embrace
It's the mood that I'm in
This desire is simply a result of my current emotional state
Can it be the music that they're playin'
I wonder if the melody being performed is influencing my feelings
Or the magic of the violin
Perhaps the enchanting sound of the violin is having an effect on me
That intrigues my heart to obeyin'
The allure is captivating my emotions and making me willing to submit to my desires
It's the mood that I'm in
This attraction is purely due to the emotions I'm currently experiencing
Maybe it's the cocktail that I'm sippin'
It's possible that the drink I am enjoying is enhancing my romantic inclinations
Tonight I'm so romantically inclined
My emotions tonight are leaning heavily towards romantic thoughts and feelings
So speak to me of love
Please share with me your expressions of affection
In words so tender
Use gentle and caring language to describe your love for me
Let the rhapsody of life begin
Let us begin our passionate journey through life together
I could give my heart in sweet surrender
I am so overcome with romantic feelings that I could easily give you my heart and submit to your love
It's the mood I'm in
Once again, these deep feelings of desire are due to the emotional state I find myself in currently
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jimmy Mchugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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