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.
These Foolish Things
Teddy Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh! Will you never set me free?
The ties that bound us
Are still around us
There's no escape that I can see
And still those little things remain
That bring me happiness or pain
An airline ticket to romantic places
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
A fair ground's painted swings
These foolish things remind me of you
You came you saw you conquer'd me
When you did that to me
I knew somehow this had to be
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
First daffodils and long excited cables
And candle lights on little corner tables
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The "Ile de France" with all the gulls around it
The beauty that is Spring's
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
And still my heart has wings
These foolish things remind me of you
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The song that Crosby sings
These foolish things remind me of you
How strange how sweet to find you still
These things are dear to me
They seem to bring you near to me
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
These foolish things remind me of you
The lyrics of Teddy Wilson's song "These Foolish Things" express the longing and nostalgia of someone who can't seem to forget their past love. The singer addresses their ex-lover, wondering if they will ever be free from the memories of their relationship, as the ties that bound them are still present. They reminisce about the little things that still remind them of their ex, both happy and painful memories alike. The list of objects and situations that trigger memories is long and varied, including a cigarette with lipstick traces, an airline ticket, a tinkling piano, and the winds of March that make their heart dance. The singer concludes with a longing to have their love back, even if only through these memories, as they acknowledge how dear these foolish things that remind them of their ex are.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh! Will you never let me be?
Will you continuously keep me trapped?
Oh! Will you never set me free?
Oh! Will you never release me from this bondage?
The ties that bound us
The bindings that kept us together
Are still around us
They are still present and surrounding us
There's no escape that I can see
I cannot see any means of escape from this lingering attachment
And still those little things remain
And yet, those small things persist
That bring me happiness or pain
Which bring a mix of joy and agony
A cigarette that bears a lipstick's traces
A cigarette with remnants of lipstick
An airline ticket to romantic places
A ticket to a place of romance
And still my heart has wings
Yet, my heart still feels light and free
These foolish things remind me of you
These silly items bring memories of you to mind
A tinkling piano in the next apartment
A piano making a soft sound in the neighboring apartment
Those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant
Those faltering words that conveyed my emotions to you
A fair ground's painted swings
The colorful swings found at a carnival
You came you saw you conquer'd me
You arrived, you saw, and you triumphed over me
When you did that to me
When you accomplished that feat
I knew somehow this had to be
I just knew it had to happen that way somehow
The winds of March that make my heart a dancer
The lively winds of March that make my heart jump with joy
A telephone that rings but who's to answer?
A phone that keeps ringing with no one to respond
Oh, how the ghost of you clings!
Oh, how the memory of you persistently lingers!
The park at evening when the bell has sounded
The park at nighttime when the evening bell chimes
The 'Ile de France' with all the gulls around it
The 'Ile de France' ship surrounded by seagulls
The beauty that is Spring's
The alluring beauty of Spring
How strange how sweet to find you still
It's peculiar yet comforting to still have you present in some way
These things are dear to me
These items hold great significance to me
They seem to bring you near to me
They give me the feeling that you're close to me
The sigh of midnight trains in empty stations
The lonely sound of trains at midnight in abandoned stations
Silk stockings thrown aside dance invitations
Silk stockings cast aside, waiting for an opportunity to dance
Gardenia perfume ling'ring on a pillow
The lingering scent of gardenia perfume on a pillow
Wild strawb'ries only seven francs a kilo
Wild strawberries sold for a cheap price of seven francs per kilogram
The smile of Garbo and the scent of roses
The gorgeous smile of Garbo and the sweet fragrance of roses
The waiters whistling as the last bar closes
The waiters whistling to signal the closing of the last bar
The song that Crosby sings
The tune sung by Crosby
The scent of smould'ring leaves, the wail of steamers
The fragrance of burning leaves and the howl of steamboats
Two lovers on the street who walk like dreamers
Two lovers walking down the street without a care in the world
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind