Teddy Wilson (Theodore Shaw Wilson, November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was … Read Full Bio ↴Teddy Wilson (Theodore Shaw Wilson, November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist and bandleader.

Wilson's sophisticated and elegant style was featured on the records of many of the biggest names in jazz including Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald. With Goodman, he was perhaps the first well-known black musician to play publicly in a racially integrated group. In addition to his extensive work as a sideman, Wilson also led his own groups and recording sessions from the late 1920s to the '80s.

Wilson was born in Austin, Texas, on November 24, 1912. He studied piano and violin at Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. After working in the Lawrence "Speed" Webb band, with Louis Armstrong, and also understudying Earl Hines in Hines's Grand Terrace Cafe Orchestra, Wilson 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.
Noted jazz producer and writer John Hammond was instrumental in getting Wilson a contract with Brunswick, starting in 1935, to record hot swing arrangements of the popular songs of the day, with the growing jukebox trade in mind. He recorded fifty hit records with various singers such as Lena Horne, Helen Ward and Billie Holiday, including many of Holiday's greatest successes. During these years, he also took part in 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 Café Society from 1940 to 1944. He was dubbed the "Marxist Mozart" by Howard "Stretch" Johnson due to his support for left-wing causes. Wilson performed in benefit concerts for The New Masses journal, for Russian War Relief and he chaired the Artists' Committee to elect Benjamin J. Davis). In the 1950s, Wilson taught at the Juilliard School. Wilson can be seen appearing as himself in the 1955 motion picture The Benny Goodman Story. He also worked as music director for the Dick Cavett Show.
Wilson lived quietly in suburban Hillsdale, New Jersey, in the 1960s and 1970s. He performed as a soloist and with pick-up groups until the final years of his life.
Wilson died in New Britain CT, on July 31, 1986; he was 73. He is buried at Fairview Cemetery in New Britain, Connecticut.

They Say
Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra Lyrics

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You're so desirable
I just can't resist you
You're so desirable
I have to give in
That trim resolve I made
Has vanished away now
I'm happy to say now
You win

You're so adorable
The moment I saw you
It's just deplorable
The fool that I've been
And yet I'm glad
You've got my heart dear
Like a butterfly on a pin

You're so desirable
I had to give in

Overall Meaning

In Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra's song They Say, the lyrics discuss the power of desire and how it can overpower one's willpower and rationale. The singer conveys that despite their initial resistance towards the subject of the song, they have ultimately succumbed to temptation and given in to their desires. The use of words such as "desirable" and "adorable" emphasize the strong attraction the singer has towards this person.

The line "That trim resolve I made has vanished away now" implies that the singer had previously made a promise or decision to resist this person's charms, but it has proved to be futile. Additionally, the line "Like a butterfly on a pin" suggests that the singer's heart is captured and trapped, unable to escape their desire.

The repetition of the phrase "I had to give in" emphasizes the inevitability and power of desire, while also conveying a sense of resignation on the singer's part. Overall, the lyrics convey the idea that desire can be all-consuming and lead one to act against their better judgement.

They SayTeddy Wilson & His Orchestra Lyrics

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They Say
Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra Lyrics