As a teenager, DeVille had a band named Billy and the Kids. He moved to London looking to form a band, but was unsuccessful in finding like-minded musicians. Eventually he landed in San Francisco where he formed a band with bassist Ruben Siguenza and drummer Tom "Manfred" Allen. The band played under the names Billy DeSade & the Marquis and the Lazy Eights before settling on the name Mink DeVille. Later, DeVille took the band to New York City, where they helped to pioneer punk rock music and were one of the original house bands at CBGB, the New York nighclub where punk rock music was born in the mid-1970s.
The typical DeVille song -- if any of his songs can be called "typical" -- is filled with romantic conviction and yearning. Latin rhythms, Blues riffs, and strains of country music can be heard in DeVille songs. Spanish Stroll was a hit in the U.S. and the UK in 1978; Storybook Love (nominated for an Academy Award in 1987) is the theme song of the movie The Princess Bride.
DeVille suffered from drug addiction for many years, which stifled his career. Among fellow musicians and songwriters, he was widely respected. Songwriter Doc Pomus said about Deville, "He knows the truth of a city street and the courage in a ghetto love song."
DeVille died of pancreatic cancer during the night of August 6, 2009 in a New York hospital.
DeVille had homes in New Orleans and Mississippi.
Teasin' You
Willy DeVille Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With that smile she's putting on, you're the jivest cat in town
Don't you know that my baby loves me ?
Go on and work your all, that's the way things go
But can't you see baby loves me ?
Don't you know that my baby loves me ?
But it won't be for long, I know my baby will be coming home
Don't you know that my baby loves me ?
Now, watch what she does when it's time to go home
You'll get a cab but she'll be coming home alone
Don't you know that my baby loves me ?
Now, you bought her a lot of drinks and she's as high as she can be
You'll get a cab and she'll be coming home to me
Don't you know that my baby loves me ?
Hey, hey, you ain't nothing but a pack of old
Something, John, they call your other name
'Cause you're always rising sand, they call you that
'Cause there ain't no more like you inside
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey ...
The lyrics of "Teasin' You" by Willy DeVille tells a story of a man observing the behavior of his lover, who is also teasing another man. He's confident that his lover will return home to him at the end of the night because she loves him. The tone of the song is playful and upbeat, resembling the style of the R&B and Soul music of the 1950s and 1960s.
The lyrics convey the idea of the importance of one's own self-worth and the confidence that love can provide. The singer in the song observes and acknowledges the behavior of his lover without feeling threatened or experiencing any negative emotions. Instead, he brags about his woman loving him because he knows it to be true.
The song stands out for its vintage feel, with Willy DeVille's soulful voice and the brass section providing a throwback to the R&B era. The lyrics are simple yet effective, conveying the story without any frills. The song's catchy melody and upbeat tempo make it an enjoyable listen.
Line by Line Meaning
She's just teasin' you though she's teasin' too
She's leading you on, even though she's leading others on as well
With that smile she's putting on, you're the jivest cat in town
Her smile makes you feel like the coolest guy in town
Don't you know that my baby loves me ?
I'm confident that my partner loves me
Go on and work your all, that's the way things go
Keep doing what you're doing, that's life
But can't you see baby loves me ?
Despite your efforts, my partner still loves me
But it's alright, she's with you tonight
I'm not worried that she's with you tonight
But it won't be for long, I know my baby will be coming home
I know my partner will come home soon
Now, watch what she does when it's time to go home
Pay attention to how she acts when it's time to leave
You'll get a cab but she'll be coming home alone
You'll leave in a taxi, but my partner will come home alone
Now, you bought her a lot of drinks and she's as high as she can be
You've bought her many drinks and she's very drunk
You'll get a cab and she'll be coming home to me
You'll leave in a taxi, but my partner will come home to me
Hey, hey, you ain't nothing but a pack of old Something, John, they call your other name
You're nothing special, referred to by your last name
'Cause you're always rising sand, they call you that
You cause trouble, which is why you're called that name
'Cause there ain't no more like you inside
You're unique, there's no one else like you
Hey, hey, hey
An exclamation to end the song
Hey, hey, hey
An exclamation to end the song
Hey, hey, hey ...
An exclamation to end the song
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.