They Say (jazz standard)
{{Infobox song|type=|artist=|released=1938|genre=jazz|writer=Edward Heyman|composer=Paul Mann
Stephan Weiss}}
"They Say" is a jazz standard and popular song written in 1938. It has music by Stephan Weiss and Paul Mann and with lyrics by Edward Heyman.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eDYhAQAAIAAJ&q=they+say+heyman+weiss&pg=PA2226|title=Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series|date=1967|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Studwell|first=William Emmett|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zw0KAQAAMAAJ&q=they+say+heyman+weiss|title=They Also Wrote: Evaluative Essays on Lesser-known Popular American Songwriters Prior to the Rock Era|date=2000-01-01|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-3789-8|language=en}}
It was one of the highest-selling pieces of sheet music in January 1939.{{Cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/30s/1939/Billboard-1939-01-28.pdf|title=Sheet-Music Leaders|date=1939-01-28|work=The Billboard|access-date=2020-02-12}} It peaked at #5 on Your Hit Parade.{{Cite book|last=Tyler|first=Don|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hSCfBQAAQBAJ&q=helen+forrest+%22they+say%22&pg=PA245|title=Hit Songs, 1900-1955: American Popular Music of the Pre-Rock Era|date=2007-03-19|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-2946-2|language=en}}
It is ranked the 987th most recorded standard by JazzStandards.com.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-9/theysay.htm|title=Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals (They Say)|website=www.jazzstandards.com|access-date=2020-02-12}}
Notable recordings
- Billie Holiday performed the vocals on the Benny Carter-arranged Teddy Wilson orchestra recording (1938){{Cite news|last=Orodenker|first=M.H.|title=Off the Records|date=1938-12-31|work=The Billboard|page=67|via=Proquest Entertainment Industry Magazine Archive}}Decatur 507{{Cite book|last1=Berger|first1=Morroe|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/47443996|title=Benny Carter : a life in American music|last2=Berger|first2=Edward|last3=Patrick|first3=James|date=2001–2002|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=0-8108-4111-8|edition=2nd|location=Lanham, Md.|pages=199|oclc=47443996}}Brunswick 8270
- Helen Forrest (1938) performed the vocals on the Artie Shaw orchestra recording{{Cite book|last=Belaire, David.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/36127030|title=A guide to the big band era : a comprehensive review of all the recorded hits and all the hitmakers|date=1996|publisher=Winged Note Press|isbn=0-9653681-0-6|edition=1st|location=Santa Ana, CA|pages=100|oclc=36127030}}{{Cite book|last1=Forrest|first1=Helen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YhM6AQAAIAAJ&q=helen+forrest+%22they+say%22|title=I Had the Craziest Dream|last2=Libby|first2=Bill|date=1982-01-01|publisher=Coward, McCann & Geoghegan|isbn=978-0-698-11096-0|language=en}}
- Mildred Bailey (1938){{Cite news|last=Orodenker|first=M.H.|title=Off the Records|date=1939-01-28|work=The Billboard|page=15|via=Proquest Entertainment Industry Magazine Archive}}
- Tommy Ryan performed the vocals on the Sammy Kaye orchestra recording (1939)
In film
"They Say" was used in the films Daughters Courageous (1939) and King of the Lumberjacks (1940).