I Won't Dance

Fred Astaire

About I Won't Dance

"I Won't Dance" is a jazz standard song with music by Jerome Kern, that has had two different sets of lyrics, the first written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach in 1934, the second written by Dorothy Fields (though Jimmy McHugh was also credited) in 1935. The two sets of lyrics share little but the common refrain of "I won't dance". The second set of lyrics is the much better known one, and the song in this form has been covered by many artists. Kern, Hammerstein and Harbach originally wrote "I Won't Dance" for the 1934 London musical Three Sisters. However, Three Sisters flopped and was quickly forgotten. The next year, Fields was hired to help with the music for a film version of the 1933 Kern-Harbach musical Roberta. The writing team decided to make use of "I Won't Dance" for the film, also named Roberta. However, Fields rewrote nearly all of the lyrics, making the song more playful and suggestive by having the narrator refuse to dance because "I know that music leads the way to romance". The song became such a hit, largely due to the fact that it was performed by Fred Astaire, that it is now included in all stage revivals and recordings of Roberta. 


Year:
1953
3:01
330 
#4

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I won't dance, don't ask me
I won't dance, don't ask me
I won't dance madame with you
My heart won't let my feet do things that they should do

You know what, you're lovely
You know what, you're so lovely
And you know what you do to me
I'm like an ocean wave that's bumped on the shore
I feel so absolutely stumped on the floor

When you dance, you're charming and you're gentle
Specially when you do The Continental
But this feeling isn't purely mental
For heaven rest us, I'm not asbestos
And that's why

I won't dance, why should I?
I won't dance, how could I?
I won't dance, merci beaucoup
I know that music lead the way to romance
So if I hold you in arms, I won't dance

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


Fred Astaire

Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer, musician and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute. He is particularly associated with Ginger Rogers, with whom he made ten films. more »

3 fans

Written by: Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern, Jimmy Mc Hugh, Oscar Hammerstein Ii, Otto Harbach

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Song Creation
The song "I Won't Dance" was composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh in the year 1934.
Movie Appearance
The song first made its appearance in a London stage musical called "Three Sisters" but did not gain much popularity at that time.
Reputation Growth
"I Won't Dance" gained fame when it was performed by Fred Astaire in the film adaptation of "Roberta" in 1935, a year after its first appearance.
Oscar Hammerstein II's Contribution
Although the original composers were Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh, Oscar Hammerstein II later revised the lyrics for its big-screen rendition by Astaire.
Song Lyrics
The lyrics of the song depict a man who refuses to dance, essentially due to fear of falling in love. The song creatively utilizes dance as a metaphor for love and romance.
Award Nomination
The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Song's Adaptations
Besides Astaire, the song has been covered and performed by various artists in different eras, including Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra.
Jazz Standard
Over the years, "I Won't Dance" has become a jazz standard, being recorded numerous times by artists from around the world.
Unique Wisdom
This song is specially remembered for its unique blending of humor, wisdom and romance in its lyrics, matched by Kern's harmonically complex music.
Notable Performances
One of the most memorable performances of the song is Fred Astaire's duet with Ginger Rogers in the movie version of "Roberta". Another notable rendition is Astaire's solo performance in the 1955 film "The Towering Inferno".
Pop Culture
The song continues to be popular in pop culture. It has been included in the soundtracks of several modern movies and TV shows, including "The Purple Rose of Cairo" (1985) and "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle" (1994).

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