I Won't Dance

Lyrics by: Jimmy McHugh

Lyrics by: Dorothy Fields

Music by: Jerome Kern

Arranged By: Nelson Riddle – Neal Hefti

From the Album: A Swingin' Affair (1957)

From the Film: Roberta (1935)

Label: Capitol – Reprise

Recorded: 11/15/56 – 10/2/62

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"The lyrics were first written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach for the London musical "Three

Sisters", which premiered

in 1934. Then when RKO released the screen version in March of 1935, Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh

changed the lyrics of the song, only keeping the title which Oscar Hammerstein II originated."

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, oh, 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 am 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 leads the way to romance,

So if I hold you in arms I won't dance

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 me feet do things that they want to do

You know what?, you're lovely,

Ring-a-ding-ding, you're lovely