I Won’t Dance lyrics — music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and Dorothy Fields
[she]
Think of what you’re losing
By constantly refusing to dance with me.
You’d be the idol of France with me!
And yet you stand there and shake
Your foolish head dramatic’lly.
While I wait here so ecstatic’lly
You just look and say emphatic’lly
Not this season! There’s a reason!
[he]
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 the things they should do!
You know what? You’re lovely,
[she]
And so what? I’m lovely!
[he]
But 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!
[she]
When you dance you’re charming and you’re gentle!
‘Spec’lly when you do the ‘Continental’.
[he]
But this feeling isn’t purely mental;
For heaven rest us, I’m not asbestos.
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 my arms I won’t dance
sung and danced by Marge Champion and Gower Champion in Lovely to Look At, by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Roberta