I Won't Dance

From the RKO Picture "Roberta"
Music by Otto Harbach;  Lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh
Performed by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers

N.B.: The lyrics were first written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach for the London musical "Three Sisters", which premiered in 1934. When RKO released the screen version in March of 1935, Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh changed the lyrics of the song, keeping only the title which Oscar Hammerstein II originated.

[Ginger]
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 dramatically.
While I wait here so ecstatically
You just look and say emphatically
Not this season! There's a reason!

[Fred]
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,

[Ginger]
And so what? I'm lovely!

[Fred]
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!

[Ginger]
When you dance you're charming and you're gentle!
'Specially when you do the "Continental".

[Fred]
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 beau coup!
I know that music leads the way to romance:
So if I hold you in my arms- 
I won't dance!