Music by | Jerome Kern |
Lyrics by | Oscar Hammerstein II & Otto Harbach, Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh |
Date | 1935 |
Source | Roberta (film) |
Publisher | Cotton Club Publishing, Aldi Music Company, and Universal Polygram International |
"I Won't Dance," from the 1934 London musical Three Sisters, was written by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach. When RKO decided to add the song to the 1935 film version of the Broadway musical Roberta as a dance number for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the lyrics were rewritten by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh. All four lyricists' names are credited for this version of the song, which became a hit.
Kermit and Miss Piggy performed this updated version of "I Won't Dance" in episode 210 of The Muppet Show. The song was performed At the Dance and featured the recurring sketch's setting, introduction music, and dancers.
Oscar the Grouch makes reference to the song in A Brief History of Motion Pictures when director Prairie Dawn demands everyone dance in the new widescreen format. Oscar objects and shouts "I won't dance! Don't ask me!" then he ducks back into his trash can. Gonnigan makes the same remark in the "Dance Recital" episode of Abby's Flying Fairy School. Similarly in Episode 4508, Bert says "I don't dance. Don't ask me."
Releases[]
- Video
- The Kermit and Piggy Story (1985)