I Won't Dance

(album: The Complete Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong on Verve - 1997)

[Ella]
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 wait here so ecstatically
You just look and say emphatically;

[Louis]
I won't dance, don't ask me
I won't dance, don't ask me
I won't dance, madam, with you
My heart won't let my feet do things they should do

You know what, you're lovely
And so what? You're still 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
Especially 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 leads the way to romance
So if I hold you in my arms, I won't dance

[Ella]
I won't dance, don't ask me
I won't dance, don't ask me
I won't dance, monsieur, with you
My heart won't let my feet do things they should do

You know what, you're handsome
And so what? You're handsome
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
Especially 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 beau coup
I know that music leads the way to romance
So if I hold you in my arms, I won't dance

[Louis]
I won't dance, don't ask me
I won't dance, don't ask me
I will not dance, madame, with you
My heart won't let my feet do things they should do

You know what? You're kinda lovely

[Ella]
And so what? I'm lovely

[Louis]
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

[Ella]
When you dance you're charming and you're gentle
Especially when you do the continental

[Louis]
But this feeling isn't purely mental
For heaven rest us! I'm not asbestos, honey!

[Ella]
And that's why
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