I WON'T DANCE - Free Jazz Leadsheet

Composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach, and Jimmy McHugh in 1935, "i won't dance" was first introduced in the Broadway production "Roberta". The song gained immediate popularity due to its charming melody and playful lyricism.

The lyrics depict a coy refusal to dance while hiding romantic interest, blending humor with flirtation. Musically, it follows a 32-bar AABA structure, featuring swing-friendly rhythms and melodic hooks suitable for both vocal and instrumental jazz settings.

Subsequent notable recordings by Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald helped solidify its status as a standard in both Broadway and jazz repertoires.