A Fine Romance
Astaire Fred Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A fine romance with no kisses
A fine romance, my friend, this is
We should be like a couple of hot tomatoes (to-mah-toes, dear)
But you're as cold as yesterday's mashed po-tah-toes (potatoes)

A fine romance, you won't nestle
A fine romance, you won't even wrestle
You've never mussed the crease in my blue serge pants

You never take a chance, this is a fine romance

A fine romance, my good fellow
You take romance, I'll take Jello
You're calmer than the seals in the Arctic Ocean
At least they flap their fins to express emotion

A fine romance, my dear Duchess
Two old fogies, we really need crutches
You're just as hard to land as the Île-de-France! (France)
I haven't got a chance (chance), this is a fine romance

A fine romance, my good woman
My strong, aged-in-the-wood woman
You never give those orchids I send a glance

They're just like cactus plants, (oh boy)
This is a fine romance!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "A Fine Romance" by Fred Astaire depict a relationship that lacks passion and intimacy. The first stanza describes a romance without kisses, yet the singer still thinks it's a fine romance. The next stanza conveys frustration towards the lack of affection, as the singer compares himself and his partner to boring "hot tomatoes" and "yesterday's mashed potatoes". The third stanza communicates that the partner won't even "nestle" or "wrestle", indicating a complete absence of physical closeness. The final stanzas take a humorous tone but still highlight the unsatisfying nature of the relationship, through references to old age and failed attempts at gifting flowers.

Overall, the lyrics suggest that while the partnership may appear acceptable on the surface, there is a deep-seated dissatisfaction due to the lack of connection and passion.

Line by Line Meaning

A fine romance with no kisses
A romantic relationship with no physical intimacy

A fine romance, my friend, this is
Despite the lack of physical intimacy, this relationship is still wonderful

We should be like a couple of hot tomatoes (to-mah-toes, dear)
We should be passionately and romantically involved

But you're as cold as yesterday's mashed po-tah-toes (potatoes)
You are emotionally detached and unresponsive

A fine romance, you won't nestle
You refuse to cuddle or get close physically

A fine romance, you won't even wrestle
You won't engage in any playful physical contact

You've never mussed the crease in my blue serge pants
You have never been playful or intimate enough to mess up my clothes

You never take a chance, this is a fine romance
You are too reserved and cautious to take any risks in this relationship

A fine romance, my good fellow
A sarcastic reference to the lack of passion and intimacy in their relationship

You take romance, I'll take Jello
You prioritize emotional detachment over passion and romance

You're calmer than the seals in the Arctic Ocean
You are extremely unemotional and detached

At least they flap their fins to express emotion
Even seals show more emotional expression than you do

A fine romance, my dear Duchess
Another sarcastic reference to the lack of passion and intimacy in their relationship

Two old fogies, we really need crutches
They are metaphorically old and need assistance to function in this relationship

You're just as hard to land as the Île-de-France! (France)
You are just as difficult to win over as a large ship

I haven't got a chance (chance), this is a fine romance
I have no hope of achieving any level of intimacy or passion in this relationship

A fine romance, my good woman
Yet another sarcastic reference to the lack of passion and intimacy in their relationship

My strong, aged-in-the-wood woman
A nod to his partner's age and emotional detachment

You never give those orchids I send a glance
You show no appreciation or affection for the gifts and gestures I make towards you

They're just like cactus plants, (oh boy)
My gifts and gestures are as unappreciated and emotionally barren as cacti

This is a fine romance!
Sarcastically emphasizing just how unfulfilling and emotionally unsatisfying their relationship is

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@chrisnorman9980

3y↑75

This will never be outdated - it’s timeless.

@frannieo1707

3y↑21

I hope heaven is an art deco ballroom, with Fred Astaire waiting in top hat, tux. white tie and tails.

@the1920sand30s

3y↑2

That would be lovely Frannie :-) Thank you for watching and commenting, it's much appreciated! Have a nice weekend, Stu

@TomoyoTatar

2y↑2

IT BETTER BE!

@suanl004

34w↑8

It's funny, sweet, and something else you don't see nowadays - ADORABLE! 😇

@TheMuseSway

21w↑8

I will always love Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. They're my favorite musical, dancing duo <3.

@noodle2453

21w↑1

I swear they’re just so perfect

@kurtsherrick2066

3y↑21

They were magic together. Last Saturday to get my mind Focused I watched Fred and Ginger all day. Back to a time when of real Stars. Today people just don't get it. I am thankful my parents let me stay up late and watch old movies with them.

@richardgornalle4536

5y↑92

These two are brilliant together. Screen magic.

@Tonetwisters

4y↑82

How could you dance with Ginger Rogers and hold her in your arms ... and NOT fall in love with her?

@jeffreysalter917

4y↑69

The lyrics to this are so clever and
get the point across so well that they create a bridge in the films
continuity. When you remember that the lyricist Dorothy Fields also
wrote "Just The Way You Look Tonight" you realize the great gift her music is to us all.

@andyc.4387

4y↑9

You can hear "The Way You Look Tonight" playing in the background in the beginning of the clip.

@rivaridge7211

1y↑1

Thank you Jeffery for mentioning the great Dorothy Fields - she was, as you know, a gifted lady-songwriter during the days of which are now referred as, "The Great American Songbook." Lady songwriters were unheard of at the time (1920's-1930s) but our Dorothy made an incredible mark. If I were somehow forced to say (with a gun to my head) what my favourite song of all time was, it would be, "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby." Of course, written by Dorothy Fields and the great Jimmy McHugh. There are many countless and sweet versions of this song, "out here," but (for me) Judy's 1961 version, at Carnegie Hall, tops them all.

@ellynmacgregor8210

42w↑1

@@rivaridge7211Thank you and Jeffrey Salter so much for your posts! I adore Dorothy Fields and I'm glad to see her getting some recognition. Don't forget: unlike so many of her (male) contemporaries, she kept right on writing into the 1960's --and not just lyrics: Dorothy and her brother, Herbert Fields, collaborated on the libretto (book) for the incomparable Annie Get Your Gun*. Miss Fields gracefully and graciously bowed out on penning the lyrics when she and her brother persuaded Irving Berlin to provide the songs (which included, just to name a few, "Doin' What Comes Naturally", "Anything You Can Do", "I've Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night" and the evergreen "There's No Business Like Show Business"). And although Dorothy wrote none of those songs herself, we would never have had them at all if not for her influence. :) And then to demonstrate her versatility. endurance, and flexibility, she partnered with Cy Coleman to co-write the songs for *Sweet Charity and Seesaw . P.S. I (and DF herself would back me up) might take issue with the comment "Lady songwriters were unheard of at the time (1920's-1930s)," but this is neither the time nor the place. If you get the chance, you might look up Ann Ronell. ;)

@michaelmayoh656

4y↑29

There are no lyricists alive today that compare

@tedlandres3875

3y↑12

Lovely, sweet, sentimental times long ago kind of chokes me up and brings tears to my eyes

@the1920sand30s

3y↑3

Thank you for your comment, I'm glad to hear that you enjoy this as much as I have.

@IrishEyes1989

3y↑43

I can’t stop watching this, it’s so sweet. Fred and Ginger are both so young!

“As we say in French, ‘La belle romance.’”
“La SWELL romance!”

SWOON

@2getha5eva

3y↑2

Exactly!

I know that it's the set-up for the song, but I always get really disappointed when he kind of pushes her away. Every time.

It's an amazing song, though. I can't argue with that.

@the1920sand30s

3y↑3

Dear IrishEyes, Thank you for watching and commenting, it's much appreciated! I'm glad to hear that you enjoy it as much as I do. Have a nice weekend. Best wishes, Stu

@the1920sand30s

3y↑2

Dear Xan, Thank you for watching and commenting, it's much appreciated! Have a lovely day. Best wishes, Stu

@IrishEyes1989

2y↑3

@@the1920sand30s Hey Stu! I was going through old comments and realized I'd liked your reply but never said hi. I'm sorry!! Hope you're doing well! :D <3

@the1920sand30s

2y↑2

@IrishEyes1989 Hey Irish, how lovey to hear from you again. I'm doing alright, I have been busy with work and haven't had much time to upload new videos , well except for today. How about you? Not a problem, you know the saying, better late than never , so hi back :-) .

@CLASSICAListheWAY

4y↑37

A timeless duo!

@thierryfortier605

1y↑7

My favorite little moment in all Fred and Ginger movies.

@Rhiaanon

5y↑43

I absolutely love Fred and Ginger movies!

@normaflint9415

8y↑95

JUST FABULOUS - I LOVE FRED AND GINGER!

@aidameyer5594

5y↑14

Cannot help smilling watching Fred and. Ginger

@juliag.5114

1y↑5

Fred was sooo charming, that jaw line!

@kennethbrady

2y↑5

I've just fallen madly in love with Ginger Rogers.

@leahtowns386

4y↑31

Never gets old.

@JoeHarkinsHimself

51w↑11

Asa a contemporary of this piece of timeless art, I wonder about the topic references in the lyrics that mystify younger listeners but cannot be updated because they are so perfectly of their time. All these can be Googled, but here's a summary of a few.

EG: "as hard to land as the Ille de France" - this was perhaps the most romantic pre-WW2 ocean liner when hat was the most romantic form or trans-Atlantic crossing. It was operated by a French company with all the luxury and elegance one would expect from the French. It was also very large and therefore, required the highest level of expertise to bring into NY/NJ Harbor, up the deep and powerful Hudson River, and slip into a midtown dock.

"the crease in your blue serge pants . . " serge is a tightly woven wool fabric once common in men's better quality clothes.

"The March of Time . . . " in the 30s and 40, until television kept people home, it was common for people to go to movie theaters once a week. Prior to the major feature film while people were settling in to their seats, many theater operators ran short film features, one of them being a collection of newsreels under the name of "The March of Time" framed with an MTV-like collage of general scenes, accompanied by a bombastic musical theme.

@OggyBleacher

1y↑9

This has to be a song Cole Porter wished he wrote. With The Gershwins, Berlin, Porter, Hart & Rogers, Johnny Mercer, Hoagy Carmichael, etc. all churning out show tunes in 1936 it brought out the best in everyone. Then add the Cotton Club, The Savoy, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Bob Wills, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman, Ray Noble, etc. The film Swing Time doesn't have a ton of hard swing tunes but it definitely ushered in the Swing Era in a big way. Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima premiered in 1936. In my opinion the decade between 1936 and 1946 was the greatest popular musical decade. The musicianship of the instrumentalists, the arrangements and the songwriting and the performance level rivals anything Mozart or Bach produced. I mean, the lyrics "You're just as hard to land as the Île de France..." must refer to the large luxury French ocean liner the SS Île de France that was crossing the Atlantic Ocean at that time. And who knows if Dorothy Fields was aware that pants and pants cuffs were a rather large part of the movie wedding gimmick when she wrote the line about the blue serge pants?

@alanoneill3065

19w

Great comment!

@OLD_SOUL1900

22w↑4

Fred and Ginger, the immortal duo. My heart feels full and mended from the emptiness and pain from the world today when I watch things from the '20s and '30s; these two are no exception. More people need to be like them: free, happy, loving, and, of course, adorably funny. Many thanks to you for posting this in great quality.😉 I love that you started the clip from the point you did...It'll be great for my playlist.😁😚

@the1920sand30s

17w↑1

Your heartfelt words truly touched me. Fred and Ginger possess a magical ability to fill our hearts with joy and nostalgia, consistently uplifting me in both blue and difficult moments. I'm pleased that this clip resonated with you, and I value your appreciation for the quality and starting point of the clip. Sharing the love for these timeless moments is truly wonderful. Thank you for not only watching but also taking the time to share your thoughts; it's genuinely appreciated! I hope you and your loved ones had a great holiday season. Best wishes, Stu

@OLD_SOUL1900

17w

@@the1920sand30s Thank you very much for your words. They do possess that ability and they NEVER fail to uplift us in times of sorrow...this definitely resonated with me.😉 To a fellow "oldie", I give my up most respect to you. Our admiration for the past is special...we notice greatness in days gone by. We see that eventhough something is deemed, "old" it does not mean that it is any less wonderful. I'm glad that this is something we share!😌 Yes, I did thank you! Upon which, my sister got me Ginger Rogers' autobiography and I hear that it's a fascinatingly fun read! I hope that you and yours had a wonderful holiday as well!😁

@chattyroz2934

7y↑41

How could anyone not like this?

@Rzr543

Ginger's dancing mesmerizes me. She was the epitome of femininity, elegance and grace. Absolutely beautiful.

@pauljung3534

2y↑5

"Phonetically and lyrically luscious... roller-coaster feelings, so romantically defined."

@LauraC-hq7sm

47w↑2

The way they sit together is beauty.

@mollyscot1563

1y↑4

PERFECT

@annasilvestri6841

2y↑4

Grazie per questo Dono Meraviglioso che ho scoperto proprio la sera del 6Gennaio 2022 Epifania del Signore. Da tempo desideravo sentire sia la prima musica che ricordo sam day ma io sono italiana e non ricordo bene le parole. GRAZIE🤩

@cassandrakiser8594

6y↑43

The best to ever act, song and dance together. I miss Fred. He was a true artist .

@nicolettapasquini6614

14w↑1

Film molto romantico con bellissime musiche e divertente,equivoci della coppia Astaire e Ginger Rogers ❤❤❤❤

@bluefire9147

26w↑1

My favourite part of the picture

@VoodooCrab

1y↑2

Too cute!

@ralphstone1521

3y↑6

I agree with all these glowing comments-sure makes you smile and sigh...

@the1920sand30s

Thank you for watching and commenting, it's much appreciated! I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed it as much as I have. Have a nice weekend. Best wishes, Stu

@nickl1682

5y↑23

there the best together . They dance as one person

@audreydaleski1067

1y↑2

This is my favorite.

@lorettalane6747

12w

Luv this song & movie!!! & That coat Ginger is wearing is jus everything,gorgeous!!! I would sport it today in a heartbeat so pretty..Like Fred's hat too..

@sandrakenney567

20w↑1

Gershwin Berlin and kern wrote some beautiful musicials like this one A Fine Romance so innoncet and beautiful. Godbless You Fred and Ginger for your beautiful dancing Amen 💃💫👠👠👞👞🎩

@therealhellkitty5388

46w↑1

Just as hard to land as the Isle de France… what a wonderful line!

@josephgippert8359

4y↑7

Lovely

@the1920sand30s

Thank you for your comment. I'm glad to read that you are enjoying this marvelous performance.

@paolabaroni6802

43w↑2

Nessuno come loro

@sophiahudson8434

7y↑14

Wonderful song

@galemanning6842

6y↑31

I love your description of Fred! I couldn't agree more. He could do it all. Sure, there have been plenty of other talents, especially in this age in Hollywood, but for me it's Fred all the way. Thanks for this great clip!

@chrisimbee4329

6y↑13

brilliant!

@juliag.5114

1y↑5

this number was particularly funny because Fred and Ginger almost never kissed in their movies lol

@markvargus6519

40w↑4

It was written after someone made a comment about how Fred and Ginger were always presented as a romantic couple, but they never kissed. It was somewhat known that Fred didn't want even the appearance of betraying his real life wife and tried very hard to avoid making truly romantic gestures with his movie partners.

@juliag.5114

⁠@@markvargus6519I didn’t know that! He was a true gentleman. And he was right, the kiss wasn’t even necessary, they had a lot of chemistry by just dancing with each other

@reinholdmaximilian214

4y↑4

Als Kind liebte ich die Beiden. 👍

@googlefan7409

7y↑11

Very fine

@ZeniferJenZ

4y↑5

❤

@oresictihana

3y↑3

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

@the1920sand30s

Thank you for the 5 stars, much appreciated! So here's 👼👼👼👼👼 back to you! Have a nice weekend, Stu

@potdog1000

1y↑2

proof that there's no timeline on class

@blacksheep1950

44w↑1

What helped make the Astaire /Rogers musicals so popular ? The great orchestration by the RKO studio orchestra...not a single mention of them in these comments .

@alanoneill3065

19w↑1

I HAVE to wonder..HOW was the snow created????

@the1920sand30s

17w↑1

That is indeed a very good question. Now, if my memory serves me right, in the early days of film making, Hollywood "snowmen" creatively repurposed anything white and flaky for snow scenes. Materials like bleached cornflakes, gypsum, salt, concrete dust, asbestos, and even chicken feathers were utilized.

Although falling snow was featured in films, challenges arose with Christmas scenes. During the silent era, cotton was commonly used for snow until filmmakers realized its significant fire hazard on sound stages.

While the potential harm of some substances wasn't fully understood at that time, cast and crew noticed breathing difficulties. To mitigate risks, they often wore masks between takes. Bleached snowflakes remained a popular choice, with films from the 1920s and '30s showcasing what seemed like giant snowflakes descending straight down, as realistic snow blowing methods were lacking.

The diverse materials had a purpose, as filmmakers needed to simulate various types of snow, from banks to footprints and snow clinging to windows or trees. Fake ice was also crucial, sometimes crafted from paper or actual ice. Although real snow was occasionally brought in, the absence of large refrigerated studios meant it would melt quickly in the sweltering back-lot. Filmmakers would shoot scenes until the snow melted away.

@alanoneill3065

17w

@@the1920sand30s amazing research!
The "snow"is so realistic

@janeleekeller

3y↑1

1936
Thank You Stu 😊

JaneLee 🕊️ - in Suburban Philadelphia
1/25/21

@the1920sand30s

3y↑1

Dear Jane, You're most welcome and thank you for watching and commenting, it's much appreciated! Have a great weekend, Stu

@janeleekeller

the1920sand30s

You're quite welcome 🙂, I feel Lucky to have This.

'JANELEE', (entire first name), in Suburban Philadelphia PA.
8/20/21

@musicaltheatergeek79

2y↑5

What I enjoy about watching Astaire/Rogers films is that they didn't speak in that phony Mid-Atlantic accent that many pretentious Classic Hollywood actors were wont to put-on. They sounded/acted like normal people, so their movies are more relatable now.

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