Won't You Charleston With Me
Broadway Cast Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Papa won't you dance with me
Oh dance with me, please dance with me
Papa take a chance with me
And dance with me tonight

And when you whirl me
Round and round we'll go
Right off the ground we'll go
Around and round we'll go
We'll hear those trombones slidin' high
We'll both be glidin' high
Up in the sky, I love the polka

Papa won't you dance with me
Oh dance with me, please dance with me
When you hold me, hold me tight
Oh papa won't you dance with me tonight

Papa won't you dance with me
Oh dance with me, please dance with me
Papa take a chance with me
And dance with me tonight

And when you whirl me
Round and round we'll go
Right off the ground we'll go
Around and round we'll go
We'll hear those trombones slidin' high
We'll both be glidin' high
Up in the sky, I love the polka

Papa won't you dance with me
Oh dance with me, please dance with me
When you hold me, hold me tight
Oh papa won't you dance with me




Papa won't you dance with me
I said dance with me tonight.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Won't You Charleston with Me?" by the Broadway cast implore a father figure to dance with the singer. The singer is enthusiastic about dancing with their father, asking him repeatedly to dance with them. The singer even asks their father to take a chance with them and dance with them tonight, suggesting that perhaps the father is hesitant or reserved about dancing with their child. The singer's excitement for dancing is palpable and infectious.


The lyrics describe the dancing experience, with the singer portraying a sense of joy and freedom while dancing with their father. They sing about whirling around with their father, going "right off the ground," and feeling "high" while the trombones slide in the background. Overall, the song is a heartwarming plea for a moment of shared joy and connection through dancing. It is a reminder of how the simple act of dancing can create a special bond between family members.


Line by Line Meaning

Papa won't you dance with me
The singer is requesting their father to dance with them


Oh dance with me, please dance with me
The singer is pleading with their father to dance with them


Papa take a chance with me
The singer is asking their father to take a risk and dance with them


And dance with me tonight
The singer wants their father to dance with them tonight


And when you whirl me
Once the dancing begins and the father twirls the singer


Round and round we'll go
The singer and father will dance in circles


Right off the ground we'll go
The fast-paced dancing will lift the dancers off the ground


Around and round we'll go
The dancers will continue in circles


We'll hear those trombones slidin' high
The music will reach a high pitch with the trombones


We'll both be glidin' high
The weightless feeling of the dance will take the dancers high


Up in the sky, I love the polka
The singer enjoys the feeling of the dance as if they are flying


When you hold me, hold me tight
The singer wants to be held tightly by their father while dancing


I said dance with me tonight
The singer repeats their request for their father to dance with them tonight




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JULE STYNE, SAMMY CAHN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions