Shall We Dance (1937)

Peter P. Peters: Things have come to a pretty pass. Our romance is growing flat, for you like this and the other, while I go for this and that. Goodness knows what the end will be -- oh, I don't know where I'm at... It looks as if we two will never be one. Something must be done...You say either and I say eyether, you say neither and I say nyther; Either, eyether, neither, nyther! Let's call the whole thing off! You like potato and I like potatoe, You like tomato and I like tomatoe. Potato, potatoe, tomato, tomatoe! Let's call the whole thing off! But oh! If we call the whole thing off, then we must part. And oh! If we ever part, then that might break my heart! So, if you like pajamas and I like pyjahmas, I'll wear pajamas and give up pyjahmas. For we know we need each other, so we better call the calling off off. Let's call the whole thing off! You say laughter and I say lawfter. You say after and I say awfter. Laughter, lawfter, after, awfter! Let's call the whole thing off! You like vanilla and I like vanella. You, say s'parilla and I say s'parella. Vanilla, vanella, chocolate, strawberry! Let's call the whole thing off! But oh! If we call the whole thing off, then we must part. And oh! If we ever part, then that might break my heart! So, if you go for oysters and I go for ersters. I'll order oysters and cancel the ersters. For we know we need each other, so we better call the calling off off! Let's call the whole thing off!

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Peter P. Peters: The odds were a hundred to one against me. The world thought the heights were too high to climb. But people from Missouri never incensed me. Oh, I wasn't a bit concerned. For from hist'ry I had learned how many, many times the worm had turned... They all laughed at Christopher Columbus when he said the world was round. They all laughed when Edison recorded sound. They all laughed at Wilbur and his brother when they said that man could fly. They told Marconi Wireless was a phony. It's the same old cry. They laughed at me wanting you. Said I was reaching for the moon. But oh, you came through. Now they'll have to change their tune. They all said we never could be happy. They laughed at us and how! But ho, ho, ho! Who's got the last laugh now? They all laughed at Rockefeller Center. Now they're fighting to get in. They all laughed at Whitney and his cotton gin. They all laughed at Fulton and his steamboat, Hershey and his chocolate bar. Ford and his Lizzie kept the laughers busy. That's how people are. They laughed at me wanting you. Said it would be, "Hello, Goodbye." But oh, you came through. Now they're eating humble pie. They all said we'd never get together. Darling, let's take a bow For ho, ho, ho! Who's got the last laugh? Hee, hee, hee! Let's at the past laugh. Ha, ha, ha! Who's got the last laugh now?"

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Peter P. Peters: Our romance won't end on a sorrowful note, though by tomorrow you're gone. The song is ended, but as the songwriter wrote, the melody lingers on. They may take you from me, I'll miss your fond caress, but though they take you from me, I'll still possess... The way you wear your hat. The way your sip your tea. The memory of all that. No, no, they can't take that away from me. The way your smile just beams. The way you sing off key. The way you haunt my dreams. No, no, they can't take that away from me. We may never, never meet again on the bumpy road to love -- still, I'll always, always keep the memory of... The way you hold your knife. The way we danced till three. The way you changed my life. No, no, they can't take that away from me. No, they can't take that away from me. We may never, never meet again on the bumpy road to love -- still, I'll always, always keep the memory of... The way you hold your knife. The way we danced till three. The way you changed my life. No, no, they can't take that away from me No, they can't take that away from me. Can't take that away from me

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The song, "Hi-Ho," was written for this movie as an opening number, but was dropped because of the expense of filming it. It was published in 1967. The song "Wake Up Brother and Dance" was also written for the movie and published in 1937 with the other songs, but it was dropped to make room for the title song. It appeared in the movie Kiss Me, Stupid with the title "Sophia."
Cinematographer David Abel started the picture but was replaced by Joseph F. Biroc with five weeks of production left. Biroc finished the picture, uncredited.
The scene where Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance on roller skates took about 150 takes, according to one of the VHS versions of the film.
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