Take a Step with Me

by Jerome Kern (music) and Harry B. Smith (lyrics)

[Verse]

Sheet music cover

You see her ev'rywhere,

Petite and debonair,

She's only seventeen or so,

Her style is really comme il faut,

She seems to know just what to show,

And just how far to go.

She haunts the cabarets,

And all the gay cafès,

For she has caught the dancing craze,

And she has such entrancing ways,

But if you ask if you may call,

You have no chance at all!

For if a chap gets gay!

She'll laugh at him and say.

[Refrain]

"Take a step with me,

Any kind, I don't mind,

If you want to dance,

I will take a chance!

Slide, dip! I won't trip,

Are you there? There you are!

Take a step with me, but not a step too far!"

[Verse]

A certain married dame,

I will not give her name,

Is younger than her husband is,

Her tastes are livelier than his.

As dancing makes her figure trim,

She dances not with him!

One night she felt quite gay,

Took in a cabaret,

She found the dancing such good fun,

That as the clock was striking one,

In wine her sorrows she had drowned,

She still was whirling round!

A stalwart man in blue,

Touched her and said "Hey you!"

[Refrain]

"Take a step with me,

Any kind, I don't mind,

If you want to dance,

I will take a chance!

Slide, dip! I won't trip,

Are you there? There you are!

Take a step with me, but not a step too far!"