It Only Happens When I Dance With You is a classic Irving Berlin song from the 1948 MGM musical Easter Parade. Written by Berlin, it is performed in the film by Fred Astaire and Judy Garland as the characters Don Hewes and Hannah Brown, expressing a magical feeling that only occurs when they dance together. The tune appears on the Easter Parade soundtrack, with its first theatrical release on June 30, 1948. It sits in the traditional pop / American standard style and is part of the Great American Songbook. The lyrics describe a heavenly, springtime thrill that comes with dancing with a special partner, a mood echoed in many later covers. The song has been recorded by many artists over the years, including Frank Sinatra and Perry Como in 1948, and later by Tony Bennett and others.
