
Thomas, LaChanze and Roz Ryan's Broadway work, Egan felt intimidated by their powerful voices and riffing abilities. Familiar with singers Cheryl Freeman, Lillias White, Vaneese Y. "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" was written to replace a song composer Alan Menken had originally written for Meg because it did not suit the character's independent personality.Įgan joked that although "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" was "fun" to perform, she felt much more " white" than usual recording alongside the five black singers cast as the Muses, who provide the song's back up vocals. Although she enjoyed the first song, actress and singer Susan Egan, who voices Meg, agreed that the slower "I Can't Believe My Heart" was "too straightforward and literal", whereas "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" expresses a similar meaning, albeit "the way Meg would-without admitting any of it." The writers agreed that Meg "wasn’t a ballad kind of girl." Therefore, Menken was prompted to write "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)", the style of which he based on the girl group songs he had written for his stage musical Little Shop of Horrors (1982), with which "I Can't Believe My Heart" was ultimately replaced. However, Meg's supervising animator Ken Duncan disagreed with Menken's song because he believed the character was "too tough" and "hardened by life" to perform such a soft ballad. Menken originally composed a "soaring" ballad entitled "I Can't Believe My Heart" for Meg to sing in the film, which he had intended to serve as a solo conveying the heroine falling in love with Hercules. "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" was written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel. American girl group the Cheetah Girls covered the song in 2005. American singer Belinda Carlisle recorded a pop rock version of "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" for the film's soundtrack. While not one of Disney's most popular songs, "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" has developed a reputation as one of the studio's most underappreciated.

"I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" has been positively received by both film and music critics, who enjoyed its girl group-inspired arrangement, as well as Egan's sultry delivery and the song's refreshing difference from traditional Disney ballads some critics even dubbed it the film's best song. Menken based "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" on songs he wrote for his musical Little Shop of Horrors (1982). "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" was written to replace "I Can't Believe My Heart", a slower, more emotional ballad Menken had originally intended for Meg the latter song was discarded because Meg's animator Ken Duncan felt it did not complement her strong personality.

In its accompanying musical sequence, Meg refuses to admit she is falling in love with Hercules, while the Muses insist that she embrace her romantic feelings for him instead.

Similar in style to songs recorded by American girl groups the Ronettes and the Supremes, its lyrics are about denying having romantic feelings for someone and parody those of traditional love songs. "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" is a mid-tempo doo-wop and pop ballad reminiscent of 1950s music that incorporates Motown and R&B influences. Included on the film's soundtrack, the song is performed by American actress and singer Susan Egan in her role as Meg, Hercules' love interest, while singers Cheryl Freeman, Lillias White, Vaneese Thomas, LaChanze and Roz Ryan provide girl group-style backup vocals as the Muses. " I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel for Disney's animated film Hercules (1997).
