A song must move the story ahead. A song must take the place of dialogue. If a song halts the show, pushes it back, stalls it, the audience won't buy it; they'll be unhappy.

With Kern Dorothy Fields worked on the movie version of Roberta and also on their greatest success Swing Time. " During the later 1920s Dorothy Fields and McHugh wrote specialty numbers for the various Cotton Club revues many of which were recorded by Duke Ellington. Fields died of a stroke the next year at the age of 68.

She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films. Along with Ann Ronell Dana Suesse Bernice Petkere and Kay Swift Dorothy Fields was one of the first successful Tin Pan Alley and Hollywood female songwriters.