"Dance like nobody's watching ..."

[snopes]

Comment: "Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt.
Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth." -- Mark Twain

Did Mark Twain really say this? It's so NOT Mark Twain! I can't find any
information anywhere and I think the whole phrase should be scrubbed from
the net.

[Eve MG]

The quote above sounds like it was a version made to rhyme, possibly in a song. I think I've heard it before but fortunately blocked it out.

There are other versions of the saying - without the Heaven on earth part, and with "work like you don't need the money." Brainyquote.com attributes one version to Glenda Jackson. It doesn't say where she said it, though. Famousquotes.com attributes the one with the work part in it to Satchel Paige. Again, no reference to where or when. Bartlett's doesn't give anything.

[Cervus]

I've heard various versions attributed to an old Celtic proverb.

My guess? It was probably first printed anonymously in some church bulletin or Reader's Digest.

[Dactyl]

Originally Posted by Eve MG

The quote above sounds like it was a version made to rhyme,

They didn't do a very good job.

[Astra]

There's a Kathy Mattea song from the 1980s or early 1990s that works the quote into the chorus. Obviously the quote predates the song, but it may explain where some people heard it recently.

"Come From the Heart" lyrics

[Zachary Fizz]

Isn't it: Work if somebody's watching, dance like you've just been hurt, make love like you need the money?

[hoitoider]

I think it's probably from the first person to write a personals ad.

[Appraiser]

I have no solid proof of this, but my Google search seems to indicate that the quote is "Dance like no one is watching, love like you'll never be hurt, sing like no one is listening, and live like it's heaven on earth." by William Purkey