"I could sing a verse for you. But I'll…

“Refrain” can be a verb or a noun. “I was going to make a bad music pun, but I’ll refrain from doing as such” was posted on Twitter by Morris Dutchley on October 3, 2011.

“I could sing a verse for you. But I’ll refrain” was posted on Reddit—Dadjokes on June 12, 2019. “I’m so tempted to do a musical joke. But I’ll refrain” was posted on Reddit—3amjokes on May 7, 2020.

Wiktionary: refrain
Verb
refrain (third-person singular simple present refrains, present participle refraining, simple past and past participle refrained)
1. (transitive, archaic) To hold back, to restrain (someone or something). [from 14th c.]
2. (reflexive, archaic) To show restraint; to hold oneself back. [from 14th c.]
3. (transitive, now rare) To repress (a desire, emotion etc.); to check or curb. [from 14th c.]
4. (intransitive) To stop oneself from some action or interference; to abstain. [from 15th c.]
5. (transitive, now rare, regional) To abstain from (food or drink). [from 16th c.]
Noun
refrain (plural refrains)
1. The chorus or burden of a song repeated at the end of each verse or stanza.
2. A much repeated comment, complaint, or saying.

Twitter
Morris Dutchley, he who is Dutchley, Exalted one
@Dutchtica
I was going to make a bad music pun, but I’ll refrain from doing as such.
11:44 AM · Oct 3, 2011 from Amsterdam, The Netherlands·Twitter Web Client

Twitter
$Melknee with the good threads
@Melknee
I want to make a lot of music nerd jokes about copyright, but I’ll refrain
10:13 PM · Jan 26, 2012·Twitter for iPhone

Twitter
Brandon Chism
@chizzam22
donnyadams14 I’m tempted to make a short joke with those music stands, but I’ll refrain. http://instagram.com/p/waHiLgp4fJ/
8:40 PM · Dec 9, 2014·Instagram

Reddit—Dadjokes
Posted by u/that_swiss_man June 12, 2019
I could sing a verse for you
But I’ll refrain.

Punstoppable
I could sing a verse for you
But I’ll refrain.
👤︎ u/that_swiss_man
📅︎ Jun 12 2019

Twitter
John’s Campaign
@JohnCampaign
Replying to @SFTDementiaTeam @dowse_helen and 14 others
It’ll be lovely but on a serious note (there’s prob a musical joke to be made here—but I’ll refrain (refrain - geddit?) ) Please can we all be clear about the decent compassionate NHS guidance that appears to be being ignored. This matters to people with dementia & at EOL
8:09 AM · Apr 30, 2020·Twitter Web App

Reddit—3amjokes
Posted by u/zubbs99 May 7, 2020
I’m so tempted to do a musical joke.
But I’ll refrain.
COMMENTS
Hussar_by_Night
Your humor is very sharp

Twitter
3AM
@3AM_Jokes
I’m so tempted to do a musical joke…. But I’ll refrain.
3:20 AM · May 7, 2020·IFTTT