The song Heath Ledger sings during the famous stadium scene in 10 Things I Hate About You is “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”.

It was originally recorded by Frankie Valli in 1967.

Ledger performs the song as Patrick Verona, attempting to impress Kat Stratford, played by Julia Stiles.

The scene has become one of the most recognisable musical moments in romantic-comedy history.

But there’s an interesting detail behind it.

The filmmakers originally considered other songs for the sequence.

Ledger helped push the production towards the Frankie Valli classic.

And the song’s combination of gentle romance and enormous brass instrumentation made it particularly suitable for an exaggerated public declaration.

What happens during the stadium scene?

Patrick interrupts Kat’s football practice.

Rather than simply approaching her for an ordinary conversation, he begins singing from the stadium bleachers.

A school marching band accompanies his performance.

As the song develops, Patrick moves around the stadium while security staff attempt to stop him.

The scene is deliberately ridiculous.

But it also reveals an important change in the character.

Patrick is prepared to embarrass himself publicly in an attempt to win Kat’s affection.

Does Heath Ledger actually sing?

Yes.

The vocal heard during the scene is Ledger’s own performance.

That gives the sequence an unusual charm.

It doesn’t sound like a polished recording from a professional pop singer.

The performance has an informal, playful quality.

That suits the character.

Patrick isn’t trying to launch a singing career.

He’s making a dramatic romantic gesture.

The slightly imperfect delivery makes the moment feel more spontaneous.

Who originally sang Can’t Take My Eyes Off You?

Frankie Valli.

The American singer was already famous as the frontman of The Four Seasons.

His 1967 solo recording became a major hit.

It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The composition was written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio.

Its arrangement combines a gentle opening with an energetic brass-led chorus.

That musical structure is central to the film scene.

Why does the song work so well in the film?

Because it allows the performance to develop.

The opening is relatively restrained.

Patrick begins with a familiar romantic melody.

Then the music expands.

The marching band becomes more prominent.

The performance grows increasingly theatrical.

That gives the scene a natural sense of progression.

It begins almost like a conventional serenade.

Then becomes a full-scale public event.

Did Heath Ledger choose the song?

He was involved in developing the musical choice.

Accounts from the film’s writers indicate that other songs were considered, including “I Think I Love You” by The Partridge Family.

Ledger strongly favoured “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”.

The eventual choice became inseparable from his performance.

He also paid attention to the character’s appearance during the scene.

Those details helped establish the personality of the finished sequence.

Was the scene filmed at a real school?

Yes.

The stadium belongs to Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington.

The location became particularly famous through the movie.

Its enormous concrete seating and distinctive architecture provide the perfect environment for the performance.

The scene needs a large physical space.

A small classroom wouldn’t create the same effect.

The stadium transforms a personal romantic gesture into something almost absurdly public.

What does Can’t Take My Eyes Off You mean?

Intense romantic attraction.

The narrator is overwhelmed by somebody’s appearance and personality.

The composition uses direct language rather than complicated metaphor.

That simplicity makes it particularly adaptable.

It can work as a sincere romantic ballad.

It can also become exaggerated and humorous.

Ledger’s performance uses both qualities.

Patrick appears genuinely interested in Kat, but he expresses that interest through an intentionally ridiculous gesture.

Is the song on the official soundtrack?

The film’s soundtrack includes a number of important late-1990s alternative-pop recordings.

But listeners specifically searching for the stadium performance may need to look for Ledger’s film scene rather than assuming the original Frankie Valli recording is the exact version used on a commercial album.

That distinction matters.

The song’s composition and the performance in the film aren’t the same recording.

Who else has covered Can’t Take My Eyes Off You?

Numerous artists have performed the composition.

Andy Williams recorded a successful version.

Boys Town Gang transformed it into a disco hit.

Lauryn Hill created a particularly recognisable interpretation during the late 1990s.

The song has also been performed by various pop and jazz singers.

That makes it an excellent example of a composition surviving through very different musical styles.

Why is the movie’s soundtrack so memorable?

Because it combines contemporary alternative music with older pop.

The film includes songs by artists such as Letters to Cleo, Semisonic and Save Ferris.

That establishes its late-1990s atmosphere.

But the stadium scene uses a song from 1967.

The contrast is deliberate.

The composition has a timeless romantic personality.

It doesn’t need to belong to the characters’ own generation.

Is 10 Things I Hate About You based on Shakespeare?

Yes.

The film is a modern adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew.

That connection helps explain its exaggerated romantic relationships and confrontational characters.

The musical scene belongs to the film’s contemporary interpretation rather than Shakespeare’s original play.

It’s an example of using a familiar pop song to establish character development.

Other romantic film songs worth discovering

Try The Cardigans’ “Lovefool” from Romeo + Juliet, Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me” from She’s All That, The La’s “There She Goes” and The Smiths’ “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” from (500) Days of Summer.

Radar has a dedicated explanation of the elevator song in (500) Days of Summer, another memorable example of music creating a romantic connection.

Why do people still remember the serenade?

Because it’s funny and emotionally sincere simultaneously.

Patrick’s performance is enormous.

It’s also awkward.

That combination makes it feel more human than a perfectly controlled romantic scene.

Ledger’s charisma is central.

But the musical choice helps enormously.

The song begins gently and becomes increasingly ridiculous, matching the character’s behaviour.

What song does Heath Ledger sing in 10 Things I Hate About You?

“Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, originally released by Frankie Valli in 1967.

Ledger performs the song during the film’s famous stadium serenade.

Its dramatic arrangement and recognisable melody helped create one of the most memorable romantic scenes of the late 1990s.