Rejection Awareness Week; Love Makes the World Go Around, but Laughter is What Keeps Us From Getting Dizzy Week; February 7th-14th

Rejection Awareness Week

In every good musical, someone gets rejected. And here is my list of my favorite rejection songs from musicals.

1. "My Funny Valentine" - Babes In Arms (1937) The reason I like this song has less to do with the actual musical and more with the fact that I had to sing it as a solo every year in high school to remain in the concert choir. So, I guess, for me the possible rejection was not in the love area. But, the song will remain #1 on this list. The mournfulness of the tune tears my heart out during the line "You make me smile, with my heart."

2. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" - Meet Me In St Louis (1944) Watching Judy Garland sing this song with her big brown eyes filling up with tears, always makes my eyes fill up with tears.

3. "On the Street Where You Live" My Fair Lady (1956) Poor Freddy. He never had a chance. I so wanted him to have a chance. "For there's no where else on earth that I would rather be. Let the time go by, I won't care if I Can be here on the street where you live." Poor, poor Freddy.

4. "Johanna" - Sweeney Todd (1979) Some of you might think I've gone daft over this one. How can the "Demon Barber of Fleet Street" contain a beautifully tragic love story. It does. "I feel you, Johanna And one day, I'll steal you." Okay, he's going to steal her? not rescue her?

Swept up in the dramatic moment, when it is nicely laid out on stage, who wouldn't want to be showered with such intense love? Perhaps what makes this a rejection song for me is that deep within my womanness I have the desire to drive some man to such romantic excess, and at the same time I reject that desire. I know that I don't want love to drive anyone mad. I want love to be tender, and and this is dangerously close to stalkerish-mad-man.

5. "I'm Not That Girl" - Wicked (2003) "Don't wish, don't start, Wishing only wounds the heart, I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl, There's a girl I know, He loves her so, I'm not that girl." Enough said on that one.

Love Makes the World Go Around, but Laughter is What Keeps Us From Getting Dizzy Week

Hopefully, here is a little laughter to keep you from getting dizzy. I have to tell you, I had a hard time finding a funny love poem that wasn't racy. I know that there are some out in the world. I have read them... Google is just not being very helpful for me tonight. I will try harder, later. After all, we do have a whole week of this!

Love Doesn't Make You Fat

Everybody's counting calories,
Shedding those extra pounds;
They're exercising, compromising,
Making the rounds;
There's a super hit sensation
That will keep your tummy flat;
If there's one thing I know for sure,
Love doesn't make you fat.

They're watching Richard Simmons,
Dancing to the beat,
Trying new-fangled diet plans
And other good things to eat;
A kiss doesn't add calories,
A touch won't burst your stuff,
With a dose of love each day,
You'll never get enough.

Love doesn't make you fat,
It's a polyunsaturated dream;
It's decaffinated, emancipated,
Sweeter than chocolate cream;
Love doesn't make you fat,
It's done wonders for me;
You can keep that "Bo Flex" body,
Love's got a lifetime guarantee.

Copyright; Joel Bjorling
Email: bjorling@galesburg.net