My Funny Valentine

Most of us would be familiar with the dulcet crooning of Frank Sinatra singing My Funny Valentine, but let's just take a moment on this important holiday to really look at these words:

My funny valentine
Sweet comic valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable
Unphotographable
Yet you're my favourite work of art

Is your figure less than greek
Is your mouth a little weak
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?

Wow! He's not pulling any punches here. What is he actually saying? Honey, you're quite unattractive and not too bright, but luckily since I'm a such a swell guy, I love you anyway. Gee, thanks, you're a real sweetheart Frankie baby.

But there are worse ways of communicating on the venerated day of Saint Valentine: a friend of mine posted a story on 'Vinegar Valentines' on Facebook this morning. It is a fascinating story about the history of nasty Valentine’s Day cards and the exchange of sentiments between enemies – not in today’s liberated and modern times, but from the 1840s until about the 1940s. Read about it at Collector's Weekly.

Makes me think perhaps Frankie's not so bad after all … Happy Valentine's Day kids.

But don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine stay
Each day is valentines day …