So the yearly spike in page views, from folks who sadly only Google love poems for Valentine’s Day, has come to an end. You want to say that Valentine’s Day is over? I’ve got news for you, love poems, love songs, turkey, and candy canes are just as delicious on President’s Day, or even Thursday. Love is not relegated to a holiday, my friend, and if I want to listen to Christmas music on a Wednesday in August I will. So there!
I’m all for holidays and celebration, but what’s with all the strict rules about how and which days? When are we going to quit letting the advertising industry tell us when to send flowers, when to read love poems to each other, when it’s okay to eat fruitcake? Okay, okay, so maybe there is no time that’s good to eat fruit cake, but then again, I suspect that’s another bill of goods we’ve been sold. Surely there are people out there who make a smashing, moist and tasty loaf of the stuff.
It’s sad that we are nowhere near as free-spirited and unencumbered by societal expectations as we pretend to be. Sure, traditions are nice. They give some stability to our lives, but not when we are weighed down so much by them that we cannot move freely on our own. I had to work last night, serving amazing food and desserts, opening bottles of wine for lovers of all ages and kinds. So we decided that since I have the weekend off we’d celebrate our love feast today.
Ingredients are ready to make the sauce; strawberries are waiting to dip. Valentine cards have not even been given yet. Later, after dinner, that’s our tradition. It’s Valentine’s’ Day here at our house and I don’t give a flying fruitcake what the calendar says.
So my brother Jeff, in another forum, played a request for Brian and I. It’s a song originally recorded by the Beetles, and I love their little happy ditty, with just a touch of nostalgic melancholy. It’s a classic. But it’s Bette Midler’s version with its slow and sexy tones that I want to dance with my husband to at my wedding. So like Jeff did, I give you both versions. Happy Valentine’s Day. Go read a love poem to someone, even if it’s the cat.
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David J. Bauman 
Well before your start dancing…you might want to consider Allison Crowe’s version. 🙂
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Ah, this is lovely, Charles. There cannot be too many covers of this song.
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Goosebumps. Thank you for posting that.
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Just as with great poetry and literature, a great song can be interpreted and expressed in so many meaningful ways. I especially enjoyed the photos in The Beatles’ video. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Brian. I’m off to make pumpkin bread, which I’ve been considering all week. I’m feeling empowered to do so now. 🙂
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You go, girl! Glad I could help resolve this pumpkin bread issue. 😉
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Two great versions and an excellent post.
I hope you had a wonderful time. x
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Aw, thank you and thank you. It was a lovely evening of Chicken Parmesan and Doctor Who.
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You sound like my kinda guys! What series are you up to?
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Well I grew up watching Tom Baker reruns, got back into it with Christopher E. And only saw a few here and there after that. I got Brian into it and now were up to series three with David T. Last night we watched the two part show with him hiding as a teacher in 1913, and then “Blink,” both of which were amazing.
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It just gets better and better – but no spoilers from me! ‘Blink’ is the scariest episode I’ve ever watched.
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I thoight it was amazing.
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even though i wrote a bunch of love poems/stories on valentine’s days i too believe in your thinking, love is a 365 days/year long passion- it keeps bubbling inside, even when we are not thinking about it 🙂
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“For the Boys” was panned by many, though I enjoyed it … it was predictable, sentimental, schmaltzy … but it was rather nostalgic. And, I loved this version of the song … I’ll admit it’s even in my playlist, and I sing along (loudly) every time I hear it. 🙂
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I do too, especially in the car where no one can hear me.
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