BMM 12 - I Feel Pretty

I feel pretty
Oh, so pretty
I feel pretty and witty and gay
And I pity
Any girl who isn't me today

I feel charming
Oh, so charming
It's alarming how charming I feel
I'm so pretty
That I hardly can believe I'm real

See the pretty girl in that mirror there
Who can that attractive girl be?
Such a pretty face!
Such a pretty dress!
Such a pretty smile!
Such a pretty me!

I feel stunning
And entrancing
Feel like running and dancing for joy
For I'm loved
By a pretty wonderful boy! 

Have you met my good friend, Maria,
The craziest girl on the block?
You'll know her the minute you see her
She's the one who is in an advanced state of shock!

She thinks she's in love
She thinks she's in Spain
(La-la-la!)
She isn't in love
She's merely insane

It must be the heat
Or some rare disease
(La-la-la!)
Or too much to eat
Or maybe it's fleas

Keep away from her!
Send for Chino!
This is not the Maria we know!

Modest and pure
Polite and refined
(La-la-la!)
Well-bred and mature
And out of her mind!

I feel pretty
Oh, so pretty
That the city should give me its key
A committee
Should be organized to honor me

I feel dizzy
I feel sunny
I feel fizzy and funny and fine
I'm so pretty
Miss America can just resign!

See the pretty girl in that mirror there
(What mirror? Where?)
Who can that attractive girl be?
(Which? What? Where? Whom?)
Such a pretty face!
Such a pretty dress!
Such a pretty smile!
Such a pretty me!

 I feel stunning
And entrancing
Feel like running and dancing for joy
For I'm loved
By a pretty wonderful boy! 

From Wikipedia: "I Feel Pretty" is a song written by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein from the 1957 musical West Side Story. 

The New York Times explained that "Mr. Sondheim…has said he was never particularly fond of his lyrics in 'West Side Story,' especially 'I Feel Pretty'," later expressing that "The idea of the song is so simple."

In the musical and 2021 film version, Maria is not yet aware that her love, Tony, has just killed her brother Bernardo, while in the 1961 film version, the song occurs before Bernardo's death. In the bridal shop where she works (in the 1961 film; Gimbels in the 2021 film), Maria sings about being happy and feeling beautiful because she is "loved by a pretty wonderful boy", while her coworkers tease her about her silly behavior. Robert Cummings of AllMusic comments that the song "features one of Bernstein's more memorable melodies: its first four notes, deliciously rhythmic in their rising contour, repeat, then are reduced to three, then to two. …Bernstein's instrumentation colors the music with a Latin character…and so does the girls' chorus that enters midway through. Stephen Sondheim's lyrics deftly capture Maria's bliss and newfound sense of confidence." 

Birmingham Mail described the song as "delightful," while The Tab deemed it a "classic." Applause Meter called it "sweetly charming" and VCOnStage called it "operatic."

My own thoughts: My feelings for West Side Story are about the same as my feelings for Romeo and Juliet. Don't love it, don't despise it, can appreciate its influence, but won't really seek it out for personal enjoyment.

This is the only song I'll listen to of my own accord.