Saturday, August 16th....

Here are four odes to staying young and beautiful, three romantic and one realistic. I wonder which one will stick in your mind and drive you mad over the next few days.

1. Nat King Cole

Stay as sweet as you are,

Don't let a thing ever change you.

Stay as sweet as you are,

Don't let a soul rearrange you.

Don't ever lose

All the charm you possess,

Your loveliness, darling,

The way you say "yes".

2. Billy Joel

Don't go changing, to try and please me

You never let me down before

Don't imagine you're too familiar

And I don't see you anymore

I would not leave you in times of trouble

We never could have come this far

I took the good times, I'll take the bad times

I'll take you just the way you are.

3. Bruno Mars

Ohhhhh ohhhhhh ohhhhhh ohhhhhhh

Oh, her eyes, her eyes

Make the stars look like they're not shinin'

Her hair, her hair

Falls perfectly without her trying

She's so beautiful

And I tell her everyday

Yeah

I know, I know

When I compliment her she won't believe me

And it's so, it's so

Sad to think that she don't see what I see

But every time she asks me, "Do I look okay?"

I say,

When I see your face (face, face...)

There's not a thing that I would change

'Cause you're amazing (amazing)

Just the way you are (are)

And when you smile (smile, smile...)

The whole world stops and stares for a while

'Cause, girl, you're amazing (amazing)

Just the way you are (are).

4. Shel Silverstein

If you’re sloppy, that’s just fine.
If you’re moody, I won’t mind.
If you’re fat, that’s fine with me.
If you’re skinny, let it be.
If you’re bossy, that’s all all right.
If you’re nasty, I won’t fight
If you're rough,  well that’s just you.
If you're mean, that’s all right too.
Whatever you are is all okay.
I don’t like you anyway.