I am not a big showtunes person but for years I have been obsessed with the original cast recording of "Crazy for You," which I saw on Broadway when I was in middle school. It's not so much a musical as it is a collection of Gershwin songs set to a story; you cannot go wrong with that.

Now, when I say I am obsessed with this musical, I really do mean obsessed. In fifth grade I wrote a rave review of the musical for the school paper. Before the estrangement I would make my cousins perform elaborate choreography to some of the more catchier tunes. In high school I bought the score and attempted to play it on my viola. (This did not work out very well.) During my junior year I lobbied for "Crazy for You" to be the spring musical - with me cast as the lead. (This did not work out very well, either.) I know the words to every single song, and yet I still have not found another musical as appealing in the remotest of senses, including "Rent," which I proudly have never seen in my life.

For whatever reason, I listened to my "Crazy for You" recording all day yesterday and have been trying to dig up some decent performances of the songs on YouTube. The best I found is Elaine Stritch's rendition of "But Not for Me," easily my most favorite Gershwin song ever. Elaine sings only the opening verse, but with an anger and bitterness that brought me to tears, literally. I am angry, too, Elaine.

Augh. I want her to finish the song so badly. A full version of the song, sung by someone not as good, is here.