The most famous Valentine’s Day song is “My Funny Valentine.” 
Written by Rogers and Hart for the musical Babes in Arms, the song has been recorded by just about everyone.
Mark Steyn takes an in-depth look at the song, but says he looked in vain for the usual anecdote of how the song was created:
You want every great song to have that kind of story behind it – especially when it’s as iconic an entry in the catalogue as “My Funny Valentine”. But sometimes great songs aren’t written that way. Sometimes it’s just a professional writing assignment – or something closer to Lennon and McCartney’s explanation of their work methods:
There are two things we always do when we sit down and write a song. First we sit down. Then we write a song.
“My Funny Valentine” is sung in the musical to the leading man, named Val, whose redeeming qualities are not immediately apparent:
Your looks are laughable
Unphotographable . . .
Steyn marvels at how Lorenz Hart made that six-syllable word sound so natural.
But that’s more than just songwriting professionalism. It’s also autobiographical. To promote the show, the writers gave the usual round of interviews, and a lady from Popular Songs magazine inquired after Hart’s own love life. “Love life?” he replied. “I haven’t any.”
Hart, who stood only 4’10”, continued, “Nobody would want me.”
The complete lyrics are here.
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