No Clever Conversation

Billy Joel's song "I Love You Just the Way You Are" came up yesterday when I was sort of mocking the idea that any change in her would be a threat to him.    He wants the slob he knows and loves and feels comfortable with.  I was not being fair to the song, of course, but what stayed in my mind was the line "I don't want clever conversation."   I always thought he was saying that she was certainly not clever.  But I see that he was really saying that he wanted a deeper sincerity, not an effort to impress.  I've gotten to the age when I care a lot about comfort, so I can relate to that now.


Don't go trying some new fashion
Don't change the color of your hair
You always have my unspoken passion
Although I might not seem to care

I don't want clever conversation
I never want to work that hard
I just want someone that I can talk to
I want you just the way you are.





Here's the whole song.



"Just The Way You Are"

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

Don't go trying some new fashion
Don't change the color of your hair
You always have my unspoken passion
Although I might not seem to care

I don't want clever conversation
I never want to work that hard
I just want someone that I can talk to
I want you just the way you are.

I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew
What will it take 'till you believe in me
The way that I believe in you.

I said I love you and that's forever
And this I promise from my heart
I couldn't love you any better
I love you just the way you are.