West Covina (song)

West Covina (song)
Performer(s): Rebecca Bunch — First Appearance: ""Josh Just Happens to Live Here""
Written by: Rachel Bloom and Jerome Kurtenbach — Genre: Lavish Broadway Production Number

To be clear, I didn't move here just for Josh, I just needed a change, 'Cause to move here for Josh, now that'd be strange!

— Rebecca Bunch, "Josh Just Happens to Live Here"

West Covina was a song sung by Rebecca Bunch after immediately declining a promotion at her New York City law firm of Sampson & Saunders. She left her life in the Big Apple behind to impulsively moved to the west coast hometown of her ex-boyfriend Josh Chan. The song was later reprised twice as duets Rebecca had with Paula Proctor and later with Josh Chan. Its first appearance was in the Season One episode 'Josh Just Happens to Live Here!". The song is track number 2 on the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Original Television Soundtrack (Season 1 - Vol.1).

The song with lyrics

Rebecca solo

Lyrics: Rebecca Bunch: West Covina, California! In my soul I feel a fire 'Cause I'm heading for the pride of the inland Empire. My life's about to change, oh my gosh! 'Cause I'm hopelessly, desperately in love with... West Covina! Good morning, sir! See the sparkle of the concrete ground! Here the whoosh of the bustling town! What a feeling of love in my gut, I'm going faster than the middle school's music program was cut! People dine at Chez Applebee's, Cash For Gold Woman: (Ah-ah!) Rebecca Bunch: And the sky seems to smile at me! Advertisement Baby: (Ah-ah!) Rebecca Bunch: It's all new but I have no fear! Mexican Lawyer: (Accidentes!) Rebecca Bunch: And also by coincidence Josh... Just happens to be here. What a cool-looking anime wig And I've never seen a pretzel this big! It's my destiny that much is clear, Announcer: (Please welcome Destiny!) Rebecca Bunch: And also this guy Josh just happens to be here. Is he here? He's not here. To be clear, I didn't move here for Josh, I just needed a change, 'Cause to move here for Josh, now that'd be strange, But don't get me wrong, if he asked for a date, I would totally be like, "That sounds great." Did it sound cool when I said, "That sounds great?" Okay, how about now: "That sounds great." Yes, I heard of West Covina from Josh, But I didn't move here because of Josh. Do you get those things are different? Mover: (No hablo ingles.) Rebecca Bunch: Entiendes que son diferentes? Look, everyone, stop giving me the shakedown, I am not having a nervous- West Covina, California! West Covina, California! Hear the band playing in my heart, My new life is about to start. True happiness is so near... Aw, you guys are good, bye bye. Executives: (Sorry kids, budget cuts, tuba and horns, no more band.) Rebecca Bunch: And also by coincidence, so random, just by chance Who'd a thunk it, so remarkable and weird, right? It's so great That this guy Josh just happens to be here! Only two hours from the beach!

Notes

Possible homage

The song is similar to "Buenos Aires" from the Broadway musical "Evita".

Ongoing musical theme

The song "West Covina" not only has been reprised twice but is also used as a recurring leitmotif throughout the show. In the Season Two episode "When Do I Get to Spend Time With Josh?", a few moments and characters featured in the songs musical number from the "Josh Just Happens to Live Here!" is reworked this time to include Josh.

Concert performance

A live performance of this song was done in a concert special at Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles.

West Covina’s location

In the song it is said that West Covina is the “pride of the Inland Empire”. However, West Covina is in the San Gabriel Valley. In the concert special, “Yes, It’s Really Us Singing: The Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Concert Special”, Rachel Bloom addresses the issue, saying that it was a mistake she made, and that "actually it's not in the Inland Empire, it's in the San Gabriel Valley, I should have taken five seconds to google that before I wrote the first song of the television show."