Anything Goes

About Anything Goes

"Anything Goes" is a song written by Cole Porter for his musical Anything Goes (1934). Many of the lyrics include humorous references to figures of scandal and gossip from Depression-era high society. One couplet refers to Samuel Goldwyn's box-office failure Nana starring Anna Sten, whose English was said to be incomprehensible to all except Goldwyn (Goldwyn was from Poland and Sten Ukraine).

Year:

2010

3:00

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Times have changed 
And we've often rewound the clock 
Since the Puritans got a shock 
When they landed on Plymouth Rock. 
If today 
Any shock they should try to stem 
'Stead of landing on Plymouth Rock, 
Plymouth Rock would land on them. 

In olden days, a glimpse of stocking 
Was looked on as something shocking. 
But now, God knows, 
Anything goes. 
Good authors too who once knew better words 
Now only use four-letter words 
Writing prose. 
Anything goes. 
If driving fast cars you like, 
If low bars you like, 
If old hymns you like, 
If bare limbs you like, 
If Mae West you like, 
Or me undressed you like, 
Why, nobody will oppose. 
When ev'ry night the set that's smart is in- 
Truding in nudist parties in 
Studios. 
Anything goes. 

When Missus Ned McLean (God bless her) 
Can get Russian reds to "yes" her, 
Then I suppose 
Anything goes. 
When Rockefeller still can hoard en- 
Ough money to let Max Gordon 
Produce his shows, 
Anything goes. 
The world has gone mad today 
And good's bad today, 
And black's white today, 
And day's night today, 
And that gent today 
You gave a cent today 
Once had several chateaux. 
When folks who still can ride in jitneys 
Find out Vanderbilts and Whitneys 
Lack baby clo'es, 
Anything goes. 

If Sam Goldwyn can with great conviction 
Instruct Anna Sten in diction, 
Then Anna shows 
Anything goes. 
When you hear that Lady Mendl standing up 
Now turns a handspring landing up- 
On her toes, 
Anything goes. 
Just think of those shocks you've got 
And those knocks you've got 
And those blues you've got 
From that news you've got 
And those pains you've got 
(If any brains you've got) 
From those little radios. 
So Missus R., with all her trimmin's, 
Can broadcast a bed from Simmons 
'Cause Franklin knows 
Anything goes.

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Cole Porter

Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre. After a slow start, he began to achieve success in the 1920s, and by the 1930s he was one of the major songwriters for the Broadway musical stage. Unlike most successful Broadway composers, Porter wrote both the lyrics and the music for his songs. more »

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