DESCRIPTION:
"Anything Goes" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for his musical Anything Goes (1934). Many of the lyrics feature humorous (but dated) references to various figures of scandal and gossip in Depression-era high society. For example, one couplet refers to Sam Goldwyn's notorious box-office failure Nana, which featured a star, Anna Sten, whose English was incomprehensible except to Goldwyn, who came from the same part of Europe. Other 1930s society references include film producer Max Gordon, socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean and her highly promoted trip to the Soviet Union, interior design pioneer Lady Mendl's scandalous predilection for performing hand stands and cartwheels in public at the age of 70, and the financial woes common to "old money" families during the Depression, such as the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers and Whitneys. Most modern versions omit these lyrics, replacing them instead with generic examples of social upheaval.

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing.

After a tumultuous adolescence, Fitzgerald found stability in musical success with the Chick Webb Orchestra, performing across the country but most often associated with the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. Her rendition of the nursery rhyme "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" helped boost both her and Webb to national fame. After taking over the band when Webb died, Fitzgerald left it behind in 1942 to start her solo career.

Her manager was Moe Gale, co-founder of the Savoy, until she turned the rest of her career over to Norman Granz, who founded Verve Records to produce new records by Fitzgerald. With Verve she recorded some of her more widely noted works, particularly her interpretations of the Great American Songbook.

While Fitzgerald appeared in movies and as a guest on popular television shows in the second half of the twentieth century, her musical collaborations with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and The Ink Spots were some of her most notable acts outside of her solo career. These partnerships produced some of her best-known songs such as "Dream a Little Dream of Me", "Cheek to Cheek", "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall", and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)".

In 1993, after a career of nearly 60 years, she gave her last public performance. Three years later, she died at the age of 79 after years of declining health. Her accolades included fourteen Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Ella's accompanied by Pete Candoli, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Maynard Ferguson, Conrad Gozzo (tp); Milton Bernhart, Joe Howard, Lloyd Ulyate (tb); George Roberts (btb); Herb Geller (as, cl); Bud Shank (as); Bob Cooper (ts, fl, ob); Ted Nash (ts, fl); Chuck Gentry (bs); Corky Hale (hp); Robert La Marchina, Edgar Lustgarted (ce); Paul Smith (p); Barney Kessel (g); Joe Mondragon (b); Alvin Stoller (d); Misha Russell (cm); and Buddy Bregman (cnd, arr). Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, February 8, 1956. (Verve Records).

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 stand
Steada' landing on Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock would land on them

In olden days a glimpse of stockings
Was looked on as something shocking
Now heaven knows
Anything goes

Good authors too who once knew better words
Now only use four-letter words
Writting prose
Anything Goes

The world has gone mad today
And goods bad today
And blacks white today
And days night today
When most guys today
That women prize today
Are just silly jiggalo's

So though I'm not a great romancer
I know that I'm bound to answer
When you propose
Anything goes

The world has gone mad today
And goods bad today
And blacks white today
And days night today
When most guys today
That women prize today
Are just silly jiggalo's

So though I'm not a great romancer
I know that I'm bound to answer
When you propose
Anything goes
Anything goes