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Anything Goes Lyrics

Artist: Cole Porter
Album: Anything Goes

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.

Refrain 1

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.

Refrain 2

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.

Refrain 3

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.

Comments/Interpretations

by yoshimira80@gmail.com on 7/12/2009 12:05pm
anyone happen to know where i can find the Mandarin version? as heard in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ??

by skitodefy@aol.com on 8/20/2010 12:42pm
how do i get this interpretation of the song (as in these lyrics sung by Cole Porter)

by Gabe on 9/12/2010 3:22pm
You can get that by looking for the Fallout 3 soundtrack

by ryan on 12/29/2010 3:57am
You can also get it by looking up a cd/record on zune marketplace or itunes called "it's de lovely" by cole porter and it's on there. At least I think it's called that.

by James on 1/5/2011 4:37pm
It is called it's de lovely

by KPz on 8/5/2011 4:49am
In refrain 3, sentence 6, it's "now DOES a handspring", not turns.

by Morris on 10/27/2011 12:58pm
For a real treat, search "anything goes" on YouTube to hear Cole Porter, the composer AND lyricist of this great song written in 1934, sing it. Too bad clever music like this is no longer written. See how many of the 1934 icons mentioned in the lyrics you can identify. Some, like "Mrs. R" and "Franklin," will be easy. Others, like Anna Sten, will be harder. Have fun!

by EV on 3/17/2012 4:53pm
Yes, the original lyrics were really trenchant.

by Roy Brown on 1/16/2013 4:08am
hello all :D

by Linda on 5/31/2013 10:58pm
I have a couple of edits to these lyrics.

by Hi on 8/6/2016 1:09am
Anyone know why some versions sing "heaven knows" and others "God knows"?

by Rotten Pecker 69 on 3/4/2024 2:24pm
Y'all motherfuckers are nerds!!!

-Rotten Pecker 69 Out