Okay, maybe Cole isnt a 'singer/songwriter' but few would contest that he is one of the pivotal and most important songwriters in American history. I don't think many people realize just how MANY phenomenal songs this man has written. The movie 'De-Lovely' starring Keven Kline had some pretty great renditions of some of these songs by current pop stars and though the movie was depressing in the sense that it shed some unkind light on Porter's personal life, I'm glad it was made so that more of the younger generations could re-aquaint themseves w/ his wonderful work.
Porter wrote his first successful song for Broadway in 1915. It was entitled Esmeralda. But the successof the Hands Up review was quickly followed by a string of failures that resulted in the composer retreating to Paris where he lived modestly selling songs and living off a family allowance.
Cole Porter's return to Broadway, however, in 1928, reintroduced him to America w/ a bang. After his musical,' Paris', hit theaters, he was in for a decade that would long be referred to as Porter's Golden Age. The thirties saw song after song and show after show become rousing hits. His works hits included such popular standards as 'Love For Sale', 'Night and Day', 'Anything Goes', ' Just One of Those Things', 'De-lovely', 'I've Got You Under My Skin', and 'Easy to Love', all of which have been covered by artists ranging from Ethel Merman to Nat King Cole to Robbie Williams.
After a crippling accident in 1932, it seemed that his success and songwriting capablilities would have to slow down but it seemed they only increased. In the forties, some of Porter's most wonderful and exciting shows were written including Kiss Me Kate (featuring the vastly popular 'Too Darn Hot'), Can-Can, and Silk Stockings. He also began to be a staple of the Hollywood Musical, writing the scores for Broadway Melody of 1940, You'll Never Get Rich, The Pirate (starring Gene Kelly and featuring the song 'Be A Clown' that was more than coincidentally echoed in the Singin in the Rain tune, 'Make Em Laugh' ), and my personal favorite, High Society-starring the incomparable duo of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Every song in this film continues to be some of my favorites of all time, principally the wonderful love song 'True Love' and the jazzy 'Samantha'-featuring the great Satchmo.
Eventually, the great songwriter's injuries caught up with him and he died in 1964 of kidney failure. But his songs will live on as some of the most timeless ever created.
Lyric samples:
Anything Goes from Anything Goes (1934)
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. /
The world has gone mad today/ And good's bad today, And black's white today, And day's night today,/ When most guys today That women prize today/ Are just silly gigolos/ And though I'm not a great romancer I know that I'm bound to answer /When you propose, Anything goes /When grandmama whose age is eighty/ In night clubs is getting matey with gigolo's,/ Anything Goes. /When mothers pack and leave poor father/ Because they decide they'd rather be tennis pros, /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 every night, The set that's smart/ Is intruding in nudist parties in studios,/ Anything Goes. T
The world has gone mad today /And good's bad today,/ And black's white today,/ And day's night today, /When most guys today /That women prize today /Are just silly gigolos /And though I'm not a great romancer /I know that I'm bound to answer/ When you propose, Anything goes
If saying your prayers you like/, If green pears you like/ If old chairs you like/, If back stairs you like/, If love affairs you like/ With young bears you like, /Why nobody will oppose!
And though I'm not a great romancer/I know that I'm bound to answer /When you propose, Anything goes... Anything goes!
De-Lovely from Red Hot and Blue! (1935)
I feel a sudden urge to sing the kind of ditty that invokes the Spring
So, control your desire to curse while I crucify the verse
This verse I've started seems to me the "Tin Pan-tithesis" of melody
So to spare you all the pain, I'll skip the darn thing and sing the refrain
The night is young, the skies are clear
And if you want to go walkin', dear
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely
I understand the reason why
You're sentimental, 'cause so am I
It's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely
You can tell at a glance what a swell night this is for romance
You can hear, dear Mother Nature murmuring low "Let yourself go"
So please be sweet, my chickadee
And when I kiss ya, just say to me "It's delightful, it's delicious, it's delectable, it's delirious, It's dilemma, it's de limit, it's deluxe, it's de-lovely"
You can tell at a glance what a swell night this is for romance
You can hear dear Mother Nature murmuring low "Let yourself go"
So please be sweet, my chickadee
And when I kiss ya, just say to me "It's delightful, it's delicious, it's delectable, it's delirious, It's dilemma, it's de limit, it's deluxe, it's de-lovely"
Too Darn Hot from Kiss me Kate (1948)
It's too darn hot/It's too darn hot/I'd like to sup with my baby tonight/and play the pup with my baby tonight/I'd like to sup with my baby tonight/and play the pup with my baby tonight/but I ain't up to my baby tonight cause it's too darn hot/
It's too darn hot/It's too darn hot/I'd like to stop for my baby tonight/and blow my top with my baby tonight/I'd like to stop with my baby tonight/and blow my top with my baby tonight/but I'd be a flop with my baby tonight/cause it's too darn hot, it's too darn hot
It's too darn hot/I'd like to fool with my baby tonight/break ev'ry rule with my baby tonight/I'd like to fool with my baby tonight/break ev'ry rule with my baby tonight/but pillow you'll be my baby tonight/cause it's too darn hot/it's too darn hot
*BRIDGE*According to the Kinsey report ev'ry average man you know/ much prefers to play his favorite sport /when the temperature is low/ but when the thermometer goes way up and the weather is sizzling hot/Mister Adam for his madam is not/cause it's too too/it's too darn hot, it's too darn hot/It's too too too too darn hot/
I'd like to call on my baby tongiht/and give my all to my baby tonight/I'd like to call on my baby tongiht/and give my all to my baby tonight/but I can't play ball with my baby tonight/ cause it's too darn hot/
It's too darn hot/I'd like to meet with my baby tonight/get off my feet with my baby tonight/I'd like to meet with my baby tonight/get off my feet with my baby tonigh/tbut no repeat with my baby tonight/cause it's too darn hot/
It's too darn hot /I'd like to coo with my baby tonight /and pitch some woo with my baby tonight/I'd like to coo with my baby tonight /and pitch some woo with my baby tonight/but sister you fight my baby tonight/cause it's too darn hot/it's too darn hot
According to the Kinsey report/ev'ry average man you know/much prefers to play his favorite sportwhen the temperature is low/but when the thermometer goes way up/and the weather is sizzling hot/Mister GOB for his squab,/a marine for his queen/a G.I. for his cutie-pie is not
Cause it's too too too darn hot/ Its too...darn...HOT!!
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