Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals (Anything Goes)

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Anything Goes (1934)

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Rank	754

Words and Music	Cole Porter

Here are the top ten...

Year	Rank	Title
1930	1	“Body and Soul”
1939	2	“All the Things You Are”
1935	3	“Summertime”
1944	4	“'Round Midnight”
1935	5	“I Can't Get Started (with You)”
1937	6	“My Funny Valentine”
1942	7	“Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be)”
1930	8	“What Is This Thing Called Love?”
1933	9	“Yesterdays”
1946	10	“Stella by Starlight”

Click on Songs for the full list.

Musicians' Comments

The recording I did of this tune with Rufus Reid as a bass/vocal duet was one of those happy accidents that sometimes happens in the studio, and I think that’s what makes it sound spontaneous (because it was). This was a trio recording with Jack Wilkins on guitar, Rufus Reid on bass, and Billy Hart on drums (Anything Goes, Audiophile, 1979.) We were back from a break, and Jack wasn’t there yet, so Bob Brookmeyer, who was supervising the date, suggested that Rufus and I try this tune as a duet while we were waiting. I shortened some of the lyric in the moment to fit rhythmically with Rufus’ accompaniment, so some of the repeated “todays” were eliminated, which I actually like in retrospect. Of course, I don’t know how Cole Porter would feel about it.

Nancy Harrow, jazz vocalist, composer
NancyHarrow.com

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Reading and Research

Additional information for "Anything Goes" may be found in:


William Zinsser Easy to Remember: The Great American Songwriters and Their Songs David R. Godine Publisher Hardcover: 279 pages (2 paragraphs including the following types of information: lyric analysis.)


William G. Hyland The Song Is Ended: Songwriters and American Music, 1900-1950 American Philological Association Hardcover: 336 pages (1 paragraph including the following types of information: history.)


Alec Wilder American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950 Oxford University Press; Reprint edition Hardcover: 576 pages (1 page including the following types of information: music analysis.)


Thomas S. Hischak The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia Greenwood Press Hardcover: 568 pages (1 paragraph including the following types of information: summary.)


Charles Schwartz Cole Porter: A Biography Da Capo Press; 1st Pbk edition Paperback: 365 pages (1 paragraph including the following types of information: lyric analysis.)


Robert Kimball, Brendan Gill Cole: A Biographical Essay Overlook Press Hardcover: 283 pages (Includes the following types of information: song lyrics.)


Robert Gottlieb, Robert Kimball Reading Lyrics Pantheon Hardcover: 736 pages (Includes the following types of information: song lyrics.)


Gerald Mast Can't Help Singin' Overlook Press; Rei edition Paperback: 400 pages (2 paragraphs including the following types of information: lyric analysis.)

Also on This Page...

Musician's Comments
Reading & Research

By the Same Writers...

Written by the Same Composer(s)...

This section shows the jazz standards written by the same writing team.

Cole Porter
Year	Rank	Title
1930	8	“What Is This Thing Called Love?”
1930	30	“Love for Sale”
1932	33	“Night and Day”
1935	74	“Just One of Those Things”
1944	119	“I Love You”
1936	122	“Easy to Love”
1934	139	“I Get a Kick Out of You”
1936	160	“I've Got You Under My Skin”
1942	188	“You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To”
1937	209	“In the Still of the Night”
1944	220	“Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye”
1935	247	“Begin the Beguine”
1953	279	“It's All Right with Me”
1939	290	“I Concentrate on You”
1954	356	“All of You”
1950	390	“From This Moment On”
1938	410	“Get Out of Town”
1948	443	“So in Love (Am I)”
1934	509	“All Through the Night”
1953	553	“I Love Paris”
1938	584	“My Heart Belongs to Daddy”
1929	734	“You Do Something to Me”
1934	754	“Anything Goes”
1941	773	“Ev'rything I Love”
1928	797	“Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)”
1937	909	“At Long Last Love”
1941	910	“Dream Dancing”
1937	939	“Rosalie”
1934	940	“You're the Top”