Cole Porter wrote this title number for his 1934 Broadway musical Anything Goes, a madcap comedy set aboard an ocean liner from New York to London. The show, starring Ethel Merman, ran for 420 performances and produced no fewer than four standards, including "I Get a Kick Out of You," "You're the Top," and "All Through the Night."
The song showcases Porter's trademark witty lyrics, laced with humorous references to high-society scandals and gossip of the Great Depression era. The melody is bright and swinging, typically performed at a medium to up-tempo pace. Its straightforward but propulsive chord progression makes it an enjoyable vehicle for swing-oriented improvisation.
Ella Fitzgerald's rendition on Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook (1956) is widely regarded as the definitive jazz vocal version. Tony Bennett with the Count Basie Orchestra recorded a spirited version on Basie Swings, Bennett Sings (1959). The Dave Brubeck Quartet offered a distinctive instrumental take on their album Anything Goes! (1966).
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