Anything Goes Lyrics: Song List
- Act 1
- Overture
- I Get a Kick Out of You
- There's No Cure Like Travel
- Bon Voyage
- All Through the Night
- Easy to Love
- I Want to Row on the Crew
- You're the Top
- Sailor's Chantey
- Freindship
- It's De-Lovely
- Anything Goes
- Act 2
- Entr'acte
- Public Enemy Number One
- Blow, Gabriel, Blow
- Goodbye Little Dream, Goodbye
- Be Like the Bluebird
- Gypsy in Me
- Buddie, Beware
- I Get a Kick Out of You (Reprise)
- Anything Goes (Reprise)
- Take Me Back To Manhattan
About the "Anything Goes" Stage Show
Lewis Milestone – the director of the musical, which was originally staged in 1936 (and then was resurrected a few times – in 1956 and 1990, sometimes a couple of old actors remained in a part, surprisingly). The star of the screen and the theater those years, Bing Crosby, starred Billie. Ethel Merman played in this production much more successful role than she was in mediocre failing show in the musical Annie Get Your Gun.
Despite the heavy load with minor details of the plot, the main storyline is that a young man travels across the Atlantic by boat (from the USA to England) and during swimming falls in love with a rich English heiress, going home. It turns out that for some reason he is also hiding from his boss, who by mischance boarded also and now Billie has to be masked. What is remarkable – in USA in 1936 it was the Commission following the morality much more closely (and had more rights than it is now an organization that assigns ratings of movies, MPAA, has); many of the songs had to be rewritten so that play was done. And thus, Bing Crosby had left only 4 songs to sing with heavily changed words, and one of the songs – the title of all the action, Anything Goes – at all has changed to the point where it was left 1 couplet out of the original content.
Through participation in the play of such a famous person as Bing, creators were able to quickly get new songs written by different authors. In addition, in the 1930s it was common phenomenon that the film company owned by record labels and released new songs for the film with the aim to make more money. Then these two areas were divided, without being bound by the corporate culture, but only financially, under the joint co-operation.
Anything Goes is a classic musical that has left a significant mark on Broadway since its debut in 1934. Here’s an in-depth look at its history, notable facts, and cultural significance.
Overview and Background
- Music and Lyrics: Cole Porter
- Book: Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse, Howard Lindsay, and Russel Crouse
- Original Premiere: November 21, 1934, at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre) in New York City
- Director: Lewis Milestone
- Notable Cast: Ethel Merman as Reno Sweeney, William Gaxton as Billy Crocker, and Victor Moore as Moonface Martin
The musical is set aboard the SS American, traveling from New York to London. The plot follows Billy Crocker, a stowaway who is hopelessly in love with heiress Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. With the help of nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and the comedic antics of Public Enemy Number 13, "Moonface" Martin, Billy attempts to win Hope's heart amidst various misunderstandings and escapades.
Historical Context and Censorship
The original production faced significant challenges due to strict censorship laws of the time. The 1930s saw the enforcement of the Hays Code, which imposed moral standards on theatrical productions. As a result, many of Cole Porter's original lyrics had to be altered or sanitized for the show to meet these standards. For instance, the title song "Anything Goes" underwent substantial changes, with much of its original content being rewritten or removed entirely. Despite these constraints, the musical managed to capture the spirit of its era with clever wordplay and humor.
Revivals and Cultural Impact
Anything Goes has been revived multiple times since its original run:
1962 Off-Broadway Revival: This version featured a revised script that moved the entire story onto the ship and cut certain lesser-known Porter songs while incorporating more popular songs from his catalog.
1987 Broadway Revival: Starring Patti LuPone as Reno Sweeney, this production ran for 804 performances and won a Tony Award for Best Revival.
2011 Broadway Revival: Featuring Sutton Foster in the lead role, this version received critical acclaim and further solidified the musical's status in American theater.
The songs from Anything Goes, including "You're the Top," "I Get a Kick Out of You," and "All Through the Night," have become jazz standards and are frequently performed by artists across various genres.
Notable Facts
Ethel Merman's Breakthrough: The role of Reno Sweeney catapulted Ethel Merman to stardom. Her powerful voice and commanding stage presence made her synonymous with the character. Interestingly, she had previously starred in Annie Get Your Gun, but her performance in Anything Goes is often regarded as her defining role.
Bing Crosby's Involvement: In the 1936 film adaptation of Anything Goes, Bing Crosby played Billy Crocker. His star power helped popularize the musical further, although many songs were altered for the film version.
Censorship Challenges: The original production's lyrics faced scrutiny from moral watchdogs of the time. For example, lines that referenced drinking or sexuality were often toned down or removed entirely. Cole Porter’s witty lyrics often pushed boundaries but had to be adjusted to comply with contemporary moral standards.
Cultural Relevance: Despite being written nearly a century ago, Anything Goes continues to resonate with audiences today due to its themes of love, adventure, and comedic misunderstandings. The cleverness of Porter's lyrics combined with an engaging storyline ensures its lasting appeal.
Quotes from Interviews
In interviews about Anything Goes, Ethel Merman once remarked on her experience saying:
"I didn’t have to act; I just had to be myself... Reno was everything I wanted to be."
This sentiment reflects how closely she identified with her character and how it influenced her career trajectory.
Cole Porter’s work has also been described as “naughtiness” wrapped in cleverness. A critic noted:
“Porter’s lyrics pulse with a Latin beat and are filled with double entendres that keep audiences laughing.”
Conclusion
Anything Goes remains a hallmark of American musical theater. Its combination of catchy tunes, memorable characters, and comedic plotlines has allowed it to endure through generations. With numerous revivals and adaptations over the years, it continues to entertain audiences worldwide while showcasing Cole Porter's genius as a composer and lyricist.
The libretto of Anything Goes has undergone significant changes from its original 1934 version to the 1987 revival. Here are the most notable differences:
Major Changes in the Libretto
1. Book and Structure Adjustments
- The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, which was later revised by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse for the 1987 revival. This revision aimed to streamline the plot and enhance character development, making it more cohesive and engaging for modern audiences.
2. Character Development
- In the 1987 revival, characters were given more depth. For example, Reno Sweeney's role was expanded, allowing her to showcase her personality beyond just being a nightclub singer. The dynamics between characters, particularly between Reno, Billy, and Hope, were restructured to enhance their relationships and motivations.
3. Song Reassignments and Additions
- The score was significantly altered in the 1987 version. While many iconic songs like "Anything Goes," "I Get a Kick Out of You," and "You're the Top" remained, some songs from the original were cut or reassigned to different scenes or characters. For instance:
- “I Get a Kick Out of You” was moved to a later position in Act I, changing its context within the narrative.
- New songs were added from Cole Porter's catalog, such as "Let's Misbehave" and "Friendship," which were not part of the original score but fit well within the updated context of the show.
4. Dialogue and Lyrics Modifications
- Many of Cole Porter's original lyrics had to be rewritten due to censorship issues in the 1930s. The 1987 revival allowed for a return to more original content while still maintaining some humor and innuendo that resonated with contemporary audiences. This included restoring some of Porter's sharper wit that had been dulled in earlier versions.
5. Pacing and Timing
- The pacing of scenes was adjusted in the revival to better suit modern theatrical sensibilities. The comedic timing was enhanced through quicker scene transitions and tighter dialogue, making the show feel more dynamic.
6. Dance Numbers and Musical Arrangements
- The choreography in the 1987 revival featured more elaborate dance sequences compared to the original production, which was limited by the styles of its time. The revival incorporated a broader range of dance styles that reflected contemporary trends while still honoring the classic feel of the musical.
7. Ending Variations
- The ending of Act I in both versions features "Anything Goes," but the context surrounding it changed significantly. In the original, there was a dialogue scene following this number that set up further plot developments differently than in later versions.
Conclusion
The evolution of Anything Goes from its original 1934 version to the 1987 revival highlights how musicals can adapt over time while retaining their core charm and appeal. These changes not only reflect shifts in societal norms and audience expectations but also showcase Cole Porter's timeless music that continues to resonate across generations. Each revival has contributed to keeping Anything Goes relevant and entertaining for new audiences while celebrating its rich history in American musical theater.
Release date of the musical: 1934
"Anything Goes" – The Musical Guide & Song Meanings
Review
What kind of musical opens on a luxury liner, promises romance, and then spends its best energy making fun of romance itself? “Anything Goes” (1934) is that trick. Cole Porter’s lyrics flirt with sincerity, but they rarely surrender to it. The show sells love stories, yes. But it keeps winking at the audience, like it knows the ship is a set, the tuxedos are costumes, and the morals are optional.
The lyrical engine is velocity. Porter writes like a mind racing ahead of the plot, stacking rhymes, references, and punchlines so quickly that character psychology becomes secondary to momentum. In “You’re the Top,” admiration is expressed as a blitz of cultural name-drops, so love becomes a game of language. In “Anything Goes,” the title is not just a slogan. It is a diagnosis: celebrity, religion, crime, and “respectability” can all be swapped like hats, as long as the band stays hot.
Musically, the score lives in jazzy swing, nightclub polish, and faux-hymnal swagger. That matters because the characters are performers even when they are not on a stage. Reno sells belief with a microphone. Moonface sells menace with a grin. Billy sells decency while lying constantly. Porter’s lyric voice does not judge them. It watches them. Then it laughs, and hands them another chorus.
How it was made
The messy creation story is part of the legend. Early versions leaned into a shipwreck plot. Then real life got in the way: the 1934 Morro Castle disaster made a comic shipwreck feel suddenly cruel, and the show was heavily reworked before Broadway. The result is a backstage-style rescue operation that you can still feel in the finished piece. It moves like a show stitched together at speed, because in a sense it was.
That patchwork quality became a feature, not a flaw. The book passed through multiple hands (Wodehouse and Bolton, then Lindsay and Crouse), and later revivals kept reshaping scene order and even which Porter standards belong “inside” the story. That flexibility is why “Anything Goes” survives: it can carry its own history without collapsing. It is a classic that admits it is a construction.
And Porter’s lyric afterlife is not frozen either. “I Get a Kick Out of You” is famous for revisions made for sensitivity and censorship across eras. It is a reminder that Porter’s elegance was always topical, and topical writing always has an expiration date that someone eventually extends, line by line.
Key tracks & scenes
"I Get a Kick Out of You" (Reno Sweeney)
- The Scene:
- A Manhattan bar, early in the story. Smoke, chatter, a live band that feels a little too good for the room. Reno performs with the confidence of someone who has survived worse rooms than this, but the lighting gives her a private corner anyway.
- Lyrical Meaning:
- Reno frames desire as a list of things that should work but do not. Perfume, flying, parties. The joke is structural: the lyric keeps rejecting “normal” thrills until the one thrill she cannot control arrives. It is funny, and it is quietly humiliating, because she is admitting she’s vulnerable while pretending she’s in charge.
"All Through the Night" (Hope Harcourt & Billy Crocker)
- The Scene:
- The ship becomes a floating promise. The stage usually softens into moonlight blues and warm deck-glow. The chaos pauses. Two people try to believe they can out-sing the social contracts waiting for them in daylight.
- Lyrical Meaning:
- Porter writes romance as suspension. The lyric wants an unbroken night because morning equals consequences. It is not just a love song. It is a request to delay reality.
"You're the Top" (Reno Sweeney & Billy Crocker)
- The Scene:
- Still early, still fast. Reno and Billy trade lines like a tennis match under bright, brassy light. It often plays as a pact: help me, and I will make this fun.
- Lyrical Meaning:
- The lyric makes affection performable. Compliments become cultural currency. It is also character exposition: Billy can keep up, and Reno respects speed. The emotional truth hides inside wit, exactly as this show prefers.
"Friendship" (Reno Sweeney & Moonface Martin)
- The Scene:
- Mid-voyage, the ship’s public spaces turn into a vaudeville lane. The lighting pops to something theatrical, almost footlight-y. Comedy becomes a survival strategy when the plot knots tighten.
- Lyrical Meaning:
- It is a con artist’s hymn, and that’s the point. “Friendship” is about loyalty, but it is also about performance, because these two characters are always selling something. The song makes their bond feel real precisely because it is delivered as a routine.
"It’s De-Lovely" (Reno Sweeney & Billy Crocker, often staged as a romantic counterpoint)
- The Scene:
- A moment of stylish calm, often lit like a high-end lounge. The choreography tends to smooth out, less tap attack, more glide. The ship briefly feels expensive again.
- Lyrical Meaning:
- Porter turns romance into a texture word. “De-lovely” is a joke, but it is also a defense: if you coin your own adjective, you can control the feeling. The lyric flirts with sincerity while never losing its grin.
"Anything Goes" (Reno Sweeney & Company)
- The Scene:
- A full-company release valve. Bright lights, high energy, tap formations that turn the ship into a dance floor. The number is usually staged like a nightclub takeover: Reno at the center, the liner following her lead.
- Lyrical Meaning:
- This is Porter’s social satire in party clothes. The lyric is structured as evidence: if the culture rewards spectacle, hypocrisy, and scandal, then rules are just decoration. The hook is catchy because the idea is dangerous.
"Blow, Gabriel, Blow" (Reno Sweeney & Company)
- The Scene:
- A mock revival meeting staged for maximum theatrical punch. The lighting shifts to something church-like, then breaks into showbiz sparkle. It is sacred staging used for profane joy.
- Lyrical Meaning:
- Porter imitates gospel rhetoric while refusing moral purity. Reno uses spiritual language as a crowd-control tool, and the lyric makes that manipulation thrilling. It is one of the score’s sharpest commentaries on America’s love of spectacle in religious clothing.
"Be Like the Bluebird" (Moonface Martin)
- The Scene:
- A spotlight number, often with the ship behind him like a painted promise. Moonface reveals a softer, oddball interior. For a second, he is not a gag. He is a person telling you what he wishes he could be.
- Lyrical Meaning:
- The lyric is self-help before self-help became an industry. It argues for cheerfulness as strategy, not innocence. In a show where everyone is lying, a song about optimism feels almost radical.
Live updates (2025-2026)
“Anything Goes” is in its evergreen era: not living in a single commercial production, but constantly reappearing in high-profile regional and festival settings. In Canada, the Shaw Festival mounted the show in 2025 with a run scheduled through October 4, 2025, keeping Porter’s liner afloat for an entire summer season.
In the UK, the Kathleen Marshall production remains the modern reference point, with an official site that still positions the show as a London-and-tour brand, tied to the fantasy of ocean travel. The filmed Barbican capture (the Sutton Foster-led staging) continues to function as an access point for new audiences who want the tap-driven production language without waiting for a local booking.
Looking ahead, a major confirmed 2026 staging is set for Kilworth House Theatre’s open-air venue in Leicestershire, running 23 June to 2 August 2026, with tickets announced for release in early November 2025. Casting announcements are pending, but the calendar is real, and this is the kind of long run that signals confident demand.
Notes & trivia
- The show’s pre-Broadway shipwreck concept was reworked after the 1934 Morro Castle disaster made that premise feel unplayable as comedy.
- Song placement is famously flexible: some numbers shift position or swap in depending on edition and revival lineage.
- “I Get a Kick Out of You” has a documented history of lyric revisions across decades for sensitivity and censorship.
- “(There’s No Cure Like Travel) / Bon Voyage” includes material written early on that was cut and later restored in some versions.
- Several “standard” Porter songs associated with the show came from other contexts and were later folded into “Anything Goes” by revival teams.
- The 2011 Broadway revival’s cast recording was released by Ghostlight Records and remains the easiest single-album entry point for modern listeners.
- A filmed stage version of the Barbican production exists and has been distributed across cinema, broadcast, and streaming windows.
Reception
In 1934, “Anything Goes” landed as engineered escape, but not a naïve one. The punchline density is the point: when money is tight and headlines are bleak, Porter offers speed, polish, and jokes that bite. The show has outlived its topical references because it understands something stable: societies love scandals, and they love singing about scandals even more.
Modern critics tend to praise the score’s craft while admitting the plot is basically a delivery system. That is not an insult. It is the genre. When revivals work, they lean into that: keep the ship moving, keep the tap crisp, and let Porter do the heavy lifting.
“Blissful songs and dance and spirited performances … make a preposterous plot into a delightful musical escape.”
“Cole Porter’s ship of dreams, rhyme-schemes, carnal wit, and bubbly irreverence, is back in port …”
“It’s delightful, it’s delicious”
Technical info
- Title: Anything Goes
- Year: 1934 (Broadway opening: November 21, 1934)
- Type: Musical comedy
- Music & lyrics: Cole Porter
- Original book credits: Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse; revised by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse
- Common modern revival book: Timothy Crouse and John Weidman (revival lineage used in many productions)
- Selected notable song placements (1934 baseline): “I Get a Kick Out of You” (early bar scene); “You’re the Top” (early pact/pep-talk energy); “Anything Goes” (Act I finale in many versions)
- Major modern production reference point: 2011 Broadway revival (Kathleen Marshall), later echoed in the Barbican-era staging and capture
- Soundtrack album focus (recommended start): Anything Goes (2011 Broadway Cast Recording), released by Ghostlight Records
- Label/album status: Widely available on major streaming platforms; track list includes “Anything Goes,” “You’re the Top,” “Friendship,” and more
- Key music staff (2011 revival lineage): Music supervisor/vocal arranger Rob Fisher; music director/conductor James Lowe; orchestrations credited to Michael Gibson (with additional orchestrations in the revival lineage)
FAQ
- Is “Anything Goes” based on a true story?
- No. It is an original farce built around mistaken identities on a transatlantic liner, designed to carry Cole Porter’s songs.
- Who wrote the lyrics?
- Cole Porter wrote both music and lyrics, which is a major reason the show’s voice feels so unified: one brain, one sense of humor, one ear for rhyme.
- Why do different productions have different song orders?
- The show has multiple authorized versions and a long revival history. Songs have moved, been swapped, or been restored depending on the edition and the production’s chosen book.
- Is there a filmed version I can watch?
- Yes. A filmed stage capture of the Barbican-era production exists and has been distributed for home viewing and streaming windows in various regions.
- What album should I start with if I want the “modern classic” sound?
- The 2011 Broadway cast recording is the cleanest entry point: strong vocals, full dance-band sheen, and a track list that matches what many audiences recognize today.
Key contributors
| Name | Role | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Cole Porter | Composer-Lyricist | Wrote the score’s signature wit: list-songs, internal rhyme, and satire that fuels character and pace. |
| Guy Bolton | Book (original credit) | Early story architecture that established the shipboard farce frame. |
| P.G. Wodehouse | Book (original credit) | Brought a screwball-comedy sensibility and verbal play to the show’s DNA. |
| Howard Lindsay | Book (revisions credit) | Helped rework the show into its Broadway-ready form during a high-pressure pre-opening period. |
| Russel Crouse | Book (revisions credit) | Co-shaped the revised book that became the durable foundation for later revivals. |
| Timothy Crouse | Book (modern revival lineage) | Part of the team that modernized structure and dialogue for late-20th-century revival life. |
| John Weidman | Book (modern revival lineage) | Helped refine the comedy mechanics so Porter’s songs land inside a cleaner narrative machine. |
| Kathleen Marshall | Director-Choreographer (key modern staging) | Defined the tap-forward, big-ensemble production language that many audiences now associate with the title. |
| Rob Fisher | Music supervision / vocal work (2011 revival lineage) | Helped shape the revival’s musical presentation for contemporary ears while keeping Porter’s swing intact. |
| James Lowe | Music director / conductor (2011 revival lineage) | Anchored tempo, transitions, and dance-to-vocal clarity in the 2011 Broadway production world. |
| Michael Gibson | Orchestrations (revival lineage) | Orchestration framework credited in modern revival materials, supporting the show’s dance-band sparkle. |
| Ghostlight Records | Record label | Released the 2011 Broadway cast recording that functions as today’s primary listening edition for many fans. |
Sources: Whatsonstage, The Guardian, Vulture, IBDB, Ghostlight Records, Wikipedia, Library of Congress, OVRTUR, Shaw Festival (review coverage), Barbican, IMDb.