Mulligan started on the piano before learning clarinet and the various saxophones. His initial reputation was as an arranger. In 1944 he wrote charts for Johnny Warrington's radio band and soon was making contributions to the books of Tommy Tucker and George Paxton. He moved to New York in 1946 and joined Gene Krupa's Orchestra as a staff arranger; his most notable chart was "Disc Jockey Jump." The rare times he played with Krupa's band was on alto and the same situation existed when he was with Claude Thornhill in 1948.
Gerry Mulligan's first notable recorded work on baritone was with Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool nonet (1948-50) but once again his arrangements ("Godchild," "Darn That Dream" and three of his originals "Jeru," "Rocker" and "Venus de Milo") were more significant than his short solos. Mulligan spent much of 1949 writing for Elliot Lawrence's orchestra and playing anonymously in the saxophone section. It was not until 1951 that he began to get a bit of attention for his work on baritone. Mulligan recorded with his own nonet for Prestige, displaying an already recognizable sound. After he traveled to Los Angeles, he wrote some arrangements for Stan Kenton (including "Youngblood," "Swing House" and "Walking Shoes"), worked at the Lighthouse and then gained a regular Monday night engagement at the Haig. Around this time Mulligan realized that he enjoyed the extra freedom of soloing without a pianist. He jammed with trumpeter Chet Baker and soon their magical rapport was featured in his piano-less quartet. The group caught on quickly in 1952 and made both Mulligan and Baker into stars.
A drug bust put Mulligan out of action and ended that quartet but, when he was released from jail in 1954, Mulligan began a new musical partnership with valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer that was just as successful. Trumpeter Jon Eardley and Zoot Sims on tenor occasionally made the group a sextet and in 1958 trumpeter Art Farmer was featured in Mulligan's Quartet. Being a very flexible player with respect for other stylists, Mulligan went out of his way to record with some of the great musicians he admired. At the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival he traded off with baritonist Harry Carney on "Prima Bara Dubla" while backed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and during 1957-60 he recorded separate albums with Thelonious Monk, Paul Desmond, Stan Getz, Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges. Mulligan played on the classic Sound of Jazz television special in 1958 and appeared in the movies I Want to Live and The Subterraneans.
During 1960-64 Mulligan led his Concert Jazz Band which gave him an opportunity to write, play baritone and occasionally double on piano. The orchestra at times included Brookmeyer, Sims, Clark Terry and Mel Lewis. Mulligan was a little less active after the big band broke up but he toured extensively with the Dave Brubeck Quartet (1968-72), had a part-time big band in the 1970s (the Age of Steam), doubled on soprano for a period, led a mid-'70s sextet that included vibraphonist Dave Samuels, and in 1986 jammed on a record with Scott Hamilton. In the 1990s he toured the world with his excellent "no-name" quartet and led a "Rebirth of the Cool Band" that performed and recorded remakes of the Miles Davis Nonet classics. Up until the end, Gerry Mulligan was always eager to play. Gerry Mulligan died on January 20th, 1996 in Darien, CT.
Among Mulligan's compositions were "Walkin' Shoes," "Line for Lyons," "Bark for Barksdale," "Nights at the Turntable," "Utter Chaos," "Soft Shoe," "Bernie's Tune," "Blueport," "Song for Strayhorn," "Song for an Unfinished Woman" and "I Never Was a Young Man" (which he often sang). He recorded extensively through the years for such labels as Prestige, Pacific Jazz, Capitol, Vogue, EmArcy, Columbia, Verve, Milestone, United Artists, Philips, Limelight, A&M, CTI, Chiaroscuro, Who's Who, DRG, Concord and GRP. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
anything goes
Gerry Mulligan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we've ofter rewound the clock
Since the puritans got a shock
When they landed on Plymouth rock
If today any shock they might try to stem
'Stead of landing of Plymouth rock
Plymouth rock would land on them
Was looked on as something shocking
But now God knows
Anything goes
Good authors to
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 every night
The set thats smart
Is intruding on nudist parties
In studios
Anything goes
When Mrs. Ned McClean God bless her
Can get Russian reds to yes her
Than I suppose
Anything goes
When Rockafeller still can hoard
Enough 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 days night today
And that gent today
You gave a cent today
Once owned several chateaux
When folks
Who still can ride in Jitney's
Find out Vanderbilts and Whitney's
Lack baby clo'es
Anything goes
When Sam Goldwyn
Can with great conviction
Instruct Anna Sten in diction
Than 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 those news you've got
And those pains you've got
(if any brains you've got)
From those little radios
So Mrs. R.
With all her trimmin's
Can broadcast a bed from Simmon's
Cause Franklin knows
Anything goes
The song "Anything Goes" by Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz was originally sung by Cole Porter in 1934. The lyrics depict how society's behavior and attitudes had changed over time. It specifically references the Puritans who arrived in America by saying that if they tried to come today, they would not be able to handle what they would see. The song also highlights the changing views on modesty and sexual content, as a glimpse of stockings was once considered shocking but now, anything goes. Additionally, it highlights the rise of wealth in society, as people like Rockefeller could afford to produce shows. The song concludes by discussing how current events and technology were causing shocks and a lack of balance in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Times have changed
The world is different than it used to be
And we've often rewound the clock
We sometimes long for the past
Since the puritans got a shock
Since the strict religious group was surprised
When they landed on Plymouth rock
When they arrived in America
If today any shock they might try to stem
If they tried to stop any shock today
'Stead of landing of Plymouth rock
Instead of coming to America
Plymouth rock would land on them
They would be the ones surprised
In olden days a glimpse of stocking
A view of a woman's leg was inappropriate
Was looked on as something shocking
It was considered scandalous
But now God knows
But now anything is acceptable
Anything goes
Anything is acceptable
Good authors to
Talented writers
Who once knew better words
Who were skilled with language
Now only use four letter words
Now depend on simple, crude language
Writing prose
Composing written works
Anything goes
Anything is acceptable
If driving fast cars you like
If you enjoy speeding cars
If low bars you like
If you prefer cheap drinking establishments
If old hymns you like
If you enjoy religious songs
If bare limbs you like
If you like to see scantily clad bodies
If Mae West you like
If you're a fan of this actress
Or me undressed you like
If you want to see me without clothes
Why nobody will oppose
No one will object to your preferences
When every night
Every evening
The set that's smart
The fashionable group of people
Is intruding on nudist parties
Is attending events where people are naked
In studios
In film or television production companies
Anything goes
Anything is acceptable
When Mrs. Ned McClean God bless her
When this woman is mentioned
Can get Russian reds to yes her
Can convince communists to support her
Than I suppose
I guess
Anything goes
Anything is acceptable
When Rockefeller still can hoard
When the wealthy industrialist still amasses
Enough money to let Max Gordon
So much wealth that he can finance
Produce his shows
Events or performances that he produces
Anything goes
Anything is acceptable
The world has gone mad today
The world is insane today
And good's bad today
What is considered positive is negative today
And black's white today
What is considered dark is light today
And days night today
The opposite of what should be is true today
And that gent today
And that man today
You gave a cent today
You donated money today
Once owned several chateaux
Once owned many castles
When folks
When people
Who still can ride in Jitney's
Who can still use this type of vehicle
Find out Vanderbilts and Whitney's
Learn that wealthy families like these
Lack baby clothes
Don't have sufficient clothing for their children
Anything goes
Anything is acceptable
When Sam Goldwyn
When this producer
Can with great conviction
Can confidently
Instruct Anna Sten in diction
Teach proper pronunciation to this actress
Than Anna shows
Then she is able to display her skills
Anything goes
Anything is acceptable
When you hear that
When you learn that
Lady Mendl standing up
Lady Elsie de Wolfe rising from a seated position
Now turns a handspring landing up
Is able to do a gymnastic move upon standing
On her toes
Balancing on the balls of her feet
Anything goes
Anything is acceptable
Just think of those shocks you've got
Consider all of the surprises you've experienced
And those knocks you've got
And all of the hits you've taken
And those blues you've got
And all of the sadness you've felt
From those news you've got
From the news that you've heard
And those pains you've got
And all of the physical or emotional pain you've endured
(if any brains you've got)
(if you have any common sense)
From those little radios
From listening to the radio
So Mrs. R.
So this woman
With all her trimmin's
Wearing all of her finest clothes and accessories
Can broadcast a bed from Simmons
Can advertise a new model of bed from this company
Cause Franklin knows
Because the US President knows
Anything goes
Anything is acceptable
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind