Anything Goes
Lew Stone & His Orchestra Lyrics

Times have changed
The current state of affairs is very different from those in the past

And we've often rewound the clock
We've looked back in time and realized how much things have changed

Since the Puritans got a shock
The Puritans were taken by surprise

When they landed on Plymouth Rock.
When they arrived in America

If today
If things were to happen nowadays

Any shock they should try to stem
If they were to resist any surprise or change

'Stead of landing on Plymouth Rock,
Instead of being taken aback

Plymouth Rock would land on them.
The surprise would be on them instead

In olden days, a glimpse of stocking
In the past, even a minor provocation could shock people

Was looked on as something shocking.
These things could be seen as unacceptable or ostracizing

But now, God knows,
But in the present era

Anything goes.
There are no restrictions on what is acceptable behavior or fashion

Good authors too who once knew better words
Even famous writers who used to choose their words carefully

Now only use four-letter words
Now use profane language without reservation or concern

Writing prose.
In their writings their new vocabulary

Anything goes.
Reflect the loosening standards of society

If driving fast cars you like,
If you enjoy driving fast cars

If low bars you like,
If you enjoy frequenting seedy places

If old hymns you like,
If you enjoy old-fashioned music

If bare limbs you like,
If you enjoy the sight of skimpily-clad bodies

If Mae West you like,
If you enjoy the style of a specific actress known for risque humor

Or me undressed you like,
If you prefer people to be unclothed

Why, nobody will oppose.
There are no social norms that exist anymore to tell us otherwise

When ev'ry night the set that's smart is in-
When the fashionable people go out every night

Truding in nudist parties in
Invading the private events of nudists

Studios.
Talented studios

When Missus Ned McLean (God bless her)
When a specific wealthy woman

Can get Russian reds to "yes" her,
Can convince people of Russian origin to work with her

Then I suppose
In this case, it seems that

Anything goes.
Hardly anything is out of the question

When Rockefeller still can hoard en-
When a famous billionaire is still able to amass

Ough money to let Max Gordon
Enough funds to help produce the shows of a certain theater producer

Produce his shows,
Allow theatrical productions to go forward

Anything goes.
Society accepts this kind of power and influence

The world has gone mad today
The state of the world is currently chaotic

And good's bad today,
Even positive things can have a negative side now

And black's white today,
Some longstanding truths have been reversed

And day's night today,
The accepted conventions of life are being upended

And that gent today
That individual today

You gave a cent today
To whom you may have given money

Once had several chateaux.
Might be wealthy even if you didn't recognize it

When folks who still can ride in jitneys
When some people still choose to ride in small vehicles

Find out Vanderbilts and Whitneys
When they learn that even famous wealthy families

Lack baby clo'es,
Don't have everything they need for their children

Anything goes.
People live under different standards than they did before

If Sam Goldwyn can with great conviction
If Sam Goldwyn is confident enough

Instruct Anna Sten in diction,
To be able to teach a specific actress to speak correctly

Then Anna shows
Then Anna demonstrates

Anything goes.
This behavior would be considered acceptable

When you hear that Lady Mendl standing up
If you learn that Lady Mendl, a member of high society

Now turns a handspring landing up-
And now performs acrobatic feats during social events

On her toes,
When standing on one's toes

Anything goes.
Society seems to have no limits for what's considered acceptable behavior

Just think of those shocks you've got
Consider all the things that may have come as a surprise to you

And those knocks you've got
And all the hardships you've had to face

And those blues you've got
And all the sadness you've experienced

From that news you've got
After receiving all the bad news you've heard

And those pains you've got
And all the struggles and pains you've had to endure

(If any brains you've got)
(If you have any intelligence at all)

From those little radios.
From listening to the radio - even this new technology can give us surprises

So Missus R., with all her trimmin's,
A reference to a specific wealthy woman with all her amenities

Can broadcast a bed from Simmons
Can advertise a luxurious bed sold at a specific store chain

'Cause Franklin knows
Because even the President, Franklin Roosevelt, knows very well

Anything goes.
What kind of state the world is in these days