McCorkle was born in Berkeley, California. She studied modern languages at the University of California, Berkeley. McCorkle began singing professionally after hearing recordings of Billie Holiday in Paris in the late 1960s. She nearly became an interpreter at the European Commission in Brussels, but moved instead to London in 1972 to pursue a career in singing. While in the UK, she made two albums which, although well received, enjoyed only limited circulation.
In the late 1970s, McCorkle returned to the United States and settled in New York City, where a five-month engagement at the Cookery in Greenwich Village brought her to wider public attention and elicited rave reviews from critics.
During the 1980s, McCorkle continued to record; her maturing style and the darkening timbre of her voice greatly enhanced her performances. In the early 1990s, two of the albums McCorkle made for Concord Records, No More Blues and Sábia, were enormously successful and made her name known to the wider world. She was recorded by the Smithsonian Institution which at the time made her the youngest singer ever to have been included in its popular music series. McCorkle played Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls five times and Carnegie Hall three times, and was featured soloist with Skitch Henderson and the 80-piece New York Pops in a concert of Brazilian music.
Thanks to her linguistic skills, McCorkle translated lyrics of Brazilian, French, and Italian songs, notably those for her Brazilian album Sabia. McCorkle also had several short stories published and, in 1991, began work on her first novel. She published fiction in Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and non-fiction in the New York Times Magazine and in American Heritage, including lengthy articles on Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Irving Berlin and Mae West.
McCorkle suffered for many years from depression and cancer, and took her own life at age 55 by leaping off the balcony of her highrise Manhattan apartment. She was alone in her home at the time. The police immediately entered her home after identifying her body and found no foul play. Suicide was ruled the cause of death.
Anything Goes
Susannah Mccorkle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we've often rewound the clock
Since the Puritans got a shock
When they landed on Plymouth Rock.
If today
Any shock they should try to stem
'Stead of landing on Plymouth Rock,
Plymouth Rock would land on them.
In olden days, a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking.
But now, God knows,
Anything goes.
Good authors too 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 ev'ry night the set that's smart is in-
Truding in nudist parties in
Studios.
Anything goes.
When Missus Ned McLean (God bless her)
Can get Russian reds to "yes" her,
Then I suppose
Anything goes.
When Rockefeller still can hoard en-
Ough 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 day's night today,
And that gent today
You gave a cent today
Once had several chateaux.
When folks who still can ride in jitneys
Find out Vanderbilts and Whitneys
Lack baby clo'es,
Anything goes.
If Sam Goldwyn can with great conviction
Instruct Anna Sten in diction,
Then 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 that news you've got
And those pains you've got
(If any brains you've got)
From those little radios.
So Missus R., with all her trimmin's,
Can broadcast a bed from Simmons
'Cause Franklin knows
Anything goes.
The song "Anything Goes" by Susannah McCorkle paints a picture of the changing social norms and values over the years. The lyrics suggest that things that were once considered shocking, like a glimpse of stocking, are no longer taboo, and anything is acceptable. The song also touches on political and economic changes, mentioning the Puritans and the hoarding of money by the wealthy.
The first verse highlights the changing political landscape, suggesting that if the Puritans were to land at Plymouth Rock now, the rock may just land on them instead. The second verse speaks to the changing literary landscape, suggesting that even good authors now use four-letter words in their writing. The chorus reinforces the idea that "anything goes," whether it be driving fast cars, enjoying low bars or old hymns, enjoying bare limbs or Mae West, or even enjoying someone undressed.
The next two verses mention some of the wealthy and influential people of the time and how they can seemingly get away with anything, whether it be Mrs. Ned McLean getting Russian reds to "yes" her or Rockefeller hoarding enough money to produce shows. The bridge of the song suggests that the world has gone mad, with good being bad and black being white, and even those who once rode in jitneys are finding out that the wealthy Vanderbilt's and Whitney's lack baby clothes.
Overall, "Anything Goes" is a commentary on the changing societal norms and values of the time, highlighting that anything is acceptable and there are no longer any real taboos.
Line by Line Meaning
Times have changed
The present is different from the past.
And we've often rewound the clock
We have gone back in time to relive the experiences of the past.
Since the Puritans got a shock
The Puritans were surprised when they landed on Plymouth Rock.
When they landed on Plymouth Rock.
The Puritans arrived at Plymouth Rock.
If today
In the present day.
Any shock they should try to stem
If anyone tries to stop something unexpected from happening.
'Stead of landing on Plymouth Rock,
Instead of the unexpected event happening to someone else.
Plymouth Rock would land on them.
The unexpected event would happen to the person trying to stop it.
In olden days, a glimpse of stocking
In the past, seeing a woman's leg through her stockings was scandalous.
Was looked on as something shocking.
People were scandalized by the sight of a woman's leg covered in stockings.
But now, God knows,
But nowadays.
Anything goes.
Anything is allowed or acceptable.
Good authors too who once knew better words
Even respected writers who used to have a larger vocabulary.
Now only use four-letter words
Now only use obscenities.
Writing prose.
Writing text that does not rhyme.
If driving fast cars you like,
If you enjoy driving fast cars,
If low bars you like,
If you enjoy going to seedy bars,
If old hymns you like,
If you enjoy old religious music,
If bare limbs you like,
If you enjoy seeing people with exposed skin,
If Mae West you like,
If you like Mae West, a famous actress from the 1930s.
Or me undressed you like,
Or if you have a preference for me without clothes.
Why, nobody will oppose.
No one will object if you prefer these things.
When ev'ry night the set that's smart is in-
When the fashionable crowd is going to
Truding in nudist parties in
Invading nudist gatherings.
Studios.
Film production centers.
When Missus Ned McLean (God bless her)
When Mrs. Ned McLean, a wealthy socialite, is mentioned (with good intentions).
Can get Russian reds to "yes" her,
Can influence Russians to agree with her.
Then I suppose
Then I imagine or guess.
Anything goes.
Anything is possible or allowed.
When Rockefeller still can hoard en-
When John D. Rockefeller, who was one of the richest men in history,
Ough money to let Max Gordon
Has enough money to allow Max Gordon, a Broadway producer,
Produce his shows,
To finance his stage shows.
Anything goes.
Anything is achievable or permitted.
The world has gone mad today
The world is in chaos today.
And good's bad today,
What is considered good today would have been seen as bad in the past.
And black's white today,
Traditional beliefs or perceptions have been reversed today.
And day's night today,
The distinction between day and night is blurred today.
And that gent today
And that man today.
You gave a cent today
To whom you just gave a cent today.
Once had several chateaux.
Previously owned large, elegant country houses.
When folks who still can ride in jitneys
When people who can still ride in open taxis,
Find out Vanderbilts and Whitneys
Realize that the Vanderbilt and Whitney families,
Lack baby clo'es,
Don't have enough clothes for their babies.
Anything goes.
Anything can happen or be acceptable.
If Sam Goldwyn can with great conviction
If Sam Goldwyn, a film producer known for his assertiveness,
Instruct Anna Sten in diction,
Can coach Anna Sten, a Ukrainian actress, on her speech.
Then Anna shows
Then Anna proves
Anything goes.
Anything is possible or allowed.
When you hear that Lady Mendl standing up
When you find out that Lady Mendl,
Now turns a handspring landing up-
She is doing gymnastics and landing on her feet.
On her toes,
Balancing on the tips of her toes.
Anything goes.
Anything is achievable or permitted.
Just think of those shocks you've got
Think of the surprises you've experienced.
And those knocks you've got
Also think of the bumps or misfortunes you've encountered.
And those blues you've got
Consider the sadness you've felt.
From that news you've got
As well as the bad news you've received.
And those pains you've got
Plus the aches you've experienced,
(If any brains you've got)
(If you have any intelligence)
From those little radios.
Due to listening to small, portable radios.
So Missus R., with all her trimmin's,
So Mrs. R, with all her fancy clothes and accessories,
Can broadcast a bed from Simmons
Can endorse or promote a bed from Simmons, a mattress company.
'Cause Franklin knows
Because Franklin D. Roosevelt, the US President, is aware.
Anything goes.
Anything is possible or allowed.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind