An Analysis Of Cole Porter's 'When Anything Goes'

When Anything Goes first set sail on Broadway in 1934, America was recovering from the Great Depression, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in his first term in office, the New Deal was still in its infancy and many Americans were out of work. These were challenging times in America and many were longing for that sense of freedom and optimism that had defined our nation. The birth of musical theater and the popularity of the radio in the 1930's gave the brilliant music of Cole Porter and other famous American composers a broad voice and wide audience that reached from sea to sea.
Cole Porter's upbeat, toe-tapping melodies and whimsical lyrics helped recapture that sense of optimism, and for many, provided a welcome sense of escapism. His songs