I've been listening to the movie soundtrack of the 1956 movie version of Cole Porter's Anything Goes. The movie stars Bing Crosby, Donald O'Connor, Mitzi Gaynor, Phil Harris, and Jeanmaire.

I know this movie is not considered one of the better stage-to-screen musicals ever made. However, as a youngster skipping school to watch old movies on TV, it made a huge impression on me. Especially when Donald and Mitzi sing "De-Lovely" and dance. That's why Mitzi was on the short list of names for my youngest daughter Trinity!

In this remake of the 1936 version (with Bing and Ethel Merman) Paramount messed around with the score, commissioning new songs from Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, and an entirely new plot which retained the essential idea of Cole Porter hits on a ship.

The liner notes go on to say:

Though certainly a bit on the garish and kitschy side, the 1956 Anything Goes is great, colorful fun. It also represents the fullest manifestation of the famous "Crosby Clause" whereby the great singer-actor insisted on sharing his above-the-title billing with a couple of co-stars.

Now, to the point of this post.

In the title song Ms. Gaynor sings:

"Good authors who too once knew better words now only use THREE-letter words writing prose, anything goes..."

But, Cole Porter's ORIGINAL line was:

"Good authors who too once knew better words now only use FOUR-letter words writing prose, anything goes..."

I'm guessing that they did this because four-letter words were considered too risque for the innocent ears of the mid-1950s? Or is there another reason? If it is blatant censorship then shame on them! It's not so much the censoring, but I vehemently object to messing with the Master's lyrics!

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