History Music / ColePorter

* ExecutiveMeddling: The lyrics to the song "I Get a Kick Out of You" from the musical ''Anything Goes'' originally contained a reference to cocaine. When the musical was turned into a movie, Porter was forced to censor the lyrics.

* CreatorBreakdown: Porter's legs were crushed in a polo accident in 1937, leaving him permanently disabled and in constant severe pain for the rest of his life. It took him ten years to get back to his previous level of productivity. Later in life, he had to [[AnArmAndALeg have a leg amputated]] (due to the previous injuries), and never wrote again.

* {{Bowdlerise}}: The lyrics to "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)" (written in TheRoaringTwenties) were changed because it contained racial slurs [[ValuesDissonance which were later deemed inappropriate]].

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Cole Porter had this practically down to a science.

* {{Bowdlerise}}: The lyrics to "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)" (written in TheTwenties) were changed because it contained racial slurs [[ValuesDissonance which were later deemed inappropriate]].

* {{Biopic}}: ''Night and Day'' (1946, starring Creator/CaryGrant) and ''De-Lovely'' (2004, portrayed by Creator/KevinKline), both of which were [[TitledAfterTheSong named after songs of his]]. The former was highly fictionalized, while the latter was closer to Porter's life and addressed his homosexuality. As Kline was a better singer than Porter, he had to [[HollywoodToneDeaf tone down his ability]] a bit.

* RepurposedPopSong: "I've Got You Under My Skin", repurposed as "I've Got You Under My Rim" for a toilet bowl cleanser commercial. If it's any comfort, Porter's executor admitted he'd botched the request.
** The same for "It's De-Lovely", being used by the Desoto Motor Company in its 1950s advertisement.
--> It's de-lovely, it's dynamic, it's DeSoto!

* ShoutOut: To Alfred Kinsey, of all people, in "Too Darn Hot".
** [[ReferenceOverdosed To anyone and everyone]]. From politicians, to actors, to characters from literature, no reference was too obscure or too popular. Basically, if he could rhyme it, he would use it. And he could ALWAYS rhyme it.

!!Cole Porter himself is an example of these tropes:
* TheBeard: Cole's wife, Linda, who knew about his homosexuality when she married him. When they met she had just gotten out of a sexually and physically abusive relationship, and was uninterested in sex. Their marriage was mutually beneficial, as both got a partner to show off, without any of the responsibilites of sex.

Cole Porter (1891-1964) was a writer of popular songs from the 1920s to the 1950s. He wrote for several musicals, mostly in the [[TheThirties 1930s]], that had very slim, loose plots. Those musicals were an excuse for beautiful women, comic gags, one-liners and, most of all, musical numbers. His most famous play is ''Theatre/KissMeKate'' from [[TheForties 1948]], which is about [[TheMusicalMusical putting on a production of]], believe it or not, ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew'', but his real claim to fame is his urbane, witty songs, like "I Get A Kick Out of You" and "Night and Day".

Porter is especially well known for list songs, like "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)", "You're the Top" and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare". His songs have been recorded from the 1930s to the 1960s by such big stars of the time Creator/FredAstaire, Ella Fitzgerald, Creator/EthelMerman, Music/FrankSinatra, and Music/LouisArmstrong. On a side note, Porter was gay, which [[RealitySubtext shows in some of his songs]] that deal with things like forbidden, impossible or unrequited love.

* CreatorBreakdown: Porter's legs were crushed in a polo accident in 1937, leaving him permanently disabled and in constant severe pain for the rest of his life. It took him ten years to get back to his previous level of productivity. Later in life, he had to have a leg amputated (due to the previous injuries), and never wrote again.

* ''Film/HighSociety'' (1955)

** To anyone and everyone. From politicians, to actors, to characters from literature, no reference was too obscure or too popular. Basically, if he could rhyme it, he would use it. And he could ALWAYS rhyme it.

* CreatorBreakdown: Porter's legs were crushed in a polo accident in 1937, leaving him permanently disabled and in constant severe pain for the rest of his life. It took him ten years to get back to his previous level of productivity. Later in life, he lost a leg and never wrote again.

* UpperClassWit: Porter was born into a very wealthy family and never actually ''needed'' to work. He [[DoingItForTheArt still put in]] a seventy-hour week most of the time.

* TheBeard: Cole's wife, Linda, who knew about his homosexuality when she married him. When they met she had just gotten out of a sexually and phsically abusive relationship, and was uninterested in sex. Their marriage was mutually beneficial, as both got a partner to show off, without any of the responsibilites of sex.

* DoubleEntendre: "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love.)" among others. Of course, sometimes, Cole was not so subtle, and skipped straight to "Let's Misbehave."

* UpperClassWit: Porter was born into a very wealthy family and never actually ''needed'' to work. He still put in a seventy-hour week most of the time.

Cole Porter (1891-1964) was a writer of popular songs from the 1920s to the 1950s. He wrote for several musicals, mostly in the [[TheThirties 1930s]], that had very slim, loose plots. Those musicals were an excuse for beautiful women, comic gags, one-liners and, most of all, musical numbers. His most famous play is ''Theatre/KissMeKate'' from [[TheForties 1948]], which is about putting on a production of, believe it or not, ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew'', but his real claim to fame is his urbane, witty songs, like "I Get A Kick Out of You" and "Night and Day".

Porter is especially well known for list songs, like "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)", "You're the Top" and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare". His songs have been recorded from the 1930s to the 1960s by such big stars of the time Creator/FredAstaire, Ella Fitzgerald, Creator/EthelMerman, Music/FrankSinatra, and Music/LouisArmstrong. On a side note, Porter was gay, which shows in some of his songs that deal with things like forbidden, impossible or unrequited love.

* InSovietRussiaTropeMocksYou: "Anything Goes" -- [if the pilgrims could see what had become of American society], "Instead of landing on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock would land on them!"

Porter is especially well known for list songs, like "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)", "You're the Top" and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare". His songs have been recorded from the 1930s to the 1960s by such big stars of the time Creator/FredAstaire, Ella Fitzgerald, EthelMerman, Music/FrankSinatra, and Music/LouisArmstrong. On a side note, Porter was gay, which shows in some of his songs that deal with things like forbidden, impossible or unrequited love.

Porter is especially well known for list songs, like "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)", "You're the Top" and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare". His songs have been recorded from the 1930s to the 1960s by big stars of the time like FredAstaire, Ella Fitzgerald, EthelMerman, FrankSinatra, and LouisArmstrong. On a side note, Porter was gay, which shows in some of his songs that deal with things like forbidden, impossible or unrequited love.

Porter is especially well known for list songs, like "Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)", "You're the Top" and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare". His songs have been recorded from the 1930s to the 1960s by big stars of the time like FredAstaire, Ella Fitzgerald, EthelMerman and LouisArmstrong. On a side note, Porter was gay, which shows in some of his songs that deal with things like forbidden, impossible or unrequited love.