Cole Porter Top 100 Songs

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 2/27/16 at 5:31pm

Why is there no Cole Porter top 100 songs list anywhere on the web for america's greatest composer?
Now there is! 

I've placed these in my rank order from 1-100, listed the top spot the song charted if charted (or an S after the song if it was a single that did not chart), the artist with my favorite version of the song and what cd its from in most cases, what show or movie each song is from, Most of these songs are available new or used somewhere. If noted 1KR- stands for very rare only known professional digital recordings. 2KR- stands for 2 known professional digital recordings  

If your favorite cole porter song is not in the top 100, or if you have a version of a song you prefer to the one listed, would love to hear from you! 

I revised this list on July 31 2016 based on feedback from other bww posters and doing further exploration and listening!

 
COLE PORTER's TOP 100 SONGS  as of  6 18 17
1) Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love) #5 Michael Griffiths Cole! Paris  1928 (Porter); Conal Fowkes version also fantastic

2) Night and Day #1 Frank Sinatra Sinatra: Best of the Best Gay Divorce

3) I've Got You Under My Skin #3 Frank Sinatra.  Also love this version: Al Bowlly & Ray Noble & His American Orchestra Al Bowlly with Ray Noble & His Orchestra Born to Dance

4) Let's Misbehave #18 Elvis Costello De-Lovely;  also love this version: Irving Aaronson and his Commanders Let's Misbehave! (1927-40) Paris 1928 cut

5) You Do Something to Me #13 Conal Fowkes Fifty Million Frenchmen

6) It's De-Lovely #1 Colin Donnell;Laura Osnes Anything Goes

7) Easy to Love #7 Frank Sinatra Ring-A-Ding-Ding! (50th Anniversary Edition) Born to Dance
 
Experiment Kevin Kline De-Lovely (Music from the Motion Picture) Nymph Errant

9) You're The Top #2  Cole Porter  (cole sings remastered) De-Lovely, Sutton Fosters version and Ella Fitzgerald's versions both outstanding too   Anything Goes

10) Looking At You Liza Minnelli Capitol Sings Cole Porter: "Anything Goes" Wake Up and Dream

11) My Heart Belongs to Daddy #4 Sophie Milman; also love version by Mary Martin & Ray Sinatra and of course Marilyn Monroe versions.  Mexican Hayride (1944 Broadway Original Cast Album)
 
12) Anything Goes #5 Sutton Foster;Company Anything Goes

13) What Is This Thing Called Love? #5 Keely Smith Capitol Sings Cole Porter: "Anything Goes" Wake Up and Dream

14) You've Got That Thing #4 Conal Fowkes Fifty Million Frenchmen

15) Just One Of Those Things  Ella Fitzgerald  Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Song Book [Disc 1] Big shout out to Frank Sinatra's version too       Jubilee    

16) The Laziest Gal In Town (Live)Jane Krakowski Stage Fright film 1950  Cole Porter     The Laziest Gal In Town (Live)

17) Find Me a Primitive Man #19 Evans Haile & Orchestra New England Fifty Million Frenchmen

1 Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye #12 Ella Fitzgerald Ella sings cole porter  Seven Lively Arts 

19) Love for Sale #5 Vivian Green De-Lovely (Music from the Motion Picture) The New yorkers
 
20) Always True to You in My Fashion (Live) Peggy Lee Kiss Me Kate    Capitol Sings Cole Porter: "Anything Goes"
 
21) It's All Right With Me  Frank Sinatra High Society disc 3,   Can-Can

22) I Get A Kick Out Of You #12 Sutton Foster Anything Goes
 
23) Don't Look at Me That Way   Jeri Southern  Jeri Southern Meets Cole Porter/At the Crescendo  from Paris

24) C'est Magnifique #29 Maurice Chevalier  Maurice sings broadway   Can-Can

 
25) I'm In Love Again Daryl Sherman You're Sensational Cole in the 30s Greenwich Village Follies
 
26) Do I Love You? #7  Ella Fitzgerald Cole Porter Centennial Collection: Ridin' High: Cole Porter In The 1930s' [Disc 3] Du Barry 
 
27) So In Love #13 Lara Fabian and Mario Frangoulis & Mario Frangoulis De-Lovely (Music from the Motion Picture) Kiss Me Kate
 
2 I Love Paris #13 Lilo     OBC  Can-Can 
 
29) Let's Talk about Love Dolores Gray V4 bagley porter lets face it  1KR
30) Begin The Beguine   #1 Gordon MacRae Capitol Sings Cole Porter: "Anything Goes" Jubilee  

31) Ridin' High  Rebecca Luker- Anything Goes The Songs of Cole Porter, also Ella Fitzgerald Ella Sings Cole Red, Hot and Blue 

32) I Love You (1962 Version) #1 Frank Sinatra Sinatra, With Love (Remastered) mexican hayride
 
33)  Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye Laura Osnes Anything Goes (cut from Born to Dance-in 2011 revival)

34)At Long Last Love #3 Frank Sinatra, also like version by Harry Groener & Donna McKechnie You Never Know 2001
 
35) Let's Make It a Night Lynnette Perry and Jonathan Freeman Lost in Boston (cut from silk stockings) 1KR 

36) Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love Julie Wilson With The Marshall Grant Trio Cole Porter Centennial Collection: Ridin' High: Cole Porter In The 1930s' [Disc 3] leave it to me

37) A Picture of Me Without You  Steve Ross Close    Jubilee
 
3 In The Still Of The Night #9 Ella Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Song Book [Disc 1] Rosalie

39) All Of You Mel Torme  The Best of Mel Torme.   Silk Stockings 
 
40) Another Op'nin', Another Show Broadway cast  Cole Porter Kiss Me Kate: The New Broadway Cast Recording

41) From Alpha to Omega  Kristin David Garrison    You Never Know  2KR

42) Tom, Dick Or Harry broadway cast  Cole Porter Kiss Me Kate: The New Broadway Cast Recording

43) Blue Hours   Ann Hampton Callaway Ben Bagley V5 LA Revue Des Ambassadeurs38 1KR

44) Please, Don''t Make Me Be Good Kim Criswell Fifty Million Frenchmen  1KR

45) True Love #4 Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly  High Society [[Disc 3]] - 1948-1956  High Society

46) Friendship #11 Joel Grey;Sutton Foster Anything Goes

47) I Happen to Like New York Steve Ross Close (Steve Ross & Cole Porter) The New Yorkers

4 Ace In The Hole (Let's Face It 1941)Mabel Mercer You're Sensational: Cole Porter In the '20s, '40s, and '50s: [Disc 2] 1940 - 1948 lets face it

49) Too Darn Hot broadway cast  Cole Porter Kiss Me Kate: The New Broadway Cast Recording

50) Cherry Pies Ought To Be You       Peter Scolari    Out Of This World    Soundtrack  
 
51) Brush Up Your Shakespeare broadway cast  Cole Porter Kiss Me Kate: The New Broadway Cast Recording

52) From Now On (1991 - Remaster) #8 Peggy Lee Capitol Sings Cole Porter: leave it to me

53) They Couldn't Compare to You  Peter Scolari  out of this World 

54) I've a Strange new Rhythm in my Heart Ann Hampton Callaway And Chorus Bagley Cole V1 Rosalie

55) Wunderbar Gordon MacRae Kiss Me Kate     Capitol Sings Cole Porter:; Kiss Me Kate 

56) But in the Morning, No  Kaye Ballard Ronnie Graham Bagley Cole V1 Du Barry was a Lady

57) Don't Fence Me In #1 Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters You're The Top: Cole Porter In The 1930's [Disc 2] Hollywood Canteen film
 
5 Let's Not Talk About Love (Let's Face It 1941) Danny Kaye You're Sensational: Cole Porter In the '20s, '40s, and '50s: [Disc 2] 1940 - 1948 lets face it  2KR
 
59) I'm So in Love With You Sandy Stewart Bagley Cole V1 Broadway Melody of 1940 1KR

60) Well, Did You Evah   (diff lyrics than dubarary) Bing Crosby & Frank Sinatra High Society [[Disc 3]] - 1948-1956  High Society

61)After All, I'm Only a Schoolgirl Alice Playton Bagley Cole V2 wake up and dream  1KR

62) You Irritate Me So Justin Hayford It all belongs to you, Lets face it!

63) Never Give Anything Away  original bway cast, Can-Can'

64) Under the Dress Ann Hampton Callaway And ChorusV5 Bagley Porter Silk stockings unused 1KR

65)I Happen To Be In Love   Harry Groener & David Garrison  You Never Know 2KR

66) I've Got You on my Mind   Ambrose cole porter in the 1930s   Gay Divorce 

67) Wait Until it's Bedtime Cast   Paris   no known professional recordings

6   Why Cant You Behave?  new bway cast  Kiss Me Kate 

69)  Which? Jeri Southern From This Moment On - The Songs of Cole Porter (Vol. 4) 

70) The Great indoors   Hugh Shannon  True Blue Hugh The New Yorkers; 2KR 

71)  Pets Alice Playton bagle v2 Lets Face It!  1KR

72) Down In the Depths Ella Fitzgerald Dream Dancing red hot and blue 

73) Wouldn't It Be Fun (Emperor's Song)Ian Wallace Aladdin (Original London Cast)  2KR 

74) When the Summer Moon Comes 'Long  Steve Ross  Close   Yale Song  1KR

75) You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To #3 Nancy Wilson Capitol Sings Cole Porter: "Anything Goes"  Something to Shout About

76) Let's Step Out Mister Tram Porter, Cole - Cole Porter In The 1930s's Volume 1 fifty million frenchmen 2KR
 
77) I'm A Gigolo Cole Porter sings Let's Misbehave! (1927-1940) Wake Up and Dream

7 Ev'rything I Love (Let's Face It 1941)Claude Thornhill Orchestra You're Sensational: Cole Porter In the '20s, '40s, and '50s: [Disc 2] 1940 - 1948 lets face it
 
79) Mind if I Make Love to You  Jane Powell  great original soundtrack recordings   High Society

80) They All Fall In Love Justin Hayford It All belongs to you; The Battle for Paris

81) Baby, Lets Dance The Darktown Strutters V3 Bagley Porter La revue les ambassadors 1KR
 
82) Let's Fly Away   Jeri Southern, also like Lee Wiley Porter, Cole - Cole Porter In The 1930's Volume 1 The New Yorkers

83) My Cozy Little Corner in the Ritz 1919 Hubbell Pierce & William Roy Cole Porter hitchy koo of 1919 
1KR

84) I'm Going In For Love   Kristin Chenoweth You Never Know 1KR

85) The Physician Lisa Kirk Nymph Errant

86) By Candlelight Harry Groener and David Garrison  You Never Know  2KR

87) Leader of the Big TIme Band Rebecca Luker; Something for the Boys 2KR

89) It Must Be Fun to be You  Justin Hayford Mexican Hayride (unused)

89) We Shall Never Be Younger Bobby Short Youre the top    Kiss me Kate unused  2KR

90)  So Near and Yet So Far  Fred Astaire  Your sensational   

91) All Through The Night #8   Colin Donell Laura Osnes   Anything Goes

92) I Am in Love S Bobby Short   High Society deis 3  Can-Can 2KR

93) I Concentrate on You #20 Frank SInatra and Antonio Carlos  Broadway Melody of 1940

94) From this Moment On  Marin Mazzie Out of the World

95) Get Out of Town  #7 Rosemary Clooney   Cole Porter Centennial collection

96) Be A Clown    Judy and Gene    The Pirate

97) I Like Pretty Things/Where Oh Where  Rebecca Luker    Mississippi Belle (unpublished)  2KR 

9 Come to the Supermarket in Old Peking   Barbara    The Barbara Streisand Album  Alladin

99) Why Don't We Try Staying Home? Elaine Stritch   Fifty Million Frenchmen

100) A Lady Needs a Rest  Lynn Redgrave   Cole porter bagley v3   Lets face it  1KR


COLLECTING COLE PORTER RECORDINGS

Collecting Cole is like the biggest easter egg hunt you've ever been on, and you may find some rotten eggs left over from last year. Most of the current single cd cole porter greatest hits by various artists are not broad enough, and many are old recordings from the 30s that dont sound great digitized.

If you want one single collection of cole recordings, look for: 

From This Moment On: The Songs of Cole Porter Smithsonian collection 84 tracks can find used on amazon for $14-20 covers most of Coles career and generally great quality recordings by top artists. Versions of 65 songs out of my top 100 can be found in this one, fantastic collection....

 

Also, these two collections are amazing if you can find them:

You're the Top Cole Porter in the 1930s (69 tracks) 3 cds

You're Sensational, Cole Porter in the 1920s, 30s and 40s; 3 cds

 

Both of these often include the original artist who had the most success with a song, and quality varies on individual songs

 

Other single CD collections that are truly amazing include:

Delovely (18 tracks from the 2004 movie)

Anything Goes: Capital Sings Cole Porter (25 tracks)

Ella Sings the Cole Porter Songbook

Steve Ross's Close

 Michael Griffiths Cole

If you are truly a cole fan and want to experience more than his best known songs, there are amazing gems here:

the five Ben Bagley Cole Porter Volumes

Favorite Versions of Several of Cole's musicals include:

   *Anything Goes 2011 revival

    *Kiss me Kate 2000 revival

    *You Never Know 2001 revival with Kristen Chenoweth

 The world really could use Encores or other top production revivals and concert recordings of:
   *Dubarry was a Lady
   *Lets Face It
   *The New Yorkers
   *Paris
   *La Revue Les Ambassadeurs

I love hearing many Cole interpretations as vocal and pianos, or as close to original interpretation of the original musical or movie version, which biased some of my top 100 recordings selected vs. some of the very jazzy interpretations of the 1950s (ella, capital sings, etc)  There are of course always exceptions...

Cole's "throwaway" songs he cut from shows are often better than many of the  "hit" songs from shows today.

If anyone wants to have a deeper Cole chat sometime, please pm me....

Updated On: 6/18/17 at 05:31 PM

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 2:15pm

for any porter fans, here is the best research and reference site in the world on all things cole porter

http://www.sondheimguide.com/porter/

 

michael hutchins the creator and curator of this site, also does a wonderful job on all things sondheim

 

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 2:02am

Very ambitious. I don't think I could even name 100 songs that Richard Rodgers had written over both his collaborations.

 

I wouldn't rely so much on Sutton Foster. Although I loved her revival, and that she is a true triple threat, she is not one of our great vocalists. I did like "Friendship" with Joel Grey and her "You're the Top" duet was also very well played for the humor. I really like Laura and Colin's "It's DeLovely." On YouTube they have a couple of clips of them doing that duet at charitable events.

 

Ella Fitzgerald is considered by many to be the premier female vocalist of the mid-20th Century. Out of her whole humongous song book series, covering seven composers, the Cole Porter sold the most. I used to have it on a tape cassette. Over 50 years old, all these recordings are still "in print" and still expensive.

 

I think that Sinatra really put "I've Got You Under My Skin" on the map with the famous Nelson Riddle arrangement and its trombone solo. See Sinatra Live at the Sands. I'd like to hear what you think tops it. The Four Seasons had a very respectable hit single with that song.

 

I once saw Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney and the Artie Shaw Orchestra in one show at a local Long Island theater in the round. At the time, although I certainly enjoyed it, I didn't realize how great their stature was. Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, who both played the clarinet, competed with each other for the best band. That night Artie told the story of how he had heard "Begin the Beguine" during the short run of a Porter flop show. Artie claimed credit for rescuing the song from oblivion by the changing the song from a slow ballad to the snappy beguine tempo and he had a huge hit with it.

 

I really loved "Wunderbar" and "So In Love" from the last Kiss Me, Kate revival. During my brief flirtation with Twitter I tweeted that to Marin Mazzie and she was kind enough to highlight the tweet.

 

Rebecca Luker's first album, which is no longer being produced, but which you can find on Amazon and other places, has some very original arrangements that are worth a listen.

 

That album contains one of my two least favorite Porter songs: "Dream Dancing" and "Miss Otis." 

 

Keep up the good work. Although the regular posters here may ignore you, People are reading this and benefiting from it.

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 12:21pm

hi Ol blue eyes

thanks for your post and encouragement....yes Cole Porter may not be as hot as how is subbing in at hamilton today, AND Cole was one of the most influential composers in musical theatre history and needs to be enjoyed and hear

Are there other frank versions of cole songs besides under my skin you think deserve top 100 status?

 

are there cole favorites of yours missing from the top 100?

I do admit to being partial to sutton as a singer and I like the last anything goes revival orchestrations and performances from seeing it. she has three songs all from anything goes. never a fan of ethel mermans voice, so went with sutton here

I have all of Ellas cole songs, and they are wonderful. This period did jazzier cole interpretations and I prefer the more straight up 30s style versions cole initially envisioned. I have Ella represented in the top 100 by in the still of the night, do i love you, and down in the depths which are all fabulous interpretations.  I had two or three others of hers in the top 100 and traded them for other interpretations. Anyone who likes cole should own her two volumes on cole they are superb!

 

Ive got you under my skin-franks versio nis a monster and its number 3 on my all time frank best song list. I had it on for a long time on my cole list, and the ONLY reason the Al Bowley version is there now is i just like the uptempo flow as a changeup to franks version which ive been so used to for so long and the bowley version i think is what cole intended from a music and tempo standpoint

you could easily insert the frank version and most people would be on your side on this one, including me depending on what day it was. ive got live at the sands and the whole concert was epic and im in a huge frank mode given the 100 anniversary. 

Franks cole songs get eight spots in my top 100, and deservedly so...he and fred astaire did cole soooo

well!

I like the kiss me kate revival too and will compare marins versions to those listed...thanks for the tips

miss otis regrets not one of my all time favs either but i like the version listed

Dream dancing works for me because I can see fred astaire gliding across the floor as he's singing it.

 

 

 

 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 12:36pm

This was ambitious! Maybe some spaces in the list would make it easier to read...

 

I would have shown Out of This World some more love, which is one of Porter's most underrated achievements. Cherry Pies Outta Be You is actually my favorite Porter song so I was sad to see it didn't make the list. And for such a list you could include one of his greatest "list songs" in They Couldn't Compare to You. I also really enjoy I Got Beauty and I Sleep Easier Now. (At least I saw Nobody's Chasing Me squeaked in there :))

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 1:24pm

whizzer marvin

like everything else you post, you are spot on with your comments

spaces and numbers added to my list

Cherry pies ought to be you was 105 on my list-its a great song and it does need to find a spot in my top 100. its rarely included on cole collections and is clever and fun

Im still listening to Out of this World and the Encores recording with marin mazzie lachanze peter scolari and andrea martin. Its wonderful and full of great surprises. 

I did get from this moment on and nobodys chasing me so it gets more love than most cole collections ive seen

As I get more familiar with it, more out of this world may bump into the top 100! A few have offered this may have been one of coles finest scores and that the original show was hampered by a weak book...

They couldnt compare to you current rank #131 (peter scolari is delightful here...who knew!)

I sleep easier now current rank 142  (andrea martin)

I got beauty current rank #198 ( andrea martin squared!)

Use your imagination current rank 221 marin mazzie

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 3:39pm

The list is much easier to read now!

 

Peter Scolari is indeed wonderful as Mercury on the Encores recording.  The whole album is a delight, as is the OBCR. Are you familiar with that recording too, or do you just have the Encores cast? Since you are such a fan you absolutely must get the OBCR if you don't already own it. (From This Moment On was cut out of town and sadly does not appear on the OBCR, and that song has arguably gone on to become the most famous from Out of This World.)

 

Reading your thread prompted me to listen to the recording and I re-marveled at the lyrics to They Couldn't Compare to You. The patter section is delightful and there's a gay, campy bent to the list that makes me giggle.  Figured this thread would be a welcome place to post the lyrics:

 

After playing the local sirens
Who resided in my environs,
I decided to learn the art of Cupid's trickery,
So, at once, I started cruising,
Found the Muses so amusing
That I even got a kick outta Terpsichore.
After her, I met Calypso,
Who was definitely a dipso,
Then I fled to Big Brünnhilde, she was German.
After snatching Eve from Adam,
I attended Call Me Madam
And shortly began to nestle Ethel Merman.
I admired the silken body
Of the chic Scheherazade,
Then of Lady Godiva I became the lord.
After that I staged an orgy
For some friends of Lucrezia Borgia,
And ended up at the Stork with Fanny Ward.
After having had a party
With Phoenicia's goddess Astarte,
Well, I raised a bit of hell with Penelope.
After quieting all my urgin's
For several Vestal Virgins,
I put on a strip for Gypsy Rose Lee.
Though I liked the Queen of Sheba,
She was mentally an amoeba.
As for Beatrice d'Este,
She was a pest and far too chesty.
As for the passionate wife of Nero,
My reaction was frankly zero.
As for that sorceress known as Circe,
She was so hot I hollered for mercy!
There was Galatea,
And mean Medea,
And Sappho, one of the best.
There was Nefertiti,
A perfect sweetie,
And gay Mae West.
I was a helluva fella
With Cinderella
And Isabella of Spain.
And I used to caress
Both Lola Montez
And that damn Calamity Jane.
When betwixt Nell Gwyn
And Anne Boleyn
I was forced to make my choice,
I became so confused
I was even amused
And abused by Peggy Joyce.
There was Melisande,
A platinum blonde
(How I loved to ruffle her locks).
There was bright Aurora,
Then Pandora,
Who let me open her box!

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 3/2/16 at 1:21am

I will check out the out of this world obc!

listened a few more times to they couldnt compare to you and its now bumped up into the top 120

There was bright Aurora,
Then Pandora,
Who let me open her box

 

those are some wonderful Cole Porter lyrics....

 

Bertie and Gertie

"with all my invitations to those great marble halls

my life is just a series of balls, balls, balls...."

Why bertie, you bad little butterfly!

 

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 8/2/16 at 10:43pm

This is a great summer for Cole Porter.  The Cole Porter historical society performed La Revue Des Ambassadeurs, a "lost musical" of cole porters from 1929, for only the third time since much of the orchestrations were rediscovered in San Francisco-fantastic performances by many top national performers.

Encores announced they are reviving The New Yorkers in 2017, a seldom reviewed Cole musical which was originally a star vehicle for Jimmy Durante with great cole songs

SHN SF announced they are hosting a pre-broadway production of Roman Holiday, featuring 24 Cole Porter songs in 2017

Cabaret by the Bay announced that they are hosting Michael Griffiths, a brilliant australian performer who does a spectacular col porter review. Michael is touring other places in the US-see him if you can

To celebrate, I updated the Cole Porter Top 100 in the first posting,based on some great suggestions from other members and a lot of cole porter listening...

Surprisingly, 20 of my current top 100 Cole Songs are not very well known songs at all, and have only one or two known digital recordings(noted and added now in first posting as OKR or 2KR). Coles unused songs in shows are better than much of what makes it on broadway or the radio today

I also was thrilled to discover fantastic cds and versions of cole songs by Jeri Southern, Steve Ross, and Justin Hayford,,,highly recommend all three cds for any cole fan

Enjoy and happy to hear feedback or updates from other Cole fans on the board....