Sure, I’d rather hear a good song twice than a bad song once but “Anything Goes” I’ve heard so many times I have no desire to hear it ever again. There is nothing left to learn from this song, no reason to play it, just leave it alone for fucks sake. Ever since it was used at the start of “The Boys In The Band” in the early 1970s, it has been abundantly clear what was on Cole Porter’s mind and now let it rest in pieces.
So of course Tony Bennett is using it to introduce his Lady Gaga duet album Cheek to Cheek.
It is truly lousy. Bennett who understands from finesse shows none and Lady Gaga should have a restraining order put on her, she should not be allowed near the Great American Songbook. Gaga’s vocal here is beyond wretched, it is a scretchy fucked up mess and Bennett, who, by this point in his life should know a lot better, over sings just to keep up and the band are a blast of high energy cacophony.
Quite possibly the worse version I’ve ever heard, Lady Gaga, who I am sick to death of, doesn’t simply jump the shark here, but climbs on top of it, squeezes it between her legs and rides it like Slim Pickens at the end of “Dr. Strangelove” and in the worst is yet to come mode, Bennett delivers his single worst vocal performance of all time.
Grade: D
