Cole Porter was an American songwriter and composer known for hits like “Night and Day” and “Kiss Me, Kate”. He began studying music at a young age and attended Harvard before moving to Yale, where he wrote memorable fight songs. Porter’s first big hit was “Let’s Do It” from the musical Paris. He was known for his love of Paris and his partying lifestyle. Porter was rumored to be homosexual or bisexual and had a platonic marriage. He continued to write music despite breaking both legs in a riding accident and having one amputated. He died at the age of 73 in Santa Monica, California.
Cole Porter is an American songwriter and composer of the first half of the 20th century. He is famous for his many hits, including “Night and Day”, “Let’s Do It”, “You’re the Top” and “Kiss Me, Kate”. His lyrics are often said to be very sophisticated for their time and many of Porter’s songs are still played and performed today.
Born June 9, 1891 in Peru, Indiana, Cole Porter is named after his maternal grandfather, James Omar (JO) Cole. He began studying violin and piano at the age of six and began composing music at the age of ten with his mother’s encouragement and support. His grandfather was a wealthy businessman who wanted Cole to study law. Porter studied law at Harvard for a year, but music remained his greatest interest and talent.
Despite his attendance at Harvard, Porter is often best remembered for his time at Yale University beginning in 1913. He was voted funniest due to the memorable fight songs he wrote, some of which are still used today at Yale . Cole attended Yale’s glee club and continued to write for Broadway musicals.
His first full score was for the 1916 musical See America First. The show closed after 15 nights and Porter moved to Paris in 1917 to continue composing music. His first big hit was “Let’s Do It” from the 1928 musical Paris. He wrote both the music and lyrics for all of his songs and his love for Paris was expressed in songs such as “I Love Paris” and “You Don’t Know Paree”.
Partying with cross-dressing and drugs, as well as nobility and musicians are said to have been an important part of Cole Porter’s life in Paris. Some say Porter was homosexual, while others say he was bisexual. He married his friend, Linda Thomas, in 1919, but it was said to be a platonic marriage. Porter loved to write and compose music, and two of his greatest successes came in the early 1930s. The 1932 musical, Gay Divorce, featured his hit “Night and Day,” and his 1934 song, “Anything Goes,” was a huge hit.
Cole Porter broke both legs in a riding accident in 1937 and finally, in 1958, one of his legs was amputated. He went on to write music, such as Get Out of Town, From Now On and the hugely successful Kiss Me Kate. The amputation is said to have caused Cole much sadness, however, as well as the loss of much of his creative drive. He died of kidney failure at the age of 73 in Santa Monica, California on October 15, 1964.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
