"The wit of his words depended on his ability to raise the audience immediately to his own level — and keep it there. The instant happiness that Porter gave his audience is the kind that becomes history."

"In a way no other songs of the period quite did, Porter's created a world. It was a between–the–wars realm of drop–dead chic and careless name–dropping insouciance. And it was a sexy place to be invited."

"So kiss me Kate, Thou lovely loon, E'er we start on our honeymoon. Oh, kiss me, Kate, Darling devil divine, For now thou shall ever be mine."

"Be the poor silly ass And you'll always travel first class. Give 'em quips, give 'em fun, And they'll pay to say you're A–1. If you become a farmer, you've the weather to buck. If become a gambler you'll be struck with your luck. But jack you'll never lack if you can quack like a duck. Be a clown, be a clown, be a clown."

"Wear the cap and the bells And you'll rate all the great swells. If you become a doctor, folks'll face you with dread. If you become a dentist, they'll be glad when you're dead. You get a bigger hand if you can stand on your head. Be a clown, be a clown, be a clown."

"Be a clown, be a clown, All the world loves a clown. Act the fool, play the calf, And you'll always have the last laugh."

"It must be fun to be you And play with love as you do To treat each new romance As merely one more dance Or just another book to glance through It must be fun to acquire Whatever heart you desire, And when you're bored with it To tear it in two, It must be fun to be you."

"You'd be so nice, You'd be paradise To come home to and love."

"You'd be so nice to come home to You'd be so nice by the fire..."

"You're the pain in my — The hurricane in my — Supersensitive heart, dear. Still I love you, I know, And the reason is merely because You irritate me so!"

"This rule I propose, Always have an ace in the hole. Always try to arrive at Having an ace some place private. Always have an ace in the hole."

"Sad times May follow your tracks, Bad times May bar you from Saks, Add times When Satan in slacks Breaks down your self control..."

"You are my fav'rite star, My haven in heaven above, You are ev'rything I love."

"Too bad, I'm no poet, I happen to know it, But anyway Here's a roundelay I wrote last night about you..."

"Good authors, too, who once knew better words Now only use four-letter words Writing prose — Anything goes."

"In olden days a glimpse of stocking Was looked on as something shocking But now, Heaven knows, Anything goes."

"You're the smile On the Mona Lisa."

"Some get a kick from cocaine. I'm sure that if I took even one sniff That would bore me terrifically, too, Yet, I get a kick out of you."

"I get no kick from champagne. Mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all, So tell me why it should be true That I get a kick out of you?"

"They say that bears Have love affairs And even camels, We're merely mammals Let's misbehave."

"They say that spring Means just one thing To little lovebirds. We're not above birds, Let's misbehave."

"If you want a future, darling, Why don't you get a past?"

"The world admits bears in pits do it, Even Pekingeses at the Ritz do it, Let's do it, let's fall in love."

"Electric eels I might add do it, Though it shocks 'em I know..."

"In shallow shoals, English soles do it Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it."

"The chimpanzees in the zoos do it, Some courageous kangaroos do it Let's do it, let's fall in love. I'm sure giraffes on the sly do it, Even eagles as they fly do it, Let's do it, let's fall in love."

"Some Argentines, without means, do it, People say, in Boston, even beans do it. Let's do it, let's fall in love."

"What moments divine, what rapture serene."

"I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences Don't fence me in"

"Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above. Don't fence me in. Let me ride through the wide open country that I love Don't fence me in Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees Send me off forever but I ask you please Don't fence me in"

"There's an, oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me."

"If you want to buy my wares Follow me and climb the stairs … Love for sale."

"What is this thing called love? This funny thing called love? Just who can solve this mystery? Why should it make a fool of me?"

"Maybe baby I'll have you, Maybe baby you'll be true. Maybe baby I'll have you for me. (All for me)It's funny honey you don't care-a-are, You never listen to my prayer-a-yer, Maybe baby you will love me someday (someday)."

"Buddy Holly and the Crickets had the most influence on the Beatles."

"Conspiracy theorists might have it otherwise, but any mystery relating to Buddy Holly's death has nothing to do with the plane crash. Far more intriguing is why the six marvellous songs he wrote shortly before he was killed should be among the most angst–ridden in the entire canon of rock. … Whatever the reason, Holly's last compositions were a wonderful achievement. Heard as he recorded them, without the overdubs, his voice is crystal clear yet raw with emotion. Close your eyes and, 50 years later, Buddy Holly is singing directly to you from across the room."

"A long long time ago I can still remember how that music used to make me smile And I knew if I had my chance That I could make those people dance And maybe they'd be happy for a while. But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't take one more step I can't remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride But something touched me deep inside The Day the Music Died."

"I just want to say that one time when I was about sixteen or seventeen years old, I went to see Buddy Holly play … at a Duluth National Guard Armory and I was three feet away from him. … And he LOOKED at me. And I just have some kind of feeling that he was — I don't know how or why — but I know he was with us all the time when we were making this record in some kind of way."

"Words of love you whisper soft and true Darling I love you."

"Hold me close and tell me how you feel Tell me love is real."

"Everyday — it's a gettin' closer, Goin' faster than a roller coaster. Love like yours will surely come my way A hey — a hey hey."

"If you knew Peggy Sue — then you'd know why I feel blue Without Peggy — my Peggy Sue. Oh well, I love you gal — yes, I love you Peggy Sue.Peggy Sue, Peggy Sue — oh how my heart yearns for you. Oh Peggy — my Peggy Sue. Oh well, I love you gal — yes, I love you Peggy Sue."

"That'll be the day — when you say goodbye. That'll be the day — when you make me cry. You say you're gonna leave — you know it's a lie, 'cause That'll be the day when I die."

"I'm a-gonna tell you how it's gonna be, You're gonna give your love to me. I wanna love you night and day, You know my love a-not fade away. A-well, you know my love a-not fade away."

"All of my love — all of my kissin’ You don’t know what you’ve been a-missin’ Oh boy — when you’re with me — oh boy The world will see that you were meant for me"