In his life and in his music, Cole Porter was the top-the pinnacle of wit and sophistication. From the 1910s through the 50s, from Yale pep rallies through the Broadway triumphs of Anything Goes and Kiss Me, Kate, he delighted audiences with a glittering torrent of song: "I Get a Kick Out of You," "Night and Day," "Love for Sale," and "Just One of Those Things." The bright surface of these gems made them instant pop hits. Their more subtle qualities...