Songs That Brought Sunshine Into The Depression
Back in April 2005 I wrote an article about a marvellous song called “The Object of My Affection”. I wanted to find out who actually wrote the song, and sure enough, I got comments which helped me find out. Or so I thought, because today, a third claimant has shown up to add to the story. Was it Jimmy Grier, Coy Poe, Pinky Tomlin, all three of them, or Loyd Loewen?
I have this song on marvellous junk store vinyl, as part of an album called “Songs That Brought Sunshine Into The Depression” by the Hollywood Sound Stage Chorus. Back then I wrote:
Songs generally sell well in a depression. When the shit hits the fan, the share prices plummet, and the economy takes a dive without a breath and doesn’t come back up, then songs are sometimes all we have to keep us from despair. Songwriters know all about this. There are a few individuals in the songwriters’ fraternity who write smash hits and never need work again, but believe me, these are the exceptions, and for every one of those numinous beings, there are ten thousand grafting away at the songfactory.
Even a huge hit doesn’t avoid the financial ruination of the taxman, unwise choices of leisure activity, and that expensive marriage / divorce, and many is the time I have heard of, and known, surprisingly wealthy songwriters being on their uppers once again. The rollercoaster of the economy exactly matches the ups and downs of the creative life.
