Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story (2003)

Like a warped fun-house mirror, the song-poem industry has run parallel to the mainstream music business for close to a century; it's estimated that over 200,000 song-poems have been recorded since 1900. The genre's durability can be traced to three of our deepest American desires - to be in show business, to get rich quick, and to share and express our deepest feelings. We meet several of the "songwriters" - from an elderly woman to a young African-American man to a small-town Iowan with big-time dreams - each of whom has been in the "business" for awhile, churning out odd compositions that cover the waterfront of American obsessions, from Jesus to genitalia, from politics to Elvis. We also meet the producers (often known as song-sharks) who hold out the tantalizing promise of fame to their eager customers, and the has-been musicians who sit in studios, day after day and year after year...

Director: Jamie Meltzer
Genre: Documentary, Music
Runtime: 58 min
Release Date:

Cast

Language: English
Budget: $150,000
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Jamie Meltzer
More Films in Genre: Documentary, Music

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story about?
Like a warped fun-house mirror, the song-poem industry has run parallel to the mainstream music business for close to a century; it's estimated that over 200,000 song-poems have been recorded since 1900. The genre's durability can be traced to three of our deepest American desires - to be in show business, to get rich quick, and to share and express our deepest feelings. We meet several of the "songwriters" - from an elderly woman to a young African-American man to a small-town Iowan with big-time dreams - each of whom has been in the "business" for awhile, churning out odd compositions that cover the waterfront of American obsessions, from Jesus to genitalia, from politics to Elvis. We also meet the producers (often known as song-sharks) who hold out the tantalizing promise of fame to their eager customers, and the has-been musicians who sit in studios, day after day and year after year...
Who directed Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story?
Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story was directed by Jamie Meltzer.
Who stars in Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story?
Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story stars Tom Ardolino, Sonny Cash.
How long is Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story?
Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story has a runtime of 58m (58 minutes).
What genre is Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story?
Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story is a Documentary, Music film.
What is the budget of Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story?
Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story had a budget of $150,000.