Musical abominations: #11 "You Light Up My Life" Debby Boone (1977)

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Those with long memories will remember how inescapably huge this song was. “You Light Up My Life” reigned 10 consecutive weeks at Billboard #1 going platinum. There will be those who love this song. The Christian community embraced it as a spiritual anthem. Most heard it as a soaring love song. To some, it was just plain sappy. Today, a much darker taint looms over the song. Joseph Brooks wrote and directed a small New York independent movie called “You Light Up My LIfe.” He also composed the title song and hired Kasey Cisyk to sing the song on the soundtrack to which lead actress Didi Conn lip synced to. Brooks screwed over Cisyk and gave the song to Pat Boone’s daughter Debby. The song’s popularity boosted the movie to box office success. Brooks received the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Song and Song of the Year Grammy. Boone got the Best New Artist Grammy. “You LIght Up My Life” has been covered to death. In 1997, LeAnn Rimes’ country cover went to #34. In 1980, Boone had a country #1 with “Are You on the Road Lovin’ Me Again.” She won two more Grammys for Christian recordings. Brooks directed four more movies (even starring in one himself) and all failed. He must have lived off the song’s royalties. In 2011, Brooks committed suicide while awaiting 91 counts of rape and sexual assault. As with Kevin Spacey, his Oscar has yet to be revoked.