Phil Bolton, ’The Thing in the Box 1’, 2011The Boston Public Library recently digitized
Phil Bolton, ’The Thing in the Box 1’, 2011The Boston Public Library recently digitized and uploaded its 78 record collection to the Internet Archives. While perusing what they had on offer, I came across this novelty song written by Charles Randolph Grean and performed here by Arthur Godfrey called ‘The Thing.’ Told in first person narration, the song details a walk along the beach where the singer encounters a “box” that has washed ashore and within the box is some unnamed object or “thing.” What the “thing” is never revealed to the listener. While initially excited by the find, the singer’s life is gradually destroyed by its possession and Godfrey’s execution seems to convey the singer’s descent into insanity. He tries to sell the “thing” and gets thrown out of the pawn store, he tries to give it to his wife and she kicks him out of the house, telling him to never come back, he dies and is rejected at heaven’s gates, told by Saint Peter to “take it down below”. I assume that whatever was in that box was some kind of Eldritch Horror, hence the picture above. PS.This reminds me of one of my favorite Looney Tunes cartoon shorts, ‘One Froggy Evening’ which marks the first appearance of one ‘Michigan J. Frog’, whose presence seems less like a gift and more like a curse. It’s pretty wonderful and you should give it a watch. -- source link
#phil bolton#american artists#sculptures#sculptors#the thing#novelty songs#arthur godfrey#chuck jones#looney tunes#michael maltese#eldritch horror