Songfacts®:

• This was the theme song from the 2000 independent movie of the same name starring Beau Bridges, Bonnie Bedelia and Delta Burke. Olivia Newton-John plays a bit part as a lesbian ex-con bar singer and performs the title song as well as some traditional hymns throughout the film.
• The movie was one of the first to be shot totally on digital video, then transferred to film for theatrical release.
• Olivia Newton-John's songs in the film were all performed and videotaped live rather than the traditional method of recording beforehand in a studio. >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  James - Minneapolis, MN, for all above
• "Sordid Lives" was written by Beverly Nero and Margo Rose. Nero told Songfacts: "Del Shores (who wrote the screenplay), Margo Rose and I have been friends and colleagues for about 25 years. We'd originally been invited to write the song for the stage play by the same name, which ran to sold out houses in Hollywood for years before it was made into a film. Needless to say, Margo and I were thrilled the title song stayed with the piece, and ecstatic that it was arranged, recorded and performed in the film by Olivia Newton-John.
  
  Margo Rose originated the role on stage that Olivia played in the film (Bitsy Mae Harling). I was called on to step in and play the role several times, when Margo was otherwise engaged.
  
  Del Shores generously made it a point to give everyone in the cast (including all the alternate cast members) at least a cameo role in the film. Margo appears briefly as a nurse, and I appear briefly as 'The Director.' Writing the song was an interesting challenge because 'Bitsy,' the character who upon her entrance announces she's written a new song - isn't necessarily a great song writer - so we endeavored to write a song that was campy, yet expressed the heart of the play (and needless to say, our own hearts as well)."