Family Of 'Go Cubs Go' Writer Sold Rights Off Before World Series Win

By Emma G. Gallegos in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 15, 2016 5:50PM

Steve Goodman in his Cubs gear

When the Cubs broke the curse and clinched the World Series this year, "Go Cubs Go" charted for the first time. There was a certain kind of irony in this, the borderline superstitious kind that is extremely prevalent in baseball. Just months before, the family of songwriter Steve Goodman had sold off the publishing rights to his song catalogue.

“I called it,” his daughter Rosanna Goodman told the Chicago Sun-Times. "We sold it, and I said, 'This is the year the Cubs are going to win the World Series.'"

Sure enough the title was clinched and the song charted at #21, according to Nielsen. The family will still see songwriter's share of royalties but not the big bucks that would have come with the publishing rights.

Folk singer and Cubs super-fan Steve Goodman died 32 years too early to see the Cubs win and even too early to ever hear the song being sung by the crowds at Wrigley Field. But because his family, like him, are the best kinds of baseball fans, just hearing the song everywhere seems to be enough.

The family has been moved hearing his song in cities distant from Chicago during the playoffs. Even before the Cubs' big win, the family told Sports Illustrated how the song, and even baseball, keeps them connected to Goodman's spirit. Goodman's ashes were spread in left field not long after his death from leukemia in 1984.

Rosanna told the Sun-Times, "At this point it’s solidified as this team’s anthem. For me, that’s the ultimate. I think my dad would have been incredibly honored that that’s the song that rings out at the ballpark for his favorite team whenever they win."