Vote for the Mar/Apr 2014 "Theme/Genre" festival

[64Guitars]

It's time to vote for our next two festivals which will run from March 1 to April 30. Voting starts now and runs for 7 days. You can change your vote any time until the closing of the poll on Feb 28/Mar 1 (depending on your time zone). To do so, click "Remove vote" to cancel your previous vote, then vote again.

This poll is for the "Theme/Genre" festival. There is a separate poll for the "Artists/Covers" festival here:

https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?topic=20540.0

Please vote in both polls.

As always, we encourage you to write an original song for the Theme/Genre festival, but covers are welcome too.

[64Guitars]

• 80s synth pop - Mainly original songs done in an 80s synth pop style. Because not all of our members are songwriters, covers will be allowed as well. But the festival should be mainly originals and we encourage everyone to give it a try. If you're not a songwriter, maybe you could collaborate with another member who is.
  
  
• WinterOlympicsFest - See https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?topic=26.msg189919#msg189919
  
  
• Bawdy Songs - See the Wikipedia entry here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bawdy#Bawdy_song
  
  
• no chords - songs made up from single notes on any instrument, chords can be created this way but the notes played and recorded separately.
  
  
• Hand Off/ProducerFest - See https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?topic=15502.msg210389#msg210389
  
  
• Girl/BoyNamesFest - song titles containing girl/boy names ("Alison", "Peggy Sue", "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", "Making Plans for Nigel", etc.). Here is a longer list of examples.
  
  
• Sung to the Tune of - write completely new lyrics to a public-domain tune.
  
  
• TV/Movie Fest - write a song about a TV show or a movie.

The idea for TV/Movie Fest came to me while listening to "Cool For Cats" by Squeeze and noticing that the following lyrics seem to be describing an episode of "The Sweeney".

The Sweeney's doing ninety
'Cause they've got the word to go
They get a gang of villains
In a shed up at Heathrow

They're countin' out the fivers
When the handcuffs lock again
In and out of Wandsworth
With the numbers on their names
It's funny how their missus'
Always looks the bleedin' same

And meanwhile at the station
There's a couple of likely lads
Who swear like "how's your father"
And they're very cool for cats
They're cool for cats

So I thought it would be interesting to watch an episode of your favourite TV show and take notes so you can later develop some interesting lyrics based on that TV episode. Or you could use a movie or mini-series as the inspiration for your lyrics if you prefer. A song about "Game of Thrones" anyone?

It doesn't have to be a recent show. There are lots of complete episodes of old shows on YouTube (Seinfeld, Friends, etc.). It might be fun to post the YouTube video with your song so we can watch the episode to see where your inspiration came from.

[Hook]

I love the TV/movie inspired song !!! but where is the No Strings? Wasn't that the runner up last month? To come so close & not even get a 2nd go around...how sad 

[64Guitars]

I love the TV/movie inspired song !!! but where is the No Strings? Wasn't that the runner up last month? To come so close & not even get a 2nd go around...how sad 

Actually, "No Strings" ranked 5th in the poll results. The runner up was "Odd time signatures".

Drinking songs	8 (30.8%)
Odd time signatures	7 (26.9%)
JingleFest (advertising jingles)	4 (15.4%)
Surf music	4 (15.4%)
No Strings	3 (11.5%)
Songs about getting old	0 (0%)
Songs about famous people	0 (0%)
ResponseFest	0 (0%)

The only times we've given the runner up any extra significance is when we've had a tie-breaker poll. Then the winner of that poll becomes the current festival and the runner up becomes the next festival. But when there's no tie, we just select eight new choices for the next festival, which may or may not include choices from a previous poll.

"No Strings" is still in the list of suggestions, so I'm sure it will come up again as a poll choice in the future. It's a great idea for a festival, but there are lots of other great ideas too.

[64Guitars]

80s synth pop is currently in the lead. That's fine but I think I should point out that the Theme/Genre festival is meant to be mostly original songs. Because not everyone here is a songwriter, we do allow covers in the Theme/Genre fests too. But if 80s synth pop wins, I hope it won't be mostly covers of 80s synth pop bands. A few covers is okay but it should be mostly originals done in an 80s synth pop style. Otherwise, it should be in the Artists/Covers category instead of Theme/Genre.

I don't want to dissuade anyone from voting for 80s synth pop. I just want to make sure you're voting for the right reason and know what's expected for festival submissions.

[steelguitar]

80s synth pop is currently in the lead. That's fine but I think I should point out that the Theme/Genre festival is meant to be mostly original songs. Because not everyone here is a songwriter, we do allow covers in the Theme/Genre fests too. But if 80s synth pop wins, I hope it won't be mostly covers of 80s synth pop bands. A few covers is okay but it should be mostly originals done in an 80s synth pop style. Otherwise, it should be in the Artists/Covers category instead of Theme/Genre.

I don't want to dissuade anyone from voting for 80s synth pop. I just want to make sure you're voting for the right reason and know what's expected for festival submissions.

OK. Thanks for the point out.

I'd rather like writing a song about a movie I love than writing a 80s synth pop song...

Jean-Sébastien

[Hook]

Oh yea that's right, Odd Time Signatures... I like that one too! Clearly I only remember the way I think things were & not the way they actually were...damn I guess my wife has been right for all these years. Nobody tell her!!!!

[Gnasty]

Just a thought. but wouldn`t voting be a bit better the real way? Secret ballots. Not being able to see what everyone else voted and be surprised? You can still change your vote but you have no clue.

This is how George W and other 3rd world country leaders got into power.  Just a suggestion.

[Burtog]

Just a thought. but wouldn`t voting be a bit better the real way? Secret ballots. Not being able to see what everyone else voted and be surprised? You can still change your vote but you have no clue.

This is how George W and other 3rd world country leaders got into power.  Just a suggestion.

its a good idea Eric, I often change my vote if I think my original vote doesn't stand a chance. I also think if we have a lot of suggestions out there lets get them in the mix! it always ends up being a 2 horse race.
It would be more exciting to wait for the final result!

[Geir]

no votes for the WinterOlympicsFest