EDINBURGH FOLK CLUB
Annual Song Writing Competition


1 The 2016 Annual Song Writing Competition (#40) will take place in the Pleasance Cabaret Bar on Wednesday 1 June 2016 at 8pm

2 All entries must be submitted by email (see below) no later than midnight on Monday 23 May 2016.
Late entries will not be accepted.
The song lyrics should be submitted preferably as a pdf file although word processor documents capable of being opened on a PC will be accepted.
The file must be submitted as an attachment to an email message.
Insert the writer's name, full postal address and contact telephone number in the body of the email.
It is helpful but not essential if the melody is also included.
Do not send cassettes, CDs, MP3s, or other recorded media; the judges have no facilities at hand on the night to listen to such.

3 The words of the song must be original.
The tune, subject to the usual copyright restrictions, may be that of another song.
Songs must have been written within the eighteen months immediately prior to the date of the competition, and not previously placed first, second or third in any other competition.

4 A maximum of two songs may be submitted to the competition.

5 A competition entrant should either be present to perform the song or make their own arrangements for another singer to do so.
The judges' decision will be, as far as is possible, independent of the quality of the performance.

6 If so many entries are received that it is evident they cannot all be performed in the time available on the evening of the competition, the Edinburgh Folk Club committee reserves the right to ask competitors to withdraw one of their two songs prior to the competition.

7 The winner of the competition holds the competition cup for a year.

8 The competition winner will receive a cash prize of £100.
The second and third placed writers will receive £50 and £30 respectively.

9 There will also be a voting paper for the audience, and the writer of the song selected by the audience will receive an engraved tassie.

10 The judges reserve the right to make no award(s).

11 Entrants or their representatives must be at the venue and make themselves known to the MC no later than 7:45pm.

12 To help cover costs, there will be an entry charge for all persons on the evening although competition entrants will be admitted at a reduced rate of £5.
 



All competition entries should be emailed to this address.


EDINBURGH FOLK CLUB
40th SONGWRITING COMPETITION
Wednesday 1 June 2016

Results

The jury voted
 
1. Tom Clelland - 'Wooed Away'
2. Dave Wharton - 'Ain't No Easy Road'
3. George Machray - 'Swinging in Dunbar'
 
The audience voted
 
1. George Machray - 'Swinging in Dunbar'
 
In the audience vote, Emma Martin (The Laddie Comes Home'), Carole Prior (A Birl Aboot the Land of Oats) and Roy Henderson (The Coca-Cola Man) all tied for second place, while Tom Clelland ('Wooed Away') was placed third.
 

Wooed away (Tom Clelland)

(we hope to get the melody up here soon as well)


She’s bright as a morning in May,

As warm as a midsummer’s day.

She’s sweet as the song on the beech groves at dawn

And ah but she’s wooed away.
 


Ah but she's wooed away

And wasnae she wooed away?

By pleasures and wealth,

Temptation itself,

Her promises - blossoms and blooms that decay.

And ah but she’s wooed away

Ah but she’s wooed away.

 

And all my intentions were good

But I’ve wasted more time than I should.

Resolve disappears - it fades with the years

And I’m left only thoughts that I could.

Ah but I'm wooed away

And wasnae I wooed away?

By pleasures and wealth,

Temptation itself,

My promise was blossoms and blooms that decay.

And ah but I’m wooed away

Ah but I’m wooed away.

 

And are all politicians but rogues

Who herry and trap like a snare?

Wi their visions of power and their looking-glass towers,

They just talk like they really do care.
 

Ah but they're wooed away

And arenae they wooed away?

By pleasures and wealth,

Temptation itself,

Their promises blossoms that bloom and decay.

And ah but they’re wooed away

Ah but they’re wooed away.

 

From the drive and ambition of youth

And the fire that ran deep in our veins,

Like stars burning bright we could light up the night

And we never did think we might change.

Ah but we're wooed away

And werenae we wooed away?

By pleasures and wealth,

Temptation itself,

Our promises- blossoms that bloom and decay.

And ah but we’re wooed away

Ah but we’re wooed away.