Posts Tagged ‘Songs’

In addition to some valuable learning about my songwriting and how to participate more effectively in songwriting contests, my SpinTunes experience led me to some general thoughts on how songwriting contests are — and could be — run.
SpinTown and the others most directly involved in running SpinTunes explicitly made an effort to design the contest [...]

My participation in the SpinTunes songwriting contest has come to an end. It was a valuable experience. I learned a lot and had many thoughts and insights along the way, and I met a bunch of great people, my fellow competitors in particular, a group with a lot of songwriting talent and an earnestly friendly [...]

This song was written from scratch on July 30, 2007, during the second test run, the first with all kids, of the Potluck Creative Arts Songwriting Workshop. It took 135 minutes with breaks, starting only with music as the topic. Learn more about the Songwriting Workshop which uses Appreciative Inquiry to foster collaborative creativity.
Music and [...]

This song was written from scratch on July 27, 2007, during the first test run of the Potluck Creative Arts Songwriting Workshop. It took 90 minutes, starting only with the topic of Mystic, CT, where the participants have for many years had a family cottage. Learn more about the Songwriting Workshop which uses Appreciative Inquiry [...]

This song was written as a submission for American Idol’s first songwriter contest. Howard and Mark used Appreciative Inquiry to tailor the song for the program — the first time either of them had created a song fully through the use of AI. Learn more about Potluck’s custom songwriting service which uses Appreciative Inquiry to [...]

This song was written for a compilation album of songs inspired by the work of Daniel Quinn. Mark wanted to throw things for a loop with this song about being true to who you are. The appreciative approach he took led him to create an homage to some of the great disco anthems, both lyrically [...]

Listen to .mp3 sample of After the Holidays.
Sung by Mark S. Meritt.

2007, 2002 Mark S. Meritt
Lyrics
Jingle Bells and Winter Wonderland
Take a Sleigh Ride, Let it Snow
But like Frosty’s one day
All these songs melt away
Though there’s so many winter days to go
They could light and warm the dark and cold
Not a holiday word sung
Yet somehow [...]

This song received an Honorable Mention certificate and Top 500 prize from the 11th Annual Billboard Magazine Songwriting Contest, July 16, 2003.
Listen to .mp3 sample of Someone Duplicated the Key to My Heart.
Sung by Mark S. Meritt.

2007, 2002 Mark S. Meritt
Visit Mark’s MySpace Music Account to Hear the Full Song.
Lyrics
For so long we’ve been [...]

Listen to .mp3 sample of Lost in Paradise.
Sung by Mark S. Meritt.

Lyrics
If their life were good
Most people would
Be happy with their fate
Still, down deep inside
It’s not denied
They want a life that’s great
Spite of what they have, they want it all
Lucky me, I’ve got it wall to wall
I’m lost in a wonderful paradise
I’m lost in a [...]

The music for this song was originally written for You Could’ve Been Something Special (Love Theme from Gratuitous Violence). Mark felt the music worth reusing for a piece with a greater likelihood for longevity. Other than the title being a nod, the lyrics are essentially unrelated to the original.
Listen to .mp3 sample of Gratuitous Silence.
Sung [...]