The best part of waking up.
For a lucky songwriter locked in a home-studio somewhere in America, the best part of waking up will be when their cup runneth over with $25,000. At least that’s what caffeine-friendly singer-songwriters are keeping in mind as they enter the 2011 Folgers Jingle contest.
As with last year, the coffee giant is inviting tunesmiths to riff out a new version of their iconic jingle, originally written by Leslie Pearl in 1984. The ditty has since been performed in country, gospel, jazz, R&B, folk, Celtic and a cappella versions, according to Folger’s micro-site for the contest, BestPartofWakinUp.com.
The winning java jingle not only brings the aforementioned $25,000 but a “chance to appear in a Folgers Coffee commercial, plus a special mentoring session with award-winning songwriter Kara DioGuardi!” Yeah, I don’t know who Kara DioGuardi is either –she apparently is a “Grammy-nominated hit maker and 2007 BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year” as well as a former reality show judge.
Entries have to include the “The Best Part of Wakin’ Up is Folgers in Your Cup” melody and lyric (Folgers provides an online “Tool Kit”) and must be entered no later than March 1st, 2011.
“Serious” songwriters shouldn’t sneer at the opportunity to pen a paean to one of our last legal stimulants – “Wall of Sound” producer Phil Spector was once in the jingle biz (before he was in the “murder in the second degree” biz). Who knows, you could write an ode to a killer cup of joe. Barista or baritone? You're good to the last flop.