from Songwriter's Review, October 1961
Capitol Records, known for its most stringent "anti-new writer, new song" rejection slip, is appealing to lyricists in repeating an 11-year-old contest stunt. Idea is for lyricists to buy an album of melodies and write lyrics to the melodies. Eleven years ago the same stunt gave Capitol a sales figure 20 times all other albums, according to Vice-President Alan Livingston, who conceived the album sales idea.
The 10 winning songs will be published with $500 advance royalties to all lyricists. Three bonus winners will be recorded by Capitol artists.
Livingston points with pride to the fact that the 1950 promotion came up with a song titled "When April Comes Again," recorded by Capitol, which he claims was a "strong seller."
The new "contest" has music by Gene de Paul, Jay Livingston (brother of the vp), Ray Evans, Jimmy McHugh, Johnny Mercer, Jimmy Van Heusen, and Harry Warren in the pop field; Cindy Walker, Audrey & Joe Allison, c & w; and Barry DeVorzon, Winfield Scott, rock 'n' roll.
Capitol is stirring up a lot of excitement and telling the trade "this unique contest will have amateur songwriters -- and they number in the hundreds of thousands -- clamoring for the album they'll have to hear to enter the contest."
Next month: more rejection slips?