David Richwhite Lyric Award
Play It Strange was honoured to have top music writer for the Sunday Star Times Grant Smithies judge this year’s David Richwhite Lyric Award.
His judging resulted in one winner and three highly commended awards as follows:
2011 Winners
First Place - Congratulations
Highly Commended
Georgia Campbell – ‘Dirty Water’; Epsom Girls’ Grammar
“An eloquent expression of the complexities of romantic relationships, with a central metaphor that evolved nicely as the song progressed. Loved the line: “It’s time to sink or swim, and honey, I ain’t sinking.”
Giles Graham – ‘Everything was Life (The Needle Or The Knife); Maniototo Area School
“This song was full of extremely powerful visual imagery, and approached a difficult subject head on. The thing positively vibrated with anger and sadness, and felt like a very honest and direct outpouring of grief.”
Daniel Vernon and Michael Watton – ‘Harpoon In My Heart’; Paeroa College
“A very funny lyric from beginning to end; a very good idea, well executed. The concept of writing a love song to someone admired from afar (and admitting that they might actually be a terrible person in various ways) was very original, and the bridge descending into whale song was hilarious.”
