Judge’s Critique

Contest:

Spring 2004

Title:

Author(s):

Patti & Beau Burt

Result:

Judge’s Score Sheet

Category

Score

Notes

Emotional Impact

1   2   3   4   5

Hook

1   2   3   4   5

Originality

1   2   3   4   5

Appeal

1   2   3   4   5

Focus

1   2   3   4   5

Phrasing/Cadence

1   2   3   4   5

Form

1   2   3   4   5

TOTAL SCORE

24

Judges Comments

Texas Needs Rain immediately grabbed me by the ears and yanked me back to when I was 6 or 8 years old rehearsing what I was gonna tell my mamma why I had to have something we couldn’t afford. I received a similar answer – only I didn’t feel like singing at the time. The chorus is very powerful and as the second chorus was being read by one of the three judges, the other two judges kicked in singing along, having already memorized it. I could almost hear this poor boy’s percussion of the song made by banging on pots and pans and anything you could grab in a kitchen. That’s what makes a great song. It’s memorable, visual and grabs you in a personal way and is entertaining as well.  The verses move you in a smooth progression each time setting up the chorus to kick in with the answer too readily given by an adult and no child wants to hear. While the verses were a little bit wordy and the cadence awkward compared to the chorus, both areas could be fixed easily enough when setting to music. Great job, Patti and Beau Burt!