General rules and other hoo-hah you should read before submitting your song.

For those interested in contributing, here are a few simple guidelines for the submissions...

CD entries are encouraged for optimal sound quality. No DAT or Mini Disc, please. Audio files are welcome, and can be emailed to TheToneKing@comcast.net Supported files include mp3, wma, or wav. For optimal audio quality, please submit WAV files or MP3 files encoded with 320 kBit 44100 Hz stereo are encouraged. MP3 formats will be accepted with at least 192 kBit, 44100 Hz stereo. Please do not sacrifice sound quality to email your songs, and send the highest possible file you can.

Songs should be five minutes or less in length. This is to give a chance for greater exposure and contribution of the individual artists interested in participating.

All entries must be postmarked or received via email by September 30^th, 2008.


1. If you are mailing your songs via post, I will provide my mailing address via email...feel free to contact me.

2. Original compositions are encouraged. All submissions should contain subject matter pertinent to Christmas and/or the holiday/winter season. ALL songs pertaining to the Christmas/Holiday season are welcome. Please be encouraged to think outside of the box. Use your imaginations and have fun! Creativity is a must!

3. Novelty songs will be considered not necessarily encouraged. Most novelty songs are only good for a few listens. If you feel your track is way above and beyond the normal novelty songs heard during the Holiday season, I am more than happy to consider them. Parody songs are strictly not welcome, mainly due to legal reasons, unless the original music is public domain.

4. Cover versions are welcome as well. But, please, before you record your version of the familiar holiday standard, please consider looking for a more obscure song to cover that you don’t normally hear on a compilation this time of year. “White Christmas” and “Silent Night” and others are wonderful songs…but as I said with rule number 2: think outside the box; creativity is a must! Cover versions of traditional standards are welcome if your version offers something completely new and refreshing previous versions have not offered.

NOTE: If you would like me to recommend something off the beaten path to cover, I will be happy to peruse my personal collection and try my best to suggest something that fits your style! Just let me know!

5. Please consider the submission being intended for a family audience. It doesn’t have to be children’s music, but submit something that could get airplay on the radio. The purpose of this contest is to have FUN and to keep it CLEAN. Songs that use profane language will be rejected from consideration.

6. Contestants may enter as many songs as desired.

7. Submissions by anybody interested and willing to support Wayside Waifs of Kansas City is welcome. Local artists are encouraged to participate, but this is open to all interested contributors.

8. Eligible songs for the final CD will determined by me, as will final track selection and track order. Songs are selected equally on originality, lyrics, melody and composition. Each chosen submission for the CD will receive a track on the Wayside Waifs 2008 Holiday Charity CD (name of the compilation will be chosen at a later date and more than likely based on the title of one of the songs.) Entrants and their collaborators will retain full rights to all work submitted for the compilation.

9. Final track selection will be determined by October 31^st, 2008. The final track selection will be posted at this blog after that date but before the CD release.

10. No entrants or any participants in this project or friends or family members, or anybody involved will receive free copies of the CD. The holiday CD is for charitable purposes only, not for the profit of any party involved. All profits will go directly Wayside Waifs of Kansas City.

11. Submissions will not be returned to entrant. If you require your submission to be returned, a fully paid SASE must be included with entry.


12. The contributing artist/musician will not be receiving compensation for the song and that by submitting they are consenting to distribution of said song for charitable purposes that benefit the Wayside Waifs. By submitting the song to this project, you have agreed to these terms.

I hope this answers any questions you have. If you have any questions, please sound off in the comments section or email me.

I also wanted to add that ANY type of music is welcome. If it's good, I want to consider it for inclusion on the CD. And just because this is a CD fund raiser for an animal shelter, the songs don't all have to be about animals. The topic of the songs can be anything Holiday related...again, this is about being creative, thinking outside of the box. The purpose is to have fun and to raise money for a good cause.

Though I hope somebody does a cover version of this song....

Adam Faith-Lonely Pup in a Christmas Shop

(If you do choose to do a cover version of this song, please let us know in the comments section so I am not swamped with multiple versions of the same song!)

I also want to say if you are interested in contributing but you do not have an original composition to share, and would like a suggestion on a song to cover, please contact me. I may have some suggestions of some pretty obscure songs that might fit your style.