Decemberists Hold Bizarre Songwriting Contest on Twitter, Ex-Barenaked Ladies Singer Wins

“She’s got Laurel Canyon hot pants!”

Videos by American Songwriter

Ah, Twitter. Your fifteen minutes of fame are chugging along nicely. One day, you too will be culturally irrelevant. But for now, everybody wants to be on you, including Colin Meloy of The Decemberists.

The frontman for the hyper-literate prog-rockers (or not, see comments) decided to host a songwriting contest, via the popular electronic communications service. The challenge? Write a song about Linda Ronstadt, then post it on YouTube. The contest was divided into two categories — submissions from pros, and submissions from average joes. In the pro department, Steven Page, last seen quitting his band the Barenaked Ladies, tied with Rebecca Gates of Portland’s the Spinanes.

As far as the non-pros, this guy (name currently unknown) won out, singing a song that sounds just a wee bit like something a hyper-literate prog band might write.

Congratulations, songwriters! And uh, congratulations to you too, Linda Ronstadt….