Larry Rushton & Arthur John Williams win song competition for Dreamboats and Petticoats

McCartney Reject Waits 30 Years for Song Writing Recognition

Photo: Larry Rushton

A song entered for a talent contest run by Sir Paul McCartney over 30 years ago has finally won first place in a competition for the hit musical Dreamboats and Petticoats.

Semi-retired musicians Larry Rushton, 60, and Arthur John Williams, 71, have won first place in the national song search judged by Neil Sedaka, Don Black and Graham Gouldman.

As part of the prize, the song, titled "It's Cryin' Time Again" will debut on stage in the West End production at the London Playhouse Theatre on Monday 4th July, 2011 and across the UK where the rock & roll musical is on its third successive sell-out tour.

Universal Music will be paying publishing royalties on the song and include it on the next volume of the multi-million selling 'Dreamboats and Petticoats' compilation album, due out in October.

The sudden recognition of a long-forgotten song has taken its writers by surprise.

"I didn't even know the old song had been entered," said Cannock-based guitarist Larry Rushton, "My step daughter Gemma saw the show last year and loved it, then saw Don Black on the telly announcing they were looking for a new song to use for the show and wanted to do a national talent search, which is part of the story of the musical."

"We originally wrote the song for a competition run by Paul McCartney in 1981. He'd just bought the Buddy Holly back catalogue and wanted a song to mark the occasion."

"We had to try and write a track that sounded as if Buddy Holly had written it", said Rushton, "So we took all the chords from classic Holly songs - Peggy Sue, That'll Be The Day and so on - and put our own words to it. It sounded great, and we were sure we would win it. It could've been our big break."

But the song came second to Jeff Stevens and the song was forgotten for the next 30 years.

Now though, the song writing pair look set for fame and recognition in their autumn years. "It's ironic really, that back then we would've done anything for fame and fortune," said Rushton, "Now me and Arthur are chuckling at the prospect of champagne and groupies, although we've not seen any yet. I don't know if there are any groupies in Cannock…"

Listen to It's Crying Time Again from Dreamboats and Petticoats The Musical:

Don Black, one of the judges alongside Graham Gouldman of 10cc and Neil Sedaka said, "I just loved this song. It sits among the great classics that are featured in the show."

Neil Sedaka said, "It's Cryin' Time Again is a very simple, catchy, sing-able song and should work very well in the show. I'm happy for the writers. Keep writing!"

Graham Gouldman said, "I chose this song because it is good in its own right and I can see it working in the musical."

Dreamboats and Petticoats is touring the UK now and the West End production continues at the London Playhouse Theatre.

"It's Cryin Time Again" can be seen and heard in the Dreamboats and Petticoats musical in the West End production at the Playhouse Theatre, London and across the UK from Monday 4th July.

For more information, go to:

Dreamboats and Petticoats Official Website