Song composed to secure a date? (8)
I believe the answer is:
serenade
'song' is the definition.
(serenade is a kind of song)
'composed to secure a date?' is the wordplay.
'composed' becomes 'serene' (I've seen this in other clues).
'to secure' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'a date?' becomes 'ad' (AD is an example).
'serene' going around 'ad' is 'SERENADE'.
(Other definitions for serenade that I've seen before include "Noted performance" , "Open-air song" , "It's played or sung at a lover's window" , "Piece of music for courtship" , "Evening music (played outside woman's house)" .)