A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody (from Ziegfeld Follies): E-Z Play Today

The E-Z Play arrangement strips away arrangement complexity without sacrificing the song's elegance. Students get a genuine standard in just two pages, making it practical for recitals, jazz combos, or casual performance settings without requiring months of preparation.

Bright and sophisticated, with the kind of melodic simplicity that belies genuine compositional craft. The song carries an inherent warmth that recalls a gentler era of theater while remaining instantly accessible to modern ears.

Piano students moving beyond simplified method book materials and ready for real repertoire. Jazz pianists wanting to expand their standards vocabulary. Music teachers looking for a short, stylish piece for student recitals or community performances.

• Balance the melody against the accompaniment so the tune stays conversational rather than belted; this is a song meant to charm, not announce itself.
• Lean into the swing feel if you're playing it in a jazz context, but don't overstate rubato in the melody line; Berlin's orchestrations valued clarity of the tune.
• Keep the harmonic movement moving forward through chord changes rather than dwelling on each sonority; the song's elegance comes from its propulsive harmonic rhythm.

Pair this with other Berlin standards for a themed showcase or use it as a palate cleanser between heavier classical works. It's also ideal for student recitals where performers need something polished that doesn't demand advanced technical facility.

• Jazz chord voicings and substitutions in the accompaniment
• Balancing melody and harmony in performance
• Interpreting swing rhythms and articulation
• Phrasing and rubato within a standard song form