Bill Bailey: SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

$27.99 USD

Bill Bailey: SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

(Won't You Come Home?)

Words and music by Hughie Cannon / arr., with additional words and music, by Sally K. Albrecht

Item: 00-A-00015587

$27.99

Digital Download

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Series: Alfred Choral Designs

Publisher: Alfred Music

SKU: 00-A-00015587

More about this title

About the Composer: Hughie Cannon

Hughie Cannon (1877-1912) composed during the height of ragtime's popularity, creating songs that captured the spirited, syncopated sound of early twentieth-century American music. Though his career was brief, Cannon left a lasting mark on popular music with compositions that blended folk melody with ragtime rhythm, making him a significant figure in the transition from nineteenth-century popular song to modern American music.

Cannon's work remains valuable in music education for its infectious energy and historical importance. His pieces offer students direct access to an authentic American musical idiom and demonstrate how composers of his era bridged traditional song forms with the rhythmic innovation that defined their time.

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Why we love this

Albrecht's arrangement brings the playful ragtime character of this classic straight into the rehearsal room without losing a note of its charm. The partner song structure creates natural opportunities for creative staging and part-singing that keeps singers engaged while teaching them the fundamentals of how different melodic lines can work together.

What to expect

Buoyant and mischievous, with the syncopated bounce that made ragtime irresistible in the early 1900s. Cannon's melody dances across predictable rhythmic patterns, and Albrecht's arrangement honors that forward-moving energy while creating rich harmonic moments that surprise and delight.

Who it's for

This arrangement works for treble, lower, or mixed choirs at the intermediate level who want to experience a genuine piece of American popular music history. It suits directors seeking a secular selection that teaches musical style, partner-song writing, and ensemble blend while remaining fun for singers to perform.

How to get the most out of it

Clarify the rhythmic feel early in rehearsal. Ragtime requires a crisp, bouncy articulation that sits somewhere between strict meter and swing; anchor this with your body or a light metronome marking so singers understand the style is precise, not loose.
Use the recorded accompaniment to lock the ensemble's blend. With the piano part already established, singers can focus on matching vowels across parts and balancing their placement within each chord.
Explore the staging possibilities the arrangement offers. Movement that mirrors the syncopated rhythm of the melody gives singers a kinesthetic connection to the style and adds visual interest to an otherwise traditional choral setup.
Dial in the humor. Ragtime thrives on a sense of playfulness and lift; encourage singers to enjoy the clever lyrical content and let that warmth come through without oversinging.

How to use it

Program this alongside other early twentieth-century American selections to build a mini-repertoire around that era, or pair it with concert themes exploring dance, humor, or secular topics. It works equally well as a shorter opener that sets a lighthearted tone for a longer program.