Blame It on the Boogie (arr. Roel Griffioen): SMATB Choral Octavo

Griffioen's arrangement captures the infectious pocket of the original while making it genuinely singable for mixed choirs. The funk grooves sit naturally in a cappella voicing, and your singers will feel the swagger of 1970s pop without fighting against the arrangement.

Propulsive and playful, with the kind of rhythmic momentum that makes audiences want to move. The arrangement balances pop sensibility with genuine choral writing, never condescending to the genre or oversimplifying the harmony.

Mixed choirs seeking contemporary pop repertoire that sounds current and energetic without requiring accompaniment. This works equally well for high school ensembles building confidence in groove-based singing and college groups expanding beyond art song.

• Lock the backbeat into your rhythm section (altos and tenors) before adding soloists. The groove lives in their consistency, not the melody line.
• Emphasize the syllabic, staccato articulation on 'blame it on the boogie' to let the pocket breathe rather than fill it with legit singing.
• Record the parts separately and have singers listen daily in the week before performance. The contemporary groove requires familiarity that standard rehearsal alone won't build.
• Treat the arrangement's syncopations as written. Straightening the rhythm undermines what makes this chart work in an a cappella setting.

Pair this with other Motown or 1970s funk standards to create a concert set that celebrates the era's vocal sophistication. It also works as a clever opener that signals to the audience they're in for something beyond traditional choral fare.

• Singing syncopated rhythms in contemporary pop idiom
• Maintaining a steady groove as a section rather than as individuals
• Balancing rhythmic precision with relaxed, conversational phrasing
• A cappella blend in funk voicings with less traditional bass lines
• Stylistic awareness of 1970s soul and funk production in vocal performance