Can't Fight This Feeling (from Glee) (adapt. Alan Billingsley): SATB Choral Octavo
As performed by REO Speedwagon / As performed by Glee Cast / Arranged by Tim Davis / Arranged by Adam Anders / Edited by Alan Billingsley
Item: 35-DS00145270
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Description
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REO Speedwagon emerged from Champaign, Illinois in the 1970s with a signature sound that blended rock energy with genuine emotional vulnerability. Their 1980 album Hi Infidelity became a cultural phenomenon, anchored by "Can't Fight This Feeling," a power ballad that proved a rock band could write a song of unguarded sincerity without sacrificing instrumental punch.
For choral musicians, REO Speedwagon's catalog represents something important: the proof that popular music and genuine artistry coexist. Their songs reward careful arrangement because they're built on solid musical foundations, not just production polish. When you're teaching students to sing contemporary music with integrity, this band's work shows that accessibility and artistic depth aren't opposing forces.
Why we love this
An 11-page SATB arrangement of a song your students already know creates immediate engagement without sacrificing musical substance. The Glee version expanded this ballad's reach across generations, and this edition captures that fresh energy while respecting the original's emotional architecture. It's the kind of repertoire that makes students want to come to rehearsal.
What to expect
Earnest and unshakeable. The song doesn't perform vulnerability; it lives in it, building from quiet confession to a moment of genuine conviction. There's a rock sensibility running through the harmonic language that keeps sentimentality from sliding into schmaltz.
Who it's for
Choirs seeking contemporary repertoire that bridges popular culture and concert programming. This works for high school and college ensembles, as well as community choirs that want to include recognizable material without sounding like a karaoke collection.
How to get the most out of it
Balance the dynamic arc carefully; this song lives in the space between restraint and release, and rushing toward the climax will flatten the emotional journey.
Treat the alto and tenor lines with the same weight you'd give the melody. Davis and Anders designed the harmonies to move independently, and burying inner voices makes the arrangement sound thin.
Nail the rhythm section lock if you're using the accompaniment recording. Even slight hesitations in the bass and drums will expose imprecision in your vocal parts.
Use your rehearsal time to isolate the key modulation moments. Songs like this often shift tonally, and your sections need to know exactly where they're going.
How to use it
Pair this with other contemporary arrangements to build a modern music set, or use it as an emotional anchor in a concert that spans multiple genres. It also serves as a bridge for choirs introducing rock and pop repertoire to audiences who might otherwise tune out contemporary music.
Skills your students will build
Singing sustained legit tones over rock accompaniments
Maintaining phrase direction in ballad tempos
Navigating key changes smoothly
Balancing harmonic independence with unified expression
Rhythmic precision with recorded backing tracks
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