Can't Fight This Feeling (from Glee) (adapt. Alan Billingsley): SAB Choral Octavo

This arrangement captures what made the original resonate so widely while making it achievable for three-part choirs. The emotional arc remains intact, and students get to sink their teeth into a piece that feels genuinely contemporary and meaningful rather than didactic. Audiences consistently respond to this song with recognition and emotion, which makes for powerful concert moments.

This arrangement unfolds like a promise kept: the opening is tender and personal, allowing listeners to settle into the song's sincerity. When the chorus arrives, it swells with the kind of unguarded conviction that made the original so memorable, and that momentum carries through to a finish that feels earned rather than manufactured.

Choirs seeking repertoire that engages students emotionally and connects with modern audiences. This works equally well for high school concert choirs and adult community ensembles, since the original song's cultural footprint makes it rewarding for singers of all ages.

• Build the dynamic shape deliberately across the piece; the chorus demands intensity that only lands effectively when contrast exists in the verses.
• Pay attention to blend in the SAB voicing during the held notes and key harmonic moments; intonation directly affects whether those chords sing or strain.
• Balance the baritone line (often carrying either a counter-melody or an important bass note) so the foundation feels secure without overpowering the upper voices.

Consider positioning this as a concert centerpiece or finale that sends audiences home humming. The familiarity and emotional directness make it ideal for spring concerts, end-of-year celebrations, or any program where you want to close with something that feels both contemporary and timeless.

• Sustaining long phrase lines without loss of tone or pitch
• Balancing melody against supporting harmonic parts in three-part texture
• Shaping dynamic and emotional arcs across a larger formal structure
• Reading and executing rhythmic precision in pop/rock idiom