Come Rain or Come Shine: SAB Choral Octavo

Arlen and Mercer's songwriting partnership produced some of the most enduring melodies in the American canon, and Jay Althouse's arrangement respects that legacy while giving it contemporary life. The rich harmonic language and flexible voicing make this accessible for developing choirs without sacrificing the sophistication that makes the original irresistible. Programming it alongside other Great American Songbook standards creates a coherent set that audiences genuinely want to hear.

Sultry and sophisticated, with the warm resignation of someone who's made peace with love's complications. The arrangement wraps Mercer's conversational lyrics in lush harmonies that shimmer between melancholy and hope.

This arrangement serves concert choirs wanting to expand into jazz and popular idioms without requiring tenor voices or a full SATB section. It's equally at home in show choirs, jazz ensembles, and programs where you need a showstopper with genuine musical substance.

• Shape the phrases with the natural lyricism of Mercer's text; avoid clipping the ends of sustained vowels, which will flatten the languid character.
• Let the piano accompaniment breathe with rubato in the first verse, then lock into a steady groove for the refrain to create dynamic forward momentum.
• Balance the full ensemble finish against transparency in the verse; using a solo or small group section will make the climactic tutti hit harder.
• Pay special attention to vowel consistency across the three parts, especially in the SAB voicing where blend determines whether chords open or close.

Use this as the elegant closer on a pops concert, where its confident finish leaves the audience satisfied. It pairs beautifully with other Mercer/Arlen standards or with mid-century jazz vocal fare, allowing you to build a themed set without relying on repetitive vocal jazz clichés.

• Phrasing across longer melodic lines with jazz inflection
• Blend and intonation in lush jazz harmony
• Stylistic flexibility in navigating between straight rhythmic sections and swing feel
• Reading and interpreting musical expression markings specific to vocal jazz