Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend (arr. Mark Hayes): SSA Choral Octavo

Mark Hayes' SSA arrangement captures the wit and sass that made Monroe's version legendary while remaining accessible for developing singers. The fifteen pages give you room to work with humor, phrasing, and ensemble blend without overshooting your singers' capabilities. This is the kind of arrangement that reminds audiences why this song endures.

Playful, sophisticated, and slightly sly. This arrangement has lift and rhythmic snap without ever feeling lightweight. The harmony sits warmly in an SSA voicing, giving you that full choral sound that makes singers feel confident and audiences feel entertained.

Choirs with solid second-year fundamentals and genuine interest in popular standards. You need singers who can handle a straightforward vocal line while maintaining ensemble awareness and musical character through a full fifteen pages.

• Treat the comedy as seriously as the singing. The tune works because every phrase lands with intention, not because singers are winking at the audience.
• Invest time in vowel matching across the three parts, especially during unison passages. The sparkle comes from blend.
• Anchor your section leaders on the second soprano line. This arrangement likely sits there, and a confident lead makes everything else easier.
• Use the piano part to teach phrasing. Hayes writes accompaniment that shapes the line; singers who follow it naturally find the right breath points and emphasis.

This works beautifully in a concert celebrating American songwriting or as a seasonal pops program centerpiece. It's also ideal when you want to program something that shows your singers' ability to handle jazz-influenced harmony and comedic character without veering into novelty territory.

• Jazz articulation and rhythmic interpretation of swing feel
• Ensemble blend within a three-part voicing
• Character development through vocal inflection and phrasing
• Reading and responding to accompaniment cues for musical leadership