Good Lovin' (arr. Kirby Shaw): TTBB Choral Octavo

Kirby Shaw's arrangement captures the infectious groove and accessibility that made this song a hit while engineering it specifically for men's voices to sing with joy and drive. The flexible voicing options mean you can deploy it with your available singers without sacrificing the character of the original, and audiences consistently respond to this feel-good classic with immediate recognition and energy.

Upbeat and soulful, with that 1960s warmth underneath. There's an easy confidence in the music that makes singers feel good singing it and audiences feel good hearing it, creating the kind of moment where everyone in the room is smiling.

Men's choirs and mixed ensembles looking for a crowd-pleasing number with genuine musical substance. Whether you need an opener, a set closer, or a bridge piece between formal and contemporary repertoire, this arrangement delivers.

• Lock into the rhythmic pocket early in rehearsal. This song lives in its groove, so lock the rhythm section and bass line first, then layer in the harmonic voices once the pulse is solid.
• Emphasize the soulful inflection in the melody line. The arrangement works because it honors the song's soul roots, so encourage your lead singers to phrase with conviction and let the backup voices support that character.
• Balance the texture between unison sections and voiced passages. Shaw likely uses moments of block harmony and unison strategically, so let those shift in weight naturally rather than maintaining uniform volume throughout.
• Connect the backup vocal rhythms to the groove. Rhythmic unity in the secondary voices will make the arrangement sparkle, so tap into the pocket rather than simply hitting notes.

Program this early in the show when you need to shift the emotional temperature and connect with your audience on familiar ground. It pairs well with other oldies or pop standards as a complete set, or it stands alone as a palate cleanser between longer classical works.

• Maintaining groove and pocket across multiple voice parts
• Balancing melody with supporting harmony in soul and pop styles
• Phrasing with inflection and stylistic authenticity in non-classical repertoire
• Ensemble blend when switching between unison and voiced textures