I've Got The World On A String: Choral Instrumental Pak
By Ted Koehler / By Harold Arlen / Arranged by Paul Langford
Item: 35-PK00196940
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Description
Recorded by artists such as Michael Buble, Cab Calloway, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, Paul Langford gives this choral arrangement a blues/shuffle feel. It's light and breezy with great vocal jazz moments and some fun rhythms to sing that makes for an outstanding jazz, show, or concert selection. Duration: ca. 2:35.
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00196940
More about this title
About the Composer: Ted Koehler
Ted Koehler spent decades as a lyricist for some of American popular music's most enduring standards. Working primarily in the 1930s and 1940s, he crafted lyrics that balanced sophistication with accessibility, creating words that singers wanted to return to year after year.
Koehler's partnership with composer Harold Arlen produced some of the Great American Songbook's most iconic melodies. His gift lay in matching conversational language to memorable hooks, making his lyrics feel both effortless and precisely crafted. For music educators, his work represents a masterclass in how lyrics and melody can elevate each other.
Why we love this
Paul Langford's interpretation strips away the schmaltz that can weigh down vintage standards and lets the groove do the talking. A blues shuffle undercuts what could feel dated, and the vocal jazz moments give singers genuinely fun material to sink their teeth into without requiring the technical fireworks of more demanding jazz repertoire.
What to expect
Relaxed confidence. The blues/shuffle backbone gives the piece a knowing wink, like a seasoned performer who has sung this tune a hundred times and still finds something to enjoy in it. Breezy melody lines float over solid rhythm, and the orchestration never gets in the way of the singers finding their moment.
Who it's for
Jazz and show choirs looking for something that swings without demanding advanced solfège or complex harmonic reading. Smaller ensembles and combos will find this arranement sits naturally in the voice, and the short duration makes it ideal for directors building a mixed program that needs a confident ballast between heavier pieces.
How to get the most out of it
- Find the swagger in the shuffle feel by having singers tap the backbeat before full rehearsals; it anchors the pocket immediately.
- Balance the melody line against the rhythm section so the groove stays conversational rather than pushing into driving funk.
- Shape the vocal jazz moments with natural phrasing and breath placement that mirrors how a seasoned vocalist would interpret the tune.
- Let the ending breathe; resist the urge to rush the final phrases even as the energy builds.
How to use it
Pair this with other classic American songbook material to create a nostalgia set without veering into strictly traditional arrangements. Its lighter touch and contemporary groove make it an excellent transition piece between concert and jazz segments, or use it to close a show with a satisfied smile rather than a grand gesture.
Skills your students will build
- Maintaining a steady shuffle groove while singing melody
- Responding to jazz phrasing and rubato within a chord progression
- Balancing vowel consistency with interpretive flexibility
- Reading and executing syncopated rhythmic figures
- Communicating ensemble cohesion in a small combo voicing