It Had Better Be Tonight: SAB Choral Octavo

Alan Billingsley's arrangement captures the infectious rhythm and swagger of the Bublé recording without demanding vocal gymnastics. The SAB voicing keeps parts singable across mixed ensembles while preserving the Latin groove that makes this tune irresistible. Your singers will want to perform this one repeatedly because it feels genuinely cool.

Sophisticated without being pretentious. The Latin percussion and syncopated figures give it immediate energy, while Mancini's melodic gift keeps everything singable and emotionally transparent. There's a wink-and-a-smile quality throughout; the song knows it's charming and doesn't apologize for it.

Choirs at the middle school, high school, or community level who want a contemporary-sounding piece with widespread appeal. Singers need solid rhythmic confidence and comfort with jazz-influenced phrasing, but no extreme range demands or technical vocal fireworks. This works equally well for mixed-voice groups seeking upbeat, concert-worthy repertoire.

• Lock the Latin percussion groove into your rhythm section from rehearsal one. The clave pattern and montuno figuration drive the entire piece, so even when voices rest or sustain, the rhythmic pocket must stay tight.
• Shape the melody with conversational phrasing rather than lyrical legit singing. Bublé's interpretation is charming and slightly tongue-in-cheek; your choir should sound confident and playful, not operatic.
• Balance the baritone part carefully during the verse sections. That line often carries important harmonic movement and melodic counter-motion, so it needs to cut through without overpowering the sopranos on the main theme.
• Use the recorded accompaniment strategically during early rehearsals to lock the groove, but wean off it well before performance so your singers own the rhythm on their own.

Program this as an opener or closer on a concert built around jazz and pop standards. It pairs beautifully alongside other Mancini pieces or contemporary pop arrangements, and its moderate length (16 pages) makes it efficient for concert placement. The infectious groove also makes it ideal for spring concerts or end-of-year celebrations where audience energy matters.

• Singing against a steady clave and montuno rhythm
• Jazz articulation and rhythmic precision in syncopated passages
• Phrasing in a jazz-influenced, conversational style rather than classical legit
• Reading SAB voicing and understanding voice independence in a groove-based arrangement
• Balancing blend while maintaining rhythmic definition