It Had to Be You: String Bass
It Had to Be You: String Bass Sheet Music Preview

It Had to Be You: String Bass

Words by Gus Kahn, music by Isham Jones / arr. Greg Gilpin

Item: 00-PC-0017784_SB
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Description
First published in 1924, this beautiful melody has been recorded by a wide variety of hit-makers including Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, and Carrie Underwood. Quickly-learned choral parts make this an easy feature for groups of all types.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, It Had to Be You: String Bass comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Additional Details
Series: Alfred Pop Choral Series
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 14
SKU: 00-PC-0017784_SB
Instrumentation: SoundPax

More about this title

About the Composer: Isham Jones

Isham Jones (1894-1956) was a bandleader, violinist, and composer who became one of the most recorded musicians of the 1920s and 1930s. His prolific output includes dozens of standards that remain part of the Great American Songbook, many of which have been recorded hundreds of times across multiple genres and generations of artists.

Jones led one of the most commercially successful dance bands of the early jazz age, performing regularly on radio and recording extensively for major labels. His gift for melody and his understanding of what made a song memorable helped define the sound of American popular music during a transformative decade.

Why we love this

Greg Gilpin's arrangement captures the warmth and accessibility that made this standard a hit while keeping the vocal writing fresh and singable for real choirs. The SoundPax format means your singers engage with a recorded ensemble while learning their parts, accelerating preparation without sacrificing the joy of collaborative singing.

What to expect

Warm, nostalgic, and conversational, with the intimate quality of a singer confessing something true at a piano bar. The melody unfolds naturally across the phrase, supported by straightforward harmonies that let the text and tune shine without competition.

Who it's for

Choirs of all sizes and experience levels who need reliable, singable repertoire for concerts, community events, or informal performances. This works equally well for community choruses, high school and college choirs, and church ensembles seeking contemporary arrangements of timeless material.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the melody line so it sits naturally above the supporting harmonies; avoid the urge to over-project, letting the song's conversational tone come through.
  • Shape phrases with gentle dynamic contours rather than driving straight through to cadences; this repertoire rewards subtle musicality.
  • Reference one of the commercial recordings mentioned in the product description to absorb the song's rhythmic flexibility and interpretive tradition before rehearsal.

How to use it

Program this as a standalone feature that appeals to audiences of all ages, or pair it alongside other Songbook standards to create a thematic concert segment. Its quick-to-learn vocal parts make it an ideal choice mid-season when rehearsal time is limited but you need something polished and audience-friendly.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing in close harmony with clear voice leading
  • Intonation in sustained chords
  • Interpretive phrasing and lyrical text delivery
  • Sight-reading of popular arranging idioms

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