Jimmy McHugh: On the Sunny Side of the Street: Piano/Vocal/Chords Book

This collection captures McHugh at his most versatile, moving between waltzes, ballads, and up-tempo swing standards without losing melodic clarity. The guitar chord boxes make it accessible to players outside the piano world, while the vocal line sits naturally for singers working through repertoire that demands both interpretive depth and rhythmic confidence.

These songs evoke the elegance and wit of their era without feeling dated. There's sophistication in the harmonic movement and genuine warmth in the melodies—they sound like songs written by someone who understood both what audiences wanted to hear and what made a melody memorable across decades.

Singers who want to develop a standard repertoire grounded in strong melodic writing; pianists building skills as vocal accompanists; and anyone interested in American popular song from the 1920s-1940s who needs clear, singable arrangements with harmonic guidance.

• Balance the melody and harmony so the vocal line never competes with the piano accompaniment; McHugh's arrangements assume a lean, conversational texture rather than dense accompaniment.
• Pay attention to the rhythmic specificity in the chord symbols and accompaniment figures; these songs swing or sway in ways that feel effortless only when the underlying pulse is secure.
• Treat the guitar chords as a roadmap for understanding harmonic movement rather than as a substitute for playing the full piano part; they clarify voice leading when you're preparing to lead from the keyboard.
• Approach tempo with flexibility in the ballads and waltzes; McHugh's melodies often benefit from slight rubato that follows the natural phrasing rather than mechanical time-keeping.

Use this collection as core material for a vocal recital devoted to American standards, or select individual pieces as seasonal programming across multiple concerts. The variety of moods and tempos makes it ideal for mixed programs where you want to balance lighter material with songs of genuine harmonic and lyrical substance.

• Reading and accompanying vocal lines with sensitivity to phrasing and breath
• Understanding harmonic progression through both notation and chord symbols
• Interpreting jazz-inflected rhythms and swing feels in popular song
• Collaborating between singer and pianist to shape tempo and expression in standards