Make 'Em Laugh: E-Z Play Today

This is a song that rewards clear articulation and rhythmic precision without demanding technical pyrotechnics. Piano students get to work with a melody that feels instantly familiar and playable, making it ideal for building confidence with jazz phrasing and stride patterns in a low-pressure context.

Bright, playful, and slightly cheeky. The music bounces with vaudeville charm, the kind of tune that invites a wink at the audience and rewards a performer brave enough to commit to its personality.

Piano students building a repertoire of American standards and teachers looking for accessible material that introduces jazz vocabulary and character-driven playing. Vocalists also benefit from having an arrangement that sits comfortably at the piano without competing for attention.

• Shape the melody with subtle dynamic swells at phrase peaks rather than playing it flat; the comedic timing depends on musical storytelling, not just note accuracy.
• Anchor the left hand with a light, walking pulse that supports the vocal line without overloading it; Freed's melodies work best when the accompaniment knows its place.
• Lean into the syncopation without rushing; the humor lands harder when rhythmic surprises feel intentional and controlled.

Pair this with other Freed standards in a concert celebrating American songbook favorites, or use it as a solo piano piece on a lighter program segment where you want to shift the mood. It also works beautifully as a curtain call encore or a bridge between more serious repertoire.

• Jazz phrasing and swing feel
• Light accompaniment textures that support rather than dominate
• Rhythmic precision with syncopation
• Performance character and comedic timing through music