Make Me Smile: SATB Choral Octavo

Alan Billingsley's arrangement captures the infectious optimism of this Chicago classic while keeping the harmonic complexity that made the original memorable. The part writing sits naturally in mixed voices and gives your singers genuine hooks to latch onto rather than doubling melodies in predictable ways.

Uplifting and warm, with an earnest quality that sits somewhere between a love song and a celebration of connection. The arrangement maintains the original's spirit of optimism while giving the choral setting room to breathe with fuller harmonies.

Choirs looking for accessible pop repertoire that doesn't shy away from real harmonic writing. This works for high school groups, college non-majors ensembles, and adult choruses seeking material with immediate appeal and genuine musicality.

• Shape the dynamics across phrases rather than holding at one level. This song thrives on small peaks and valleys that create momentum without exhaustion.
• Balance the soprano line carefully in sections where it sits higher than the rest of the voicing. It should shine without overshadowing the harmonic foundation underneath.
• Articulate the rhythmic figures precisely. The groove depends on clean attacks, especially where parts move together syncopically.

Pair this with other 1970s pop standards for a concert exploring that era's songcraft, or use it as an opener to establish an approachable, joyful tone for your program. It works equally well as a spring concert feature or a feel-good moment in a longer mixed repertoire set.

• Singing in close harmonic intervals within SATB voicing
• Balancing pop phrasing with choral blend
• Reading and executing syncopated rhythmic figures
• Sustaining melodic lines that move between voice parts