Only Wanna Be With You (arr. Alan Billingsley): TB Choral Octavo

Alan Billingsley's arrangement captures the warmth and simplicity that made the original so magnetic while giving your singers genuine musical substance to work with. The TB voicing options make this accessible for changing or evolved voices without sacrificing the song's essential character. Programming a crowd-pleasing rock standard like this energizes rehearsals and gives your choir a cultural touchstone that resonates with students and audiences alike.

Warm and unpretentious, with the kind of harmonic stability that feels both familiar and satisfying. The piece carries the emotional directness of its original while maintaining the textural lightness that makes it work in a choral setting.

Directors seeking contemporary material that engages students without requiring advanced harmonic reading skills. Choirs performing for audiences that appreciate 1990s rock radio staples alongside more traditional choral literature.

• Keep the vocal line conversational and direct, resisting the urge to oversell the melody. The strength of this arrangement lies in its clarity and emotional sincerity.
• Shape the harmonic movement beneath the main voice carefully so the supporting parts enhance rather than compete with the top line.
• Balance the rhythm section integration against the piece's inherent accessibility; letting the arrangement breathe prevents it from becoming overly produced.

Pair this with other rock or pop arrangements to create a contemporary set that appeals to general audiences and broadens your choir's repertoire. It works particularly well in spring or pops concerts where you want music that connects immediately with listeners without requiring program notes or explanation.

• Singing idiomatic popular vocal phrasing within a choral context
• Balancing melodic independence across TB voicing combinations
• Harmonic support reading in contemporary harmonic language
• Maintaining musical integrity in accessible, singable arrangements