Take A Look At Us Now (from Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile) (arr. Mac Huff): SAB Choral Octavo

Mac Huff's arrangement opens this contemporary pop song to SAB choirs without sacrificing the infectious melodic charm of the original. The voicing sits comfortably across a three-part spectrum, making it accessible for middle school and younger high school choirs while maintaining enough harmonic interest to keep musicians engaged. It's the kind of piece that generates genuine excitement in the rehearsal room because students recognize it and want to do it justice.

Upbeat and celebratory, with the kind of accessible melodic hooks that lodge in the brain from the first run-through. The arrangement maintains the buoyant character of the original while giving each voice part something meaningful to sing, creating a sense of collective joy rather than feeling like anyone is simply filling harmonic space.

Middle school and early high school SAB choirs seeking contemporary repertoire with immediate appeal. This works equally well for choirs that include film and pop music in their season programming or those looking to engage younger singers with music they genuinely care about.

• Balance the melody between the soprano and alto parts in the opening sections; the alto line shouldn't disappear even when supporting underneath. Blend matters more than volume here.
• The rhythmic precision of the pop idiom requires steady, consistent articulation across all three parts. Mark eighth note patterns clearly in rehearsal to maintain the song's contemporary groove.
• Shape phrases through dynamic contrast rather than letting the whole piece sit at one energy level. Small moments of pull-back will make the climaxes land harder.
• Record a rehearsal mix and listen back with the students; hearing themselves in context helps singers make informed adjustments to blend and balance that verbal feedback alone doesn't capture.

This sits naturally on a concert that mixes classical and contemporary repertoire, providing a bridge between traditional literature and what students hear in their daily lives. Consider pairing it with other film and television selections to create a cohesive thematic set, or use it as a high-energy closer that leaves audiences smiling. For middle school choirs, it offers a credible performance piece that builds confidence in singers still developing their musicianship.

• Singing in three-part harmony with independent melodic lines
• Maintaining rhythmic precision in pop idioms with eighth note subdivisions
• Blending vocal timbres across different parts while preserving clarity of each line
• Interpreting contemporary style with appropriate articulation and phrasing
• Sustaining ensemble cohesion across longer phrases in an upbeat tempo