Tempted: TTBB Choral Octavo

Deke Sharon's arrangement captures the sly charm of the original without losing the song's conversational wit. Men's groups consistently report that this octavo sits well across a range of voice types and male singing experience levels, making it equally valuable for a competitive a cappella ensemble or a more recreational choir looking to engage their tenors and basses with contemporary material.

Smooth and knowing, with an undercurrent of tension beneath the surface charm. The arrangement draws you in through pure singability while rewarding careful listening with intricate voice part relationships and clever harmonic moments that reveal themselves with each rehearsal.

Arrange this for a men's choir, a cappella ensemble, or vocal jazz group looking for contemporary material with real harmonic substance. It works for singers at intermediate to advanced levels who can handle part independence and have the interpretive maturity to deliver the song's subtle humor.

• Nail the rhythmic pocket first. This song lives in its groove; lock the pulse internally before worrying about blend or dynamics.
• Lean into the arrangement's dialogue moments. The interplay between voice parts works best when singers treat their lines like they're actually speaking or responding to each other rather than simply singing harmony.
• Track down the original Joe Cocker version alongside Squeeze's recording. Hearing both interpretations gives singers insight into how much personality a melody can carry depending on phrasing and articulation choices.
• Balance the bass line carefully. It's prominent in the arrangement but shouldn't overpower the conversational upper voices where much of the song's character lives.

Slot this into a concert program as a palate cleanser between heavier or more formal works. It's also a strong choice for a set focused on contemporary pop music or sophisticated vocal writing that appeals to audiences outside traditional choral circles.

• Part independence and voice leading within a four-part texture
• Rhythmic precision in a contemporary pop idiom
• Interpretive phrasing and conversational character in singing
• Blend and balance across a cappella voicings
• Reading divided tenor and bass lines