The Party's Over (From "Bells Are Ringing"): Lead Sheet

This collection brings together two decades of Comden and Green's best work in one accessible resource, making it ideal for jazz vocalists and pianists building a standards repertoire. The lead sheet format gives you the freedom to interpret these songs with your own phrasing and arrangement choices, while the photos and context provide performers with the dramatic story behind each tune. You get genuine Broadway craft here, not novelty songs, which means every tune rewards careful listening and meaningful interpretation.

Elegant, witty, and deeply human. These melodies have the warmth of mid-century Broadway, where humor and heartbreak lived in the same measure. The lyrics carry the urbane sophistication of New York theater at its peak, full of clever rhymes and character specificity that make each song feel like a scene unto itself.

Jazz and standards vocalists building their repertoire with songs that have genuine theatrical weight and sophistication. Pianists and keyboard players accompanying singers in recital, lesson, or jazz contexts will find the chords and melody well-suited to improvisation and arrangement. Theater students and music directors preparing performers for auditions or concert programming also benefit from having these Comden and Green standards in one place.

• Pay attention to the lyrical phrasing marked on the lead sheet; these rhythmic choices were written by theater professionals who understood how words and melody interact. Honor the scansion even if it feels unusual at first.
• Use the chord symbols as a foundation, not a limitation. Lead sheets invite reharmonization, so explore substitutions that complement your voice type or your pianist's style.
• Listen to original recordings to understand the character context of each song. Knowing whether your character is lovesick, triumphant, or comedic shapes how you'll inflect the melody and phrasing.
• Work with your accompanist to find the right tempo for your interpretation. These songs were written to serve a scene, not to sit at a metronomic beat, so flexibility in tempo and rubato can bring out the song's dramatic life.

Program these standards in a jazz vocal recital or standards showcase, where the theatrical lineage of each tune adds depth to your set list. They also serve beautifully in a Broadway revue or cabaret-style concert, especially when you pair them with other composers to show the range of mid-century musical theater. For lesson studios, these songs give intermediate and advanced vocalists a bridge between art song and jazz repertoire.

• Reading lead sheets and interpreting chord symbols
• Phrasing lyrical melodies with attention to text and scansion
• Understanding theatrical context and character intention in song interpretation
• Improvising and reharmonizing over standard changes
• Collaborating with accompanists on tempo, dynamics, and interpretive choices