These Are The Best Times: Lead Sheet / Fake Book

Warm and approachable, with a melodic ease that invites singers to tell the story rather than display technique. The harmonic language feels familiar enough for students to grasp quickly while leaving room for personal interpretation.

Young singers and pianists preparing a contemporary ensemble piece or solo work with strong appeal to elementary and middle school audiences. Keyboardists seeking accessible yet musically engaging material for accompaniment work will find this straightforward to interpret.

• Anchor the left hand groove early in rehearsal so singers can focus on melody and phrasing without worrying about accompaniment support.
• Encourage pianists to comp freely between chord symbols rather than strictly voicing every change; this style thrives on rhythmic feel over harmonic exactness.
• Shape the melody with gentle dynamics that mirror speech patterns, since the song's strength lies in its conversational quality.

Include this as a lighter moment in a concert featuring Disney selections, or pair it with other contemporary songs to build a program celebrating popular music literacy. The single page also makes it practical for community events or informal performance settings where quick preparation matters.

• Reading lead sheet notation and chord symbols
• Improvising and comping piano accompaniments
• Connecting melodic phrasing to natural speech rhythm
• Collaborating between singer and accompanist