We Can Work It Out (arr. Tom Chapman): SATB Choral Octavo

Tom Chapman's arrangement captures the song's essential optimism while giving each voice part genuine musical work. The piece sits comfortably in the range of most high school singers, and the familiar melody means your singers can focus on blend, intonation, and the interplay between parts rather than learning unfamiliar material. Programming a Beatles arrangement signals to your audience that contemporary music belongs in concert, and this one delivers both musicality and a guaranteed emotional response.

Earnest and propulsive. Chapman's arrangement honors the original's propulsive energy while giving it vocal warmth; you hear the Beatles' optimism filtered through the richness of four-part harmony. It feels contemporary without abandoning musical depth.

High school and community choirs looking for pop repertoire with substance. The seven-page length and SATB voicing make it accessible to singers with basic to intermediate reading skills, while the arrangement itself rewards thoughtful interpretation.

• Keep the tempo steady and slightly buoyant; this song needs forward motion to feel like the problem solver it is, not a dirge.
• Balance the soprano line carefully when it carries the main melody, ensuring altos and lower voices remain present enough to support harmonic clarity.
• Emphasize the text setting to make the message land; "we can work it out" needs conviction from all four parts.

Use this as a lighter moment in a concert that otherwise leans classical, or build a set around pop standards arranged for choir. It works especially well in spring concerts, pops nights, or any program designed to showcase what your singers love about music.

• Balancing a prominent melody line with harmonic support
• Maintaining steady tempo and rhythmic precision in a driven arrangement
• Blending four-part harmony in a popular music context
• Connecting lyrical meaning to musical expression and phrasing