What Is a Man? (From "Pal Joey"): Piano/Vocal/Chords

This collection gives singers direct access to Rodgers's most distinctive vocal writing in authentic keys and orchestrations drawn from original scores. The contextual notes and audition guidance transform what could be a generic fake book into a legitimate study and performance resource that respects both the music and the singer's preparation.

Rodgers's melodies bloom with natural grace and emotional directness. His songs balance theatrical showiness with genuine human vulnerability, moving between moments of rhythmic drive and long, singing lines that reward legit technique and musical maturity.

This resource serves singers preparing auditions and performances at intermediate to professional levels who need authentic vocal scores in appropriate keys. Whether you're studying Rodgers's catalog methodically, preparing for a specific role, or building a mixed-rep audition book, the original keys and authoritative transcriptions eliminate the guesswork of transposed or simplified versions.

• Study the historical and contextual notes provided for each song to understand its dramatic function and character arc within the show, which will shape your interpretation and emotional choices.
• Use the 16-bar cut suggestions to prepare multiple versions of each song for different audition contexts, but also learn the full song to understand how cuts reshape phrasing and storytelling.
• Pay attention to Rodgers's harmonic language, which is often more sophisticated than it first appears; take time with unexpected chord changes and modulations to let them inform your musical line rather than obscure it.

Program one of these songs as a standalone audition piece, a concert selection that pairs well with other Broadway or American song repertoire, or as a structured study project where you work through several Rodgers selections to deepen your understanding of his compositional voice across different emotional territories and character types.

• Interpreting theatrical character and dramatic context from music and historical notes
• Navigating Rodgers's harmonic sophistication and unexpected modulations
• Building flexibility with audition cuts while maintaining musical integrity
• Understanding how melody, harmony, and lyrical content work together in character-driven songs
• Developing age- and range-appropriate repertoire choices for audition preparation