What The World Needs Now Is Love (arr. Kirby Shaw): SAB Choral Octavo
What The World Needs Now Is Love (arr. Kirby Shaw) Sheet Music Preview

What The World Needs Now Is Love (arr. Kirby Shaw): SAB Choral Octavo

By Bacharach David / As performed by Jackie DeShannon / Arranged by Kirby Shaw

Item: 35-DS01537104
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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 7
SKU: 35-DS01537104

More about this title

About the Composer: Bacharach David

Burt Bacharach stands among the most consequential songwriters of the twentieth century, creating a catalog that bridges pop, jazz, and theatrical music with equal sophistication. His melodic gift and harmonic language influenced generations of composers, and his songs remain essential repertoire for choral programs seeking to teach contemporary songwriting craft alongside accessible material that students genuinely want to perform.

Why we love this

Kirby Shaw's arrangement unlocks this timeless anthem for three-part groups without sacrificing the harmonic richness that makes Bacharach's writing distinctive. The SAB voicing allows younger or developing ensembles to access a song with real musical substance, not a watered-down version, and the message lands with authentic warmth every time.

What to expect

Gentle and hopeful, with an almost conversational intimacy despite the universality of its message. The arrangement captures the song's characteristic sweetness while maintaining the sophisticated harmonic movement Bacharach's melodies demand.

Who it's for

SAB choirs, chamber ensembles, and programs looking to program accessible material with genuine artistic depth. This works especially well for groups developing musicianship in mixed voicing and for concerts aiming to connect with audiences through repertoire they recognize and value.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the melody across your soprano section while keeping middle parts audible; Bacharach's harmonies deserve clarity, not a soprano-driven presentation.
  • Shape phrases around the text rather than strictly metering emotion; the lyrical content drives phrasing far more than the musical notation suggests.
  • Let the arrangement breathe during ensemble moments; resist overblending, which flattens the gentle sophistication of the harmonic language.
  • Treat dynamics as emotional punctuation; small shifts in volume communicate meaning that aligns with both the song's universal message and its intimate melodic shape.

How to use it

Include this in a pop or contemporary music set to balance more energetic arrangements, or feature it as a standalone moment of reflection in a longer concert. It pairs beautifully alongside other songs from the 1960s and works as a concert opener or closer that leaves audiences with something to think about.

Skills your students will build

  • Phrasing and text expression in contemporary song arrangements
  • Navigating jazz-influenced harmonic movements in SAB voicing
  • Balancing three-part lines with clear melodic hierarchy
  • Sustaining tone quality through slower, lyrical passages

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