Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets): SoundTrax Digital Audio Download

This arrangement captures the seductive charm and rhythmic swagger of the original while staying within reach for high school choirs. Sally K. Albrecht has preserved the song's theatrical flair without sacrificing singability, and the inclusion of movement and staging guidance means your students get a complete performance package rather than just notes on a page.

Confident and playful, with an undercurrent of seduction. The melody sits comfortably in the voice and invites performers to inhabit the character of Lola, a woman who knows exactly what she wants and how to get it. There's swagger in the orchestration and satisfaction in landing those well-crafted phrases.

High school and adult community choirs looking for a show-stopping solo feature or a selection that proves pop and Broadway repertoire can be both musically substantial and genuinely fun. This works equally well for directors building a concert around theater music or for choirs that want a breather from classical tradition without sacrificing quality.

• Nail the rhythmic precision in the accompaniment. The groove is essential to Lola's character; rhythmic looseness undermines the whole personality of the song.
• Pay attention to the phrasing marked in the vocal line. This is a character piece, not a hymn. Let the lyrics drive your interpretive choices about breath, articulation, and dynamic shaping.
• Lean into the recorded accompaniment during early rehearsals to establish tempo and feel. Once your choir owns the rhythm, you can experiment with slight flexibility in tempo or dynamics for dramatic effect.
• Work the staging and movement intentionally. Even subtle choreography transforms this from a concert piece into genuine theater and heightens student engagement.

Feature this as a solo or small ensemble number within a larger concert, especially one themed around Broadway or popular music from the Golden Age of the American musical. It also pairs beautifully with other mid-century pop and theater selections, and its relatively modest technical demands make it an ideal confidence-builder for soloists early in the season.

• Rhythmic precision in syncopated figures
• Theatrical interpretation and character work
• Phrasing that serves lyrical meaning
• Coordination of movement with vocal performance
• Secure solo singing in a supported choral context