When You're Smilin': SSA Choral Octavo
Words and music by Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin, and Larry Shay / arr. Kirby Shaw
Item: 00-PO-0007233
$2.45
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Performed by singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, and more, the lighthearted lyrics of this familiar standard remind us that smiling is contagious. With plenty of jazz stylizations built into the melody and a Kirby Shaw scat bridge, this Michael Bublé-inspired treatment would make a memorable finale, encore, or signature song. "When you're smilin', the whole world smiles with you!"
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Pop Choral Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
16
SKU:
00-PO-0007233
More about this title
Why we love this
Kirby Shaw's arrangement captures the swing and sass of a standard that's been around for over a century, yet it lands fresh through contemporary jazz inflections and a scat bridge that gives your singers room to shine. The SSA voicing makes this accessible for treble choirs while maintaining the harmonic sophistication and rhythmic drive that make the tune memorable. This feels like a genuine showstopper, not a novelty, which means audiences respond with real warmth rather than polite applause.
What to expect
Bright, spirited, and gently swinging. The melody sits comfortably in a conversational register, and Kirby Shaw's arrangement gives the piece enough harmonic color and rhythmic sophistication to keep it from feeling saccharine. There's real joy here, but also musicality.
Who it's for
Treble choirs at the high school, college, and community level looking for a crowd-pleasing standard with contemporary flair. Directors seeking a finale or encore piece that feels both familiar and fresh will find the Michael Bublé-inspired treatment engaging for singers and audiences alike.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening melody with conversational phrasing; this is a song about connection, so avoid rigid phrasing in favor of natural speech rhythms that match the lyrical intent.
- Nail the scat bridge as an ensemble moment. Kirby Shaw wrote it to land as a cohesive, playful gesture, so lock the articulations and vowel shapes across all three parts so the scat syllables read as one unit.
- Use the recorded accompaniment to establish the groove and swing feel early in rehearsal; this style sits differently than classical repertoire, and the recording models the rhythmic pocket you're aiming for.
- Balance the harmony so the alto line reads clearly when it carries countermelody, particularly in the second verse where it diverges from the soprano line.
How to use it
Reserve this for a finale or encore slot where you want audiences to leave smiling and humming. It pairs well on programs that mix Great American Songbook standards with contemporary pop arrangements, and it's substantial enough (16 pages) to anchor a set of three to four shorter pieces rather than stand alone. Consider programming it as a signature song for your choir's spring concert or season finale.
Skills your students will build
- Jazz articulation and swing rhythm feel
- Scat singing technique and ensemble blend in contemporary idiom
- Sustained phrasing across longer melodic lines
- Harmonic independence in SSA writing, particularly maintaining alto countermelody
- Style-appropriate vocal production for the Great American Songbook tradition