You Can Get It If You Really Want (arr. Ed Aldcroft): SATB Choral Octavo

Ed Aldcroft's arrangement captures the infectious optimism and forward-moving groove of the original without stripping away its reggae identity. Your choir gets to inhabit one of popular music's most genuinely joyful moments, and the five-page length keeps rehearsal time reasonable while delivering an arrangement that feels complete and satisfying.

Warm, encouraging, and undeniably groovy. The song radiates the kind of optimistic energy that translates to audiences immediately; singing this feels like being part of a message rather than simply performing a melody. The reggae undercurrent gives it rhythmic buoyancy that lifts the entire ensemble.

Any SATB ensemble looking for a modern-era pop standard with genuine cultural weight. This works equally well for high school choirs seeking repertoire beyond traditional show tunes, community choirs wanting contemporary material with a positive message, or programs that intentionally diversify their sound and musical traditions.

• Maintain a relaxed, laid-back quality in the swing of the rhythms rather than pushing hard on the beat; reggae's propulsive energy comes from restraint and pocket, not force.
• Let the harmonic movement breathe by keeping sustained notes warm and connected across voice part changes, especially in the chorus where the chordal movement becomes central.
• Balance the parts so the melody stays present and clear without drowning out the supporting voices; this arrangement likely gives meaningful material to all four voices throughout.

Place this as a closer on a concert where you want to end on genuine brightness and connection with your audience. It pairs beautifully in a program that explores popular music across decades and cultures, or as a standalone opener that sets a friendly, energetic tone for the evening.

• Singing with swing and pocket rather than metronomic precision
• Sustaining warm vowels across longer phrase lines
• Balancing melody and harmony in arrangements with active inner voices
• Interpreting stylistic elements specific to reggae and Caribbean music
• Blending with other voice parts while maintaining individual line clarity