You've Got That Thing (from "Fifty Million Frenchmen"): Piano/Vocal/Chords

This collection captures Porter at his most inventive, pulling from the era when he was still refining the style that would make him legendary. The piano/vocal/chord format makes these songs accessible to pianists accompanying singers in studio, recital, or classroom settings, and the contextual images and analysis deepen musicians' understanding of how Porter's songs lived on stage and in film. You get genuine repertoire with genuine historical grounding, not just lead sheets.

Elegant, witty, and urbane. Porter's melodies sit naturally in the voice while the piano writing dances around them with harmonic sophistication. These songs evoke 1920s and 1930s Broadway glamour and cabaret intimacy in equal measure—sophisticated enough for concert recital, charming enough for a song-swap among friends.

Pianists accompanying vocalists in recital, jazz ensemble, or studio contexts will find both classic Porter standards and deeper cuts worth exploring. Voice students, music theater students, and jazz vocalists need these songs in performance-ready format. Teachers building a repertoire collection for advanced students will appreciate the historical documentation and analytical content alongside the playable music.

• Pay attention to Porter's chord voicings and alterations; they're intentional and often more interesting than simplified reharmonizations. Let the piano part guide your harmonic choices rather than defaulting to standard jazz comping.
• Sing the lyrics with conversational clarity. Porter's wit depends on hearing every word; treat phrasing like speech with musical shape, not operatic legit singing.
• Use the rare images of original sheet music to inform your interpretation. Comparing modern editions to the first printings often reveals interpretive choices about rubato, emphasis, and tempo that shape the song's character.

Select songs from this collection for vocal recitals that explore American song or twentieth-century popular music. Pair Porter's early work with selections from later composers to trace how musical theater evolved. Use individual songs as study material in voice lessons, jazz ensembles, or music history classes exploring the development of the standard.

• Harmonic analysis of jazz chords and chromatic alterations in early twentieth-century popular song
• Interpretation of lyrics with comedic timing and conversational phrasing
• Collaborative piano accompanying for vocalists across multiple styles
• Understanding of how songs function in theatrical and cinematic contexts