A rock hit for Swedish group Ace of Base, this arrangement is not for the faint of heart. Sure, it is just that little bit bitter, but she earned it.
Other Lands
Along the Road to Gundagai
A popular Aussie tune, “Gundagai” evokes the wide-open spaces in Oz.
America (West Side Story)
This Broadway hit is most lively, with great choreography possibilities. Isn’t this just where you would like to be?
Aussie Road Medley
Hit the road down under with three songs from the real land of Oz: “Waltzing Matilda” and “Along the Road to Gundagai,” along with the hauntingly beautiful “Never Never.”
Back to the River St. John
This beautiful song takes you to beautiful New Brunswick. Take you audience on a trip down Memory . . . River.
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
Mix of classical music and fun lyrics, a real kick; lyrics have a soap-opera theme, which could be changed. Continue reading Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
Bon Soir, Herr Kommissar
Do you know Jacque Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld? You do too—it’s the song most associated with the Can Can. Add some whodunit lyrics in German and you have this delightful romp.
Bourke Street on Saturday Night
Bourke Street is one of the main thoroughfares in Melbourne, Australia. It has traditionally been a downtown entertainment hub and is now also a popular tourist destination. Go out on the town with this contestable Aussie song.
Bye, Bye My Love
Unless you plan on singing at Cologne’s Karneval (Mardi Gras) in the local dialect, Koelsch, this song is probably not for you. Yes, the title is in English, but…
Candle in the Wind
This is Elton John’s moving tribute to Princess Diana. The lyrics of this beautiful song still resonate today.
Capri-Fischer
A German pop standard from a bygone era, this song is most evocative. German-speaking audiences love this tune, which was written back in 1943.
De Colores
This traditional Mexican children’s song is really sweet. A few years ago the Baton Rouge (La.) Chapter started a revolving quartet that dressed in scrubs and sang for the children who were patients at the local Shriners’ Hospital. When they realized that a large proportion of the kids were Hispanic, they decided to learn a song in Spanish. Disfrútala! (Enjoy it!)
Do You Hear the People Sing?
This rousing song is from the musical “Les Miserables.” Your audiences’ hearts and guts will be moved, and the song itself would even fly in contest, though this arrangement is better off used for shows.
Du Gamla, Du Fria
This is the Swedish national anthem. Hey, you just never know when you might need it. . . .
Eleanor Rigby
Plenty unique and maybe even strange, this Beatles’ tune has lots of key changes and melody swaps.
Etkö uskalla mua rakastaa
What? You mean you don’t have a song in Finnish in your repertoire? My friend, you have a serious shortage of double letters in your life. Actually, this is a lovely song in any language, and an English translation is in the works. So take a chance and givve itt aa tryy.
Feliz Navidad
Wish your audiences a Merry Christmas in bilingual fashion. This lively chart is written for four voices plus percussion instruments. The BHS publishes the men’s version.
French Medley
Here are two clever WWI novelty numbers, as sung by the great 139th St. Quartet. The first is “When Yankee Doodle Learns to Parlez Vous Francais,” followed by—take a really deep breath now—”Would You Rather Be a Colonel with an Eagle on Your Shoulder, or a Private with a Chicken on Your Knee.” Hey, this was big-time stuff in 1918. . . .
Granada
You are sure to fall under the spell of this lovely Spanish tune. It was arranged for the Investigators, the quartet that led the founding of the Spain’s new barbershop organization.
Hab’n Sie nicht ‘ne Frau (‘nen Mann) fuer mich
This one is a German pop tune about going to a matchmaker. The singer is not too particular and just wants someone.
Harmonisch im Abgang
This song was written as an opener for a BinG (German) quartet by the same name. You would be quite foolish to sing it.
Hit the Road, Jack
This emphatic tune is arranged for four-part women’s voices with male solo. The fellow needs to be either a bass or a low baritone—low in more than one sense of the word, eh? The arrangement is also available in German.
I’m Henry VIII, I Am
A goofy golden oldie, this English music hall song is quite repetitive, so you might want to make part of it a sing-along with your audience.
Ich will keine Schokolade
This cute German song tells of a woman who wants love, not just chocolate. The original song in English was most likely “I Don’t Want Another Teddy.” Anyone know anything about this tune?
Jamaican Noel
Every voice part gets a solo in this lively, happy Christmas tune. Well-known composer and arranger Kirby Shaw has penned a winner here!
Komm trink aus, Jack
Would you believe “Hit the Road, Jack” in German? Unusual fun awaits here. This piece is arranged for women’s voices with male soloist. Also available in English.
Kriminal Tango
Melodramatic novelty song, in German. Have great fun with this “Krimi.”
Leader of the German Band
From way back in 1905, this tune is lots of old-fashioned fun. So come join Schmidt, Schmaltz, Heiny, Jake and Heinz in some crowd-pleasing antics. This song is published by the BHS.
Lilli Marlene
This love song, in German, was a hit with every soldier. It can be sung in English as well.
Männer
A pounding German rock song about men, this piece lists pluses and minuses of the male gender in pretty straightforward fashion. It could be translated into English.
Mexicali Rose
This C&W classic harmonizes just fine for barbershop and has multi-cultural appeal. A Spanish translation of the chorus is included. Sing both choruses to please a wide audience, even in contest.
Mexican National Anthem
Who knows? You could need this one sometime. Well, you could.
My Brother Makes the Sound Effects for Movies
Partly in English and partly in German, this song is, well . . . what it is, is . . . different—and great fun! The sounds included are a mix of vocal, electronic and mechanical effects. And it is contestable too. It could be redone for your group to be all in one language or the other. The German title is “Mein Bruder macht im Tonfilm die Geräusche.”
My Golden Baby
This unique love song is a mix of German and English. Have fun lilting along with this tune.
National Anthem of Barbados
Stirring but rather specialized, this piece may or may not be for you.
Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
This contestable version of a beautiful ballad is most sincere but also rather sophisticated. Do give this strong song a try.
No No Never
Performed in English by Texas Lightning, this song was the German entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. Has a fine rock/pop/country feel to it.
Now Is the Hour
Bank Street competed with this moving piece, which David Leeder turned into a poignant World War I song by writing a new verse. Now a second version is available, one in which the Musical Island Boys celebrated the Maori connection with the song and won gold doing so.
Nur geträumt
Telling the tale of a teenage girl’s angst, this tune was an edgy pop hit in Germany. The words are printed, uh, really close to the page on this one. . . .
Oh! My Love Is like a Red, Red Rose
This arrangement uses an ancient melody and Robert Burns’s classic lyrics. Burns composed this poem way, way back, in 1794. Love is timeless, eh?
One Tin Soldier
This stirring song of the futility of war comes from the film Billy Jack. Sometimes the only survivor is. . . .
Pokarekare Ana
This gem of a Maori love song was originally arranged for The Ritz, who won quartet gold in 1991. They sang it with great success on a trip to New Zealand. The Musical Island Boys, our champ in 2014, picked up on it too, as have many other groups in that country. The lyrics are about half in English, but no worries, for Polynesian words are easy to sound out.
Sommersprossen
A German pop hit, this song is perfect if you ever want to sing in a foreign language about a girl with freckles (“summer sprouts”).
Sukiyaki
This lovely tune was a #1 hit for Kyu Sakamoto back in 1963. The Japanese lyrics tell a sad love story, not really anything to do with food. Surprisingly, the song made the Top Ten again in 1981 and 1995.
Sunday Night in Sydney
Happy and romantic, this tune is sort of a Down Under version of A Foggy Day in London Town.
Taboo (Tabu)
This is an offbeat, fun, potentially contestable list of forbidden things. The original was in German, but the piece is available in English as well.
Tage wie diese
The unofficial theme song of the German soccer World Cup, this driving song vividly captures the excitement of a perfect day, one that you would gladly live forever.
Vegemite
A spoof of the Aussies’ favorite, um, edible substance, this tune is big, though, specialized, fun.
Waltzing Matilda
Australia’s unofficial national anthem, this tune is rollicking fun. Take your audiences on a lively trip Down Under.
Wedding of the Painted Doll
This classic can be sung in either German or English. The song is way cute.
When a Boy from Alabama (Meets a Girl from Gundagai)
A lonesome doughboy on R&R in Australia finds that those initials just might stand for Romance & Relationship. This tune offers plenty of light fun.
Wiegenlied
Here is Brahms Lullaby, in German. It could be translated into English, of course.
Winchester Cathedral
A #1 pop hit from 1966, this tune has a lilting feel and a mock-sad message. It is some fun.
Wochend’ und Sonnenschein
While this song is not really a translation of “Happy Days Are Here Again,” it does feature a new set of German lyrics that capture the cheery spirit of the original. This song has the honor of being one of the first two polecat songs for BinG!, which is a mixed barbershop organization.
Yesterday, When I Was Young
This is a powerful song from the French, with a sophisticated sentiment of regret. It is especially good for mature groups.