Arrangements by Category(Click Below)
The number is a reference to the names on the Vietnam Memorial wall. The Brothers in Harmony took the place by storm when they placed high with this song and “Goodnight, Saigon” in International competition.
This classic features a new verse and contains deceptively strong sentiment. Take your audiences back in time with this timeless tale.
Did you ever want to dress up like a toy? Sing this sweet ballad in a set with the barbershop classic “The Little Boy.” This package is guaranteed not to put your audiences to sleep.
One of the best barbershop ballads of all time, this song was written in 1924 by the great Irving Berlin.
A melancholy, powerful ballad, this song mourns a lost love. Can this love be saved. Continue reading “All Dressed Up with a Broken Heart”
This wonderfully intense ballad is great for contest. Flipside first sang it in most heartfelt fashion. Now top women’s groups such as MAXX Factor and Gem City have taken this song to a new level.
This tearful ballad is full of evocative, heart-wrenching images. Lost love was never so lovely.
This song from The King works well for both princes and princesses. Give your audiences the royal treatment by singing them this heartfelt ballad. This piece is a real winner that expresses both sadness and hope. Continue reading “Are You Lonesome Tonight”
These two love songs, debuted almost 100 years apart, are identical musically. Elvis has not left the building yet. The men’s version is available from the BHS; the women’s, from Sheet Music Plus under “Love Me Tender.”
A parody of “M-O-T-H-E-R,” this tune will leave your audiences flying high.
Did you ever fall in love with the wrong person? You know he or she is just not right for you—perhaps not for anyone—but there you are, hooked. Stuck in the magic spell. Well, maybe it will help you to sing about it. Sinatra did. . . .
Ladies, do you love your man for, well, no certain reason, but you love him just the same? This song tells your story.
On just about everyone’s list of top 10 popular songs of all time, this song gets right to the heart of the downside of love. Do check out this most powerful, and contestable, piece.
Here is an old-fashioned fallen-woman ballad. This one is sweet and understanding.
An intense ballad of lost love, this piece is really a winner. The Society publishes the men’s version.
Barbershopper Gary Markette wrote this song to honor his late wife, Sarah. Gary’s images are purely lovely and would certainly fit other longtime love affairs as well, so do give this song a look.
Songs do not come any more powerful than this classic. International quartet champion Musical Island Boys did a bang-up job on it in competition.
Sung by the Everly Brothers, this poignant song of lost love makes a fine tempo ballad for contest or show. This one will sure take your audiences back. . . .
Hey, if this heartfelt closer about show biz is good enough for Bobby Darin, it should be a hit for your group too.
We sing lots of songs about Mother, but here is one to honor the sacrifices made by Dad. The men’s version of this arrangement is published by the BHS.
Yes, this is the Eagles’ big hit, and it can even be sung in contest. So “come to your senses” and give this heartfelt tale a try. Good news: This powerful arrangement, which had not been available for a few years, is now cleared via Sheet Music Plus!
A classic ballad in solid style, this song of comfort comes straight from the heart.
Written by barbershopper Ken Carter for his late wife, this song is short, sweet, sad and most heartfelt.
Cleveland barbershopper Al Voigt composed this ode to friends of old.
One of the loveliest pieces you will ever hear, this song has a message that reaches well beyond the avian kingdom. It pairs very well with the “Mary Poppins Medley.”
Barry Manilow co-composed and performs this ballad, a powerful declaration of love. This tune would fit most weddings very well but works fine for almost all occasions.
This ballad about loneliness sure is a sad one. Four walls, that is all the singer has to keep him company.
The rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears revived this 1941 Billie Holiday song in 1968. This tempo, bluesy ballad is as moving as they come. And here is a blessing for you: The piece is no longer exclusive to the Big Apple Chorus.
A timeless song that has been redone to be contestable, this piece is purely wonderful. Do check out this gentle, deep journey.
A strong ballad about lost love, this song is “a fool’s lament.” Your group will be able to put plenty of emotion into this one.
An old-fashioned ballad about a love in limbo, this song ends with a note of sweet hope.
Written and performed by Billy Joel, this song is as intense as it gets. The Brothers in Harmony pretty much blew the place’s doors off in the chorus contest at the Philadelphia International.
What a sweet love ballad this is. The world is indeed a wonderful place “when the heart of a girl beats for you.”
With a powerful anti-war sentiment, this song beautifully equates motherhood with solving disputes peacefully. The Sweet Adelines champion San Diego Chorus sang this moving tune.
This popular classic is now available in two versions. One has the shimmering feel of the rock ‘n’ roll hit, while the other is a contestable tempo ballad as sung by Metropolis. The latter can be sung either straight or, as the quartet did it, humorously. Tim’s tracks are for the ballad version.
Truer words were never spoken, eh? Even when times are tough—as they are right now, in July of 2020—we need to do what good we can every day. This song was arranged for Harmony Inc. queen quartet Aged to Perfection, but there is a men’s version as well.
This is clearly a maudlin, overstated love ballad. The punch line that follows the title: “before I grew up to love you.” Ouch. . . .
A bittersweet ballad of a love thrown away, this song tells of a man who gained wisdom too late.
Songs don’t get much prettier than this tempo ballad. The arrangement is patterned after Natalie Cole’s rendition, so it is bittersweet—more sweet than bitter—and heartfelt rather than being just energetic, as some barbershop renditions are. Do yourself a favor and check out this lush gem!
This is an old-time ballad of one-way love. It is no fun to live on that one-way street.
This is a truly wonderful new take on old love ballad. Feelings of regret can be powerful, indeed. Continue reading “I’d Give a Million Tomorrows”
The late Mike Senter first arranged this plaintive piece, and Tom has put his stamp on it to make it even more singable and moving.
This is the classic song of a loser at love. You can pine away with this old-time tune.
This tempo ballad just drips loneliness. Songs like this can sometimes effect a real healing when a listener who is in the same boat realizes that he or she is not alone.
If you are not familiar with this song, do yourself a favor and find a clip of Elvis Presley singing it. This plaintive plea drives and drives and drives, as 2014 international champ Musical Island Boys showed us so well. In 2017 this song became a LABBS “polecat” number, sung by all of these British ladies.
This angry love ballad is a cautionary tale for all other women who might be so foolish as to fall for her ex. Brr!
Two different verses put fresh, and very different, spins on Lou Perry’s lovely chorus. Both the sadder slant and the renewal-of-vows version make a familiar piece into something new.
Songs don’t get much more beautiful and poignant than this one. From the musical Carousel, this piece tells a tale that is, well . . . not so theoretical after all.
This heartfelt ballad was written by barbershop patriarch Hal Purdy. Hal started the famous Purdy Corral, an institution at International conventions for years.
This is a surprisingly strong contestable version of the old ballad. Do give it a look and listen.
An old-fashioned song of sadness about a fallen woman, this piece is most gentle and understanding.
Different verses set up happy and sad versions. This classic deserves another visit from you.
Here is a ballad blaming men for all of women’s love troubles. Who ever heard of such a thing. . . .
Metropolis hams this tune up, but it can be sung straight just fine. Profess your love with this soaring song.
A little child prays for her Daddy, who is off to war. This song will bring a tear to your eye.
Regional ballad, similar to “Farm In Old Missouri”.
This lovely tune was written by barbershopper Peggy Hill. Though a mother pleads with her infant son not to grow older, he of course does and eventually marries. Then he begs his child, “Don’t grow older.” Give this heartfelt, well-written song a try.
This powerful ballad, which has an anti-racist message, takes some nerve to sing. And it has been sung in contest, to great effect.
A sad ballad of a young soldier’s death, this song harkens back to his childhood very powerfully.
A most moving ballad, this was perhaps the signature song for the Interstate Rivals, the international champion quartet in 1987. The intense women’s version is The Little Girl, popularized by the SAI 1989 queens, Growing Girls.
This is a beautifully tender song for a parent to sing to a daughter dressing up in Mommy’s old clothes. The picture the lyrics paint is vivid and loving, and sure to warm every heart.
A really sweet ballad with an old-fashioned feel, this song paints a picture of a lovable lady bustling around town doing a little of this and a little of that.
This classic barbershop ballad speaks of a wayward father saying goodbye to his son. Hope springs eternal. . . .
This is a contestable version of a most powerful song. Judges in the Performance category have assured me that this song does not really function a religious number, but rather as a lament about feeling quite alone. The arrangement is no longer exclusive to the Brothers in Harmony, who sang it most dramatically in International competition.
This classic ballad creates a vivid mood of love. Yes, it is “just a song at twilight.”
This classic barbershop ballad tells of a sweet, gentle love. And ain’t it grand. . . .
A classic barbershop ballad if ever there was one, this tune is gentle and loving.
A modernish tempo ballad, this tune is suitable for contest. It conveys a sweet sentiment with powerful, creative lyrics and images. Have a look and a listen. . . .
Everyone knows and loves this classic ballad from the turn of the last century. Will your dreams come true?
A new setup for a favorite ballad, this verse and tag turn Ed Waesche’s classic arrangement from a song about a painted lady of the night into a tale of a faithless wife. This chart is no longer exclusive to Rhythmix.
Hey, this is not a small song celebrating the love of only one person. No, this is about loving the whole state of Missouri. Can you say, Show Me?
An all-time-great popular classic, this swingy tempo ballad is sure to please your audiences—and even the judges. Get down with this evocative, deep-blue tune. {Corny joke: What did the dark-blue cow do? It mooed indigo.)
A pretty tune of loving memories, this song combines happy and sad most wonderfully.
A poignant ballad medley of two pop standards, this song expresses bittersweet most effectively.
This old-fashioned ballad about Mom is well, really dreamy. . . .
Check out this fine mix of Sincere, It’s You and Lida Rose. These love songs from the timeless musical comedy are sure to to transport your audiences back 100 years to River City, Iowa.
Here is a wonderful ballad about falling in love despite having been burned many times in the past. Power Play sang this hopeful, powerful tune. Just about everyone in your audiences will be able to identify with these powerful feelings!
A truly gorgeous contest ballad medley, this piece is a clear winner. The interweaving of these two songs is really something special.
Sally in our alley is not just any girl. No, it is your beloved mother, says this vintage song.
Can you guess which classic barbershop tune this is a parody of? All sorts of mischief is created by substituting fancy words for the normal ones. Do give this uniquely strange piece a try.
This is a simple, old-fashioned song about a sweetheart. And sweet it is. . . .
This contestable version of a beautiful ballad is most sincere but also rather sophisticated. Do give this strong song a try.
This song of loneliness was beautifully written back in 1908. The composer really knew what he was doing, writing the melody such that a major ninth chord, a most melancholy sound, was required on “knows.” See what you think of this tune for your quartet or chorus. By the way, the Harmony U. 2016 Arranging 3 Class helped me out greatly with this one.
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.
A most powerful ballad, this piece is truly a gem. If you are looking to put all the feeling you have into, this is the one.
This old song requires some boldness to perform and is just fine for contest. Mayhem! moved many hearts with it in International competition. Does it fit your quartet or chorus?
This pop standard paints a lovely picture. Delight your audiences, and the judges too, with this sweet, swingy song.
The Four Renegades and Suntones used to sing Buzz Haeger’s version of this tune about a beloved old fellow. The song always reminds me of my grandfather William Thomas “Dandy” Gentry (1896-1987). Some people who have only an eighth-grade education are pretty darn smart. . . .
A most evocative, nostalgic ballad, this song paints a beautiful picture of days gone by. Not surprisingly, this song is really not about a spinning wheel, but love.
Written and performed by Jesse Goldberg, this nostalgic tune is sure to touch your audiences’ hearts. Riding bikes, playing games with friends, being loved by Mom and Dad, and just plain feeling safe—this song has it all, in surprisingly warm, non-sappy fashion. Do check this gem out for your quartet or chorus.
A new twist on an old favorite, this ballad is sure to move your audiences’ hearts. We cannot really recapture the past, can we?
This would be a great ballad in a show-biz/Broadway set. The story is that success in show biz does not necessarily equal a happy life.
A truly marvelous ballad, this song was debuted by Power Play. Hey, the lovely tag alone makes it worth singing. This is the only song I have arranged that sounds as though Lou Perry could have done it.
A moving ballad about missing childhood friends, this song is wonderfully nostalgic.
Yes, it does work in contest. There are not many prettier ballads than this one around. Even more fun is that it can be sung as a swinging uptune too.
Power Play sang this sweet lullaby to fine effect. There is more substance to it than you would think, so give this song a try.
A solid but not simplistic ballad, this song was wonderfully rendered by Power Play. The lovely tag has been featured in The HARMONIZER.
A strong, haunting ballad, this song was popular during the First World War. Its story of lovers separated by distance but close together in their hearts is timeless, indeed.
A beautiful ballad from the animated film Peter Pan, this song was debuted at the 2009 Anaheim International contest by The Alliance. Tim Waurick has recorded fine learning tracks for both men and women. While this piece stands alone just fine, it would make a lovely companion to a Peter Pan or pirate song or medley in contest.
Definitely an oldie, this song of a fallen woman is to be sung with tongue firmly in cheek.
A classic ballad of aging, this chorus (only) is most lovely.
One of the great Stephen Foster’s less well-known tunes, this piece is nonetheless wonderful. This lullaby might even be a little bit better for fathers to sing than mothers.
As sung by The New Tradition, Nightlife, Ringmasters, Weekend Edition, Instant Classic and many other groups, this piece is really powerful. You could close your shows with it or sing it in just about any other position. This arrangement is my all-time favorite. What’s more, it is contestable! Due to the publisher’s restrictions, you need to special-order this song from Janice Bane at the BHS.
This tender World War I song was debuted by champ quartet The New Tradition. The men’s version of this arrangement, including learning tracks, is published by the BHS.
Who would have pictured this haunting song by the Carpenters being sung in contest? Well, one quartet did, and now your group can too.
An ultra-intense Civil War song, this piece is contestable. Lots of sadness here, so skip this one unless you can handle it. But if you can, the cost of war is spotlighted in this story of a young solider who did not make it home.
An old-fashioned ballad about parents waiting back home, this lovely song stresses love of family.
There are not many prettier or more heartfelt songs than this Beatles’ love ballad. While most of the group’s tunes were written by the duo of Lennon and McCartney, this song was penned by lead guitarist George Harrison. This arrangement is probably good for contest but could possibly incur a small penalty. Hey, it would be worth it to perform such a lovely song!
The great Irving Berlin composed this haunting tune back in 1927. Berlin paints a brilliant, poignant image for the end of a love affair. The men’s version of this arrangement is published by the BHS.
This ballad is always good for lots of emotion. The story is told that the lyrics were written by some songwriters who were trying to go way over the top one night at a party, doubtless while cheerfully lubricated. They seem to have gotten things just right, though, eh?
First a barbershop hit for our 1956 champ quartet, the Confederates, this ballad is a real powerhouse. The arrangement is available as sung by 2003 champ Power Play and in a longer version perhaps better suited for choruses. Anne’s tracks are the former; Chris’s and Jen’s, the latter.
Is your group looking for an apologetic, square ballad? Well, you just found it. This heartfelt song may be just the thing for your quartet or chorus.
A scaled-down version of Steve Tramack’s marvelous arrangement for Harmony Inc. queens Taken 4 Granite, this piece is sweet fun — even with no sugar added! It is in young women’s key right now, having been edited for the Cleveland Heights High School Women’s Barbeshoppers. Best to get the longer, grownup version from Steve himself.
A strong ballad asking your lover to make up, this song ends on a note of hope, which springs eternal.
From the musical Civil War, this song of a dying young soldier is most powerful, indeed. It makes a fine contest companion to the “Civil War Medley” of rousing uptunes. Both Power Play and The Alliance sang it in international competition.
You pretty well know the whole song from the title. This sort of ballad has barbershop written all over it.
This song is heartfelt and purely old-fashioned. Mother knows best. . . .
An old-fashioned love ballad, this tune is about a wish for a “little spark” to become a great flame once again.
This tender ballad was written by early barbershopper Hal Staab. Will the two strangers meet again?
Songs don’t come much prettier than this one. Do you want to take pleasure in all the beautiful things in life, large and small? I’ll bet you do, and so will your audiences. . . .
Nat “King” Cole sang this haunting song of lost love. Sad songs just do not get any prettier than this. Available in contest and show versions.
Here is a classic, poignant ballad about mother. Though not the version sung by 1986 champ Rural Route 4, this one is also pretty darn powerful.
This WWI ballad never goes out of style. So it’s time for you to “Smile the while. . . .”
This is a revised version of an old-fashioned ballad. The tune is a real oldie, not the 1947 hit by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne you are probably picturing.
Yet another ballad of a woman too wild for her own good. The poor dear has fallen far.
An ageless song of young love, this tune tells of the greater wisdom of the younger folks. But singers of any age can have a hit with this piece, for sure.
This is a sad ballad of lost love. Your beloved is getting married but to someone else. You can really jerk some tears with this tune.
A beautiful Sigmund Romberg tempo ballad, this song tells of a bittersweet parting that is more sweet than bitter. Do check out this lovely tune.
Voted the best barbershop ballad of all time by Arrangement judges, this song will touch your listeners’ hearts.
Are your superpowers—and maybe even some of your normal ones—fading away? If so, you will be able to relate to this clever parody. Not surprisingly, it goes well with the Aging Superheroes Medley.
A beautiful, heartfelt song, this is a pure joy to sing and listen to. Power Play debuted it, and it has since become a barbershop staple.
This pensive, timeless ballad has certainly stood the test of time. The reprise of the theme melody in the tag is a nice added touch.
Here is a square medley of love that has a wonderfully old-fashioned ring to it. The bass’s recitation on the second chorus of “When Your Old Wedding Ring Was New” is heartfelt and unique. Ain’t lifelong love grand?
There are not many lovelier, more touching Broadway ballads than this. A bonus is that this song is contestable. I often listen to Tim Waurick’s full mix of this arrangement just for enjoyment.
This tempo ballad paints a picture as lovely as its title. Is someone waiting for you? I sure hope so.
Here is an easy-beat, contestable love song that is most gentle and enjoyable. This tune is now available in both men’s and women’s voicing.
This tune is available in both the typical uptune version and a new cool/hot treatment. The latter is quite unique, so do yourself a favor and give it a try.
A #1 hit for Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle in 1993, this lovely tune soars into the stratosphere to tell us of the joys of new love. And believe it or not, this song works just fine in BHS contests. So take a magic carpet ride on this theme song from the animated film Aladdin.
This ballad of lost love contains some lovely, sad images. You can picture the petals slowly falling—and so can your audiences.
A strong ballad with a theme of temptation, this song asks that the love-struck person just be left alone. Lots of folks can relate to this theme. . . .
Question: What could be better than a lovely ballad from The Music Man that is about, well . . . you? Answer: two such lovely ballads. Do check out this medley of “Till There Was You” and “It’s You.” Both you and your audiences will be glad you did.
This beautiful tempo ballad comes from the Broadway musical version of The Full Monty. At first hearing, I assumed it was a religious piece. While “You Walk with Me” certainly can be sung that way, in the musical it is sung by two people who love each other. Do yourself a favor and look this song up, whether through a preview from me or simply online.
Great for contest, this ’50s ballad builds to a surprising level of power. The men’s version is published by the BHS, and the song is great for women as well.