This tune is as sweet and light as they come. Show your audiences you are a clever speller, as well as being wise in the ways of love.
Contest Swing & Easy Beat
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive
Brothers and sisters, are you ready to eliminate the negative? Then just latch on to this lively tune and help spread the word!
Across the Alley from the Alamo
This song is so much fun that it almost even makes sense. Think fondly of the Mills Brothers when you sing this tune.
All Night Long
The wonderful Chilton Price wrote this spicy song. Though no more than R rated, the song makes its meaning clear. Ms. Price’s biggest hit was “You Belong to Me.” She composed this song alone, though a couple of the band members who introduced the piece wangled their way into a share of the compensation. This practice has not been at all rare. Hey, do you think Elvis really wrote “Love Me Tender”?
Baby Song Medley
Here is a sweet, light combination of “Sing Me a Baby Song” and “Baby.” Have fun crooning to your sweetheart with this lovely medley. Continue reading Baby Song Medley
Bare Necessities
From the animated musical “The Jungle Book,” this delightful tune will charm audiences and judges alike. Storm Front sang it until they decided to be unremittingly hilarious. Continue reading Bare Necessities
Basin Street Blues
This classic slow swing tune puts you right where the action is. No longer exclusive to Saturday Evening Post.
Blues in the Night
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.
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
The lively pop hit by Neil Sedaka can now be sung in contest. Big fun awaits you! Anne Bureau has recorded women’s tracks for both the contest and show versions. Continue reading Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
Button Up Your Overcoat
As cute as they come, this tune is available in regular and senior-citizens’ versions. Chris Arnold has recorded learning tracks for both versions. Do give this happy tune a try.
Calendar Girl
Neil Sedaka wrote and sang this most fun tune. Now it is available for your group to sing in contest, even!
Call Me Irresponsible
Sung by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dinah Washington and Michael Bublé, this tune gives a cheery declaration of love.
Cotton Club Medley
Picture yourself at THE night club in 1930s Harlem. What might you hear? What would you see? They would be marvelous and exciting things, that is for sure. This medley is no longer exclusive to the Big Apple Chorus.
Doo Wacka Doo
Ah, how much fun is it to sing a recently written tune about the songs and excitement of the Roaring ’20s? Big fun, that’s how much! This song will be exclusive to The Velvet Frogs until the fall of 2017, but you can start thinking right now about singing this delightful number.
Dream a Little Dream of Me
For contest or show, this song is beloved by audiences and performers alike. The men’s version of this arrangement is published by the BHS. Continue reading Dream a Little Dream of Me
Dreamer with a Penny
Which would you rather be, a rich person with a worried mind or a dreamer with lots of wealth other than money? This song answers that question in happy, swingy fashion.
Five Minutes More
Love needs just a little more sometimes. You are sure to enjoy this gentle tune. It is no longer exclusive to Fermata Nowhere, so get it while it’s warm and sweet! Continue reading Five Minutes More
Get Me to the Girl Medley
An ultra-cool combination of Get Me to the Church on Time and The Girl That I Marry, this medley is both hip and loving. No longer exclusive to Alchemy.
Girl from Kodak Town, The
This song is about a girl from—you guessed it—Rochester, N.Y. Your audiences will enjoy learning about her old-fashioned self.
Glory of Love, The
This song is beyond happy. “Ecstatic” might be a better word, as the both the highs and lows of glorious love are celebrated.
God Bless the Child
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.
Gonna Get a Girl
This uptune is about turning over a new leaf. Faint heart ne’er won fair maiden!
Hallelujah I Love Her So
Arranged for A Mighty Wind, this Ray Charles song has lots of energy and even more fun.
Harmony Joe
A happy tune that just rolls along, this song can be sung in backbeat or downbeat fashion. The men’s version is published by the Society.
Have a Nice Day
Very funny for contest or shows, as sung by Shenanigans. Just how many things can go wrong today?
Honey Bun/Honey Pie
The old meets the new in this fun, lively medley. That’s right, we are talking South Pacific and the Beatles—for contest, no less!
Hooey
If you are addicterd to late-night TV, you are all too familiar with the commercials and infomercials. And you probably believe every word you hear about the products advertised, don’t you?
How D’Ya Like Your Eggs in the Morning
A purely delightful tune, Eggs tells of folks who don’t care, um, egg-zactly how their breakfast is cooked as long as a kiss and a hug are involved. Think Rock Hudson and Doris Day. Continue reading How D’Ya Like Your Eggs in the Morning
Huckleberry Finn
An old-fashioned song about a carefree lad, this tune will take your audiences back in time to a slower, idealized era.
I Don’t Know Enough About You/I Don’t Know Why
A contestable medley that is both slick and sweet, this piece was a hit for 2003 quartet champ Power Play. Hey, love is not always very easy to explain . . . Continue reading I Don’t Know Enough About You/I Don’t Know Why
I Get a Kick out of You
Put a little sophisticated flair into your contest or show package with this classic Cole Porter love song.
I Love My Baby (My Baby Loves Me)
Be young and in love again with this swingy, zippy tune. Try something new for contest. SAI carries the women’s version of this happy, lively song.
I Never Miss the Sunshine (I’m So Used to the Rain)
Thumbing one’s nose at losing love never felt so good.
I Think You’re Wonderful
A very happy uptune for kids of all ages, this song just gushes friendship and love.
I’ll Never Say “Never Again” Again
A lively swing number, this contestable tune was a hit for SAI medalist ReMix for the women and BHS medalist Metropolis for the men. We can’t really be sure about love, can we? Please specify whether you would like to preview the original ReMix version or Mo Field’s revision with intro by Jay Giallombardo—or both! Continue reading I’ll Never Say “Never Again” Again
I’ll String Along with You
Do you want an easy, happy way to profess your love? You won’t come to the end of your rope if you sing this easy-beat tune, which is no longer exclusive. So tie it up for your group!
I’m Beginning to Like It
This one is tough to explain. Think of a typical ’30s swing tune with modern lyrics like “hard-rock diet,” “in your face” and “MTV and AMC.” Way cool, and it is contestable too! Continue reading I’m Beginning to Like It
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
Everyone likes this fun, offbeat love song. Great for men and women alike, it is now available in both contest and show versions. Learning tracks have been recorded for the women’s contest chart.
I’m Nobody’s Baby
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.
I’ve Got the World on a String
No doubt you have already guessed the punch line to this tune. No, the person is not a yo-yo. Yes, he or she is head-over-heels in love! Give this happy song a test spin. . . .
If I Didn’t Have You
From the animated film Monsters Inc., this happy tune was sung as a duet by Billy Crystal and John Goodman. As a bonus, the arrangement is contestable. Continue reading If I Didn’t Have You
It’s the Girl
Is it the moonlight that makes love happen? This jumpin’ tune tells you where it’s at. Metropolis had big fun with this one, as will you and your audiences.
Joint Is Jumpin’/Truckin’
A most lively dance number, this medley is great for contest. Of course, the potential for energetic choreography is limitless.
Jones Boy, The
The whole town’s talkin’ about the Jones boy. Why? Because he’s in love, of course! Have great fun with this Mills Brothers’ song.
Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin’
What do you do when your lover just ups and disappears one day? Do you run around like a chicken with its head cut off? Or do you take a, well . . . easier approach. This fun arrangement is no longer exclusive to Cahoots, so do keep it in mind, for a Western-type or any other kind of show.
Last Night on the Back Porch
Always a fun uptune, this song makes for lively, old-fashioned fun.
Laughter in the Rain
This happy Neil Sedaka tune was a #1 hit back in 1975. Arranged for the Dutch men’s quartet Unlimited, the song pairs very well with “Crying in the Rain” in contest. Laughing, crying—sounds a lot like real life, eh?
Lazy River (Up a)
Fine for either contest or show, this cheerful song helped Marquis win gold at the 1995 International, in Miami Beach. Though a bit rangy, this piece pretty much sings itself. Continue reading Lazy River (Up a)
Learnin’ the Blues
These are not lessons we necessarily look for—if fact, we try hard to avoid them—but sooner or later, we all are taught about the blues. This song will surely connect you with everyone in your audiences. Plus which, it is a cool, cool tune.
Let’s Do It Again
This uptune about the good old days helped the Grand Tradition win a medal back in the day. It can be sung in a driving way or as an easy-beat. Though it sounds pretty old, this happy piece was actually written in the 1950s.
Lovesick Blues
Her sweetie has left her, and the woman is feeling a deep, dark shade of blue. Despite that, the melody and rhythm lilt along nicely, so give this little tune from 1922 a try.
Lullaby in Ragtime, A
This is a contestable editing of the barbershop classic. They don’t come any sweeter than this, so give the song a whirl. Continue reading Lullaby in Ragtime, A
Makin’ Whoopee
As an old college pal used to say, “You’ve buttered your bread, now lie in it.” After the fun times come consequences that are, well, not necessarily all that enjoyable.
May You Always
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. . . .
Michigan Rag
This energetic uptune was arranged, and partially composed, for Michigan Jake. It was sung in a cartoon by the one and only Michigan J. Frog, for whom that gold-medal quartet is named. If your lead(s) can handle a disjunct melody—and words that are, in the words of great bass man Bill Myers, printed very close to the page—then this lively number is for you!
Mood Indigo
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, dark-blue tune. {Corny joke: What did the dark-blue cow do? It mooed indigo.)
Moon Medley
This old-time medley contains Bright Was the Night, Moonlight Bay and By the Light of the Silvery Moon. How is that for some vintage classics?
Moving Picture Hero of My Heart, The
This cute novelty number is for women only. The old-fashioned references make for great fun.
My Guy
When this song went all the way to #1 back in 1964, it was no miracle. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson—get it?—this happy tune of loyal love made in big on both the pop and R&B charts for Motown star Mary Wells. This tune will make your audiences smile, and you as well!
My Romance
Though usually performed as a ballad, this lovely tune works just fine in a swinging tempo. This one is guaranteed to bring out the feeling of cool cat or kitten in you.
Old Cape Cod
This pop standard paints a lovely picture. Delight your audiences, and the judges too, with this sweet, swingy song. Continue reading Old Cape Cod
Once Upon a Long Time Ago
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.
Orange Colored Sky
This tune is fun, lively and makes a great opener or closer. Short and to the point, It is available in both contest and show versions. Continue reading Orange Colored Sky
Peg o’ My Heart
No one doesn’t enjoy this easy-beat tune. It makes a fine change of pace for your performances.
Pennies from Heaven
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.
Pretty Baby
This fun meter parody is quite contestable. The lovable quartet Shenanigans had a hit with it, and so could your quartet or chorus.
Royal Garden Blues
Contestable, substantial and lively, this tune was arranged for and sung by Power Play. See if your group too can make that “trombone moan” with this golden oldie.
Standing/Leaning Medley
A charming mix of Standing on the Corner and Leaning on a Lamp-Post, this medley is about watching all the girls go by—or waiting for just that special one.
Steam Heat
From the 1954 Broadway musical The Pajama Game, this tune is hot. No, it’s hotter than hot! The Cleveland Heights High School Women Barbershoppers debuted this sultry song with great success at the Midwinter Convention, but is just fine for the grownups as well. The piece is probably not suitable for SAI contests, but it is great for shows. And don’t forget to wear your black derbies. . . .
Sugartime
What could be sweeter than singing this McGuire Sisters’ piece of confection? Your quartet or chorus will find out you definitely have not bitten off more than you can chew. Continue reading Sugartime
Sunday Night in Sydney
Happy and romantic, this tune is sort of a Down Under version of A Foggy Day in London Town.
Swinging on a Star
Great fun for singers and audiences alike, this lively tune is available in both contest and show versions. It is easily one of my most popular charts. Power Play sang it with much success, and it works just fine for the ladies as well. Continue reading Swinging on a Star
Take Me There
Written by talented Canadian barbershopper Janet Kidd, this song is about a Southern city that is known for being, well, a certain amount of fun: New Orleans!
Taking a Chance on Love
No one doesn’t love this happy, swingy tune. Your contest and show audiences are sure to enjoy hearing you sing it. So take a chance and sing through it. What have you got to lose?
There, I’ve Said It Again
That’s right: I love you! And I just cannot hide it. Everyone will enjoy this catchy pop standard. Continue reading There, I’ve Said It Again
Too Marvelous for Words
This clever love song is just too marvelous not to sing. Hey, that is what international medalist State Line Grocery thought. How about you? Are you marvy enough?
Ukulele Lady
Here is some gentle, sweet, lighthearted fun for you and your audiences. Mm, can’t you just feel the warm breeze and taste the drink with the little umbrella in it.. . . . The highly entertaining quartet Boardwalk can.
Way You Look Tonight, The
And now for something completely different. This jazzy version of a song usually heard as a barbershop ballad is patterned after Frank Sinatra’s interpretation. If you have some swing in your soul, give this one a look and a listen. Continue reading Way You Look Tonight, The
We’ll Meet Again
This lovely song of friendship says that although we are parting now, on some wonderful day our paths will cross. Its message applies any time, but in the year 2020 it seems even more poignant than usual.
Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Swing
A Cab Calloway tune that really swings, this witty song has something for everyone. It is no longer exclusive to Sweden’s Dalton Bros., so do give it a shot.
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
This popular hit has a lot going for it. Sweet, gentle, flattering, wry—it is just plain fun to sing, and to listen to as well. Treat your seasonal audiences to this delightful tune!
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.
When I Grow Too Old to Dream
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.
When I’m Sixty-Four
This Beatles’ song is always a kick, for singers and audience members alike. The men’s version of this arrangement is published by the BHS. Of course, you can vary the lyrics to reference any age that ends in a four. Continue reading When I’m Sixty-Four
Where the Blue of the Night Meets the Gold of the Day
This tempo ballad paints a picture as lovely as its title. Is someone waiting for you? I sure hope so.
Wherever There’s Me, There’s You
You may not be familiar with this song, but it is way cheerful and appealing. Your group wants to sing it; you just don’t know it yet. Anne Bureau has made some killer tracks to help you learn this tune fast. Continue reading Wherever There’s Me, There’s You
Whispering
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.
Who’s Sorry Now?
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.
Whole New World
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.
You’ve Got to See Mamma Every Night
This is a highly cute song that lays down the law about fidelity. For sure it is for women only, and the ladies know how to sing it! Continue reading You’ve Got to See Mamma Every Night