*Almost all of these can be adapted for female, male or mixed choirs*
Anytime (Brian McKnight) - TTBB with optional splits and brief tenor solo. Melancholy R&B ballad with rich harmony.
recording Blackbird (John Lennon & Paul McCartney) - TTBB with optional splits and brief tenor solo. Tender classic featuring vocal "finger-picking" and a reharmonized stretto outro.
recording
Can You Get To That? (George Clinton & Ernie Harris) - SSATB slow, groove-based arrangement of a Parliament/Funkadelic classic. Lots of crunchy chords. Each section gets a moment to shine.
midi original tuneCome As You Are (Kurt Cobain) - slightly different SSATB, SATTB and TTTBB versions available. Brief, lush and meditative reharmonization of the Nirvana classic. Originally written for a mixed group with very low female singers. High baritone/tenor often featured on melody. Mostly tutti with a strong pulse a la "Words" by The Real Group.
midi original tune
Corcovado ("Quiet Nights..."; Getz/Gilberto) - SSATB with multiple female solos. Bass handles the Latin montuno feel; optional vocal percussion.
midi original tuneEnjoy the Silence (Martin Gore/Depeche Mode) - TTTBB. Lush, dark meditation on love and silence from XY Unlimited's second record. Alternating solos for each voice part in the second verse.
recording Fields of Gold (Sting) - TTBB with splits. Tense and hypnotic, as in a memory. Meditative unison pads requiring extended use of staggered breathing give way to lush, melancholy harmonies.
midi rough collegiate recording Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder) - TTTBBB with solo. Standard 'collegiate' a cappella groove arrangement. Strong feature for a strong rock, pop or R&B soloist.
recording Mad World (Roland Orzabal/Tears for Fears) - SSATB or TTTBB. Haunting tutti ballad featuring unisons, tight harmonies and cascades.
midi partial live video My Favorite Things (Rodgers & Hammerstein) - SATB. Spirited, uptempo jazz interpretation. Metric modulation between 5/4 and 3/4, and lots of vocal jazz harmony.
midiRainbow Connection (Kermit the Frog/Sarah McLachlan) - SSAAA. Rich, sophisticated arrangement with lots of splits. Lowest part briefly reaches an octave below middle C, so true Alto 2s are needed (or a mixed ensemble).
midi live performance original tuneThe Sound of Silence (Simon and Garfunkel) - TTTBB or SSATB. Meditative folk ballad with pulsing rhythmic counterpart. Each verse features a different section and differing styles of harmonization, from '60s trio to Take 6-esque reharmonized vocal jazz.
midi original tune Sweet Surrender (Sarah McLachlan) - TTTBB or SSATB. Lush, crunchy, vulnerable and heart-wrenching love ballad.
midi original tune
Thriller (Michael Jackson) - a cappella group with soloist. Contemporary pop treatment of the ghoulish classic, including a tutti intro harmonization based on Vincent Price's poem from the original.
studio recording You Are My Sunshine - SSATB or TTTBB. Slow, vulnerable and simple arrangement for bkgs. and baritone soloist, with a tutti climax. Staggered breathing (or long breaths) required. Extra verses optional.
midi