Easy | The Commodores | Pop Combo

THE SONG

Written by Lionel Richie, Easy is a classic power ballad that features a ripping guitar solo and reached #1 on the US RnB charts. The lyrics are a typical breakup song, with “easy like a Sunday morning” being the main hook referring to not being depressed about the breakup, but instead free to live his life without “chains”.

THE CHART

Arranged for Pop Combo, with three horns (Trumpet, Tenor Sax & Trombone) and backing vocals, this is a faithful recreation of the original Commodores hit. The groove is piano driven, and contains many hits, which the drummer can complement with fills. The shuffle style, with swung 16th’s, should be relaxed and tight.

THE VIDEO

Check out the classic music video from The Commodores. I just love the outfits and afros!

THE COVER

Many people will know this song from the Faith No More cover, released in 1992/93 with separate European and US versions. There is not much difference in structure between the two, although the cover version is heavier in style and tone. Because of this, you can feasibly use this arrangement to play the Faith No More version, with a few alterations.

PRINTING TIPS

Beautifully laid out, the score and parts are easy to read and available NOW for digital download at www.sheetmusicplus.com, thanks to the Arrange Me program at SMP Press. We suggest you print on 80gsm paper, to ensure that the copies last longer in your bands library. For more printing tips, visit here

Can’t Take My Eyes Off You | Frankie Valli | Pop Combo

THE SONG

From the catalogue of the hugely popular Frankie Valli, lead singer of The Four Seasons, this song has been covered by hundreds of artists over 4 decades, and featured in the hit Broadway and movie musical The Jersey Boys. With smooth vocals and a kicking horn section, this tune is a must have for any cover band.

THE CHART

Written to be easily performed by entertainers who work with house bands, this arrangement is true to the original track and can be played without horns if needed. With a fully notated vocal part, along with accurate transcriptions of all the melodies, you can be sure that what is written in the parts is exactly what you want to hear. The horn section is perfectly balanced, whilst keeping the original parts and easily readable. This arrangement also features an optional ending not heard on the original track, but often asked for by performers.

ENTERTAINERS

Having worked with many different bands over the years, I’m in tune with the needs a singer has to be able to recreate the original sounds when performing. Many charts I have played myself lack the amount of detail needed to easily rehearse and perform a tune, often with disastrous consequences. My charts are road tested and you can be assured that a good band will enjoy playing the arrangement due to its ease of reading and well laid out parts. All the parts are idiomatic of their instruments, with certain idiosyncrasies taken into account for each musician.

PRINTING TIPS