Three sailors on liberty boisterously arrive, have a drink (two of their number conning the third into paying), and head outside looking for female companionship.

Each sailor performs a solo variation (a galop, a waltz, and a danzon), but they're so equally matched that the girls can't decide and the boys come to blows.

A small portion of Fancy Free was apparently recycled from "Riobamba", a theme song Bernstein had written for a short-lived New York City nightclub of the same name.

The music was recorded by the Ballet Theatre Orchestra on June 2, 1944, and conducted by Bernstein himself, except for the song Big Stuff.

Big Stuff was performed by Billie Holiday, who was also signed to Decca, along with a band composed of Joe Guy (trumpet), Joe Springer (piano), Tiny Grimes (guitar), Billy Taylor (bass), and Kelly Martin (drums).

[3] Bernstein had composed the song with Holiday in mind, to be played as a recording in the theatre before the ballet proper began.