Sheryl Crow: 4 versions of "If It Makes You Happy," newest to aid a Cancer Research

Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow is one of the most creative pop music composers of our time.

In order to raise funds to research a cure for cancer, Sheryl released a fourth recorded version of her song "If It Makes You Happy." It's a simple song, which is part of what makes it such a great song, probably the most memorable Sheryl has written yet.

We here at Meanspeed Music measured the frequencies for all 4 versions. We are happy to relay them to you as they exist from fast to slow. The song rides a 10 beat per minute wave between enthusiasm and natural, which is so much a part of the ironic lyric of the song.

Know that if you download the special iTunes version for benefitting cancer research, every penny spent on the download, after overhead, goes directly to the labs! So while we don't push recordings on people here very often, it would be a kind thing to do if you cannot make up your mind, let's say, between the new version, and, Danny Bonaduce's Greatest Hits: The B Sides, to go with SC.

The studio version, which may be found on The Very Best of Sheryl Crow, was measured for speed as:

meanspeed=95.5 beats per minute
meanemotion=enthusiasm
meanspace=0.628 seconds per beat
meanphase=1.59 cycles per second
meanpitch=407.37 Hertz, 66 cents above G4=391.995 and 34 cents below G#4/Ab4=415.305 Hertz.

The speed frequencies of the iTunes Original version, featuring just Sheryl accompanying herself are:

meanspeed=97.0 beats per minute
meanemotion=enthusiasm
meanspace=0.619 seconds per beat
meanphase=1.62 cycles per second
meanpitch=413.90 Hertz, 94 cents above G4=391.995 Hertz and 34 cents below G#4/Ab4=415.305 Hertz.

The speeds of the cancer fundraising awareness version avilable on iTunes a version which features Jeff Ingram of Austin, Texas are:

meanspeed=98.6 beats per minute
meanemotion=natural
meanspace=0.608 seconds per beat
meanphase=1.64 cycles per second
meanpitch=420.83 Hertz, 22 cents above G#4/Ab4=415.305 and 78 cents below A4=440.000 Hertz.

The speeds of the Sheryl Crow & Friends Live In Central Park, featuring Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders version are:

meanspeed=104.2 beats per minute
meanemotion=natural
meanspace=0.576 seconds per beat
meanphase=1.74 cycles per second
meanpitch=444.71 Hertz, 18 cents above A4=440.000 Hertz, 82 cents below A#4/Bb4=466.164 Hertz.

To directly contact the artist, Sheryl's Official website is: http://www.sherylcrow.com/

Ian Schneider

Meanspeed Music Trust

December 23, 2006

USA