The Rhythm of The Saints, elemental speeds of each track of Paul Simon's 1990 album masterpiece

The Rhythm of The Saints is an album released in 1990 by Paul Simon.

Following the success of Graceland, on which he worked principally with South African musicians, Simon turned to Latin America for the musicians and rhythms which characterize this album, partnering with Afro-Brazilian superstars Olodum, masters of the Bahia style of samba called Batucada.

According to an article published in Stereophile magazine, Simon's original track sequence was changed when "the boys in Warners' front office insisted [the album's lead single, 'The Obvious Child'] be given pride of place." To hear Simon's preferred track order, the current release would have to be re-sequenced as 3-6-4-7-8-1-2-9-5-10 (see below).

The elemental speeds are listed below of each of ten tracks of the album in its entirety, as measured by Agents 45 and the “newly salaried” Agent 19.

Track #1
song title= “The Obvious Child”
fast sections—
meanspeed=184.59 beats per minute
meanemotion=mixed fast
meanspace=0.512 seconds per beat
meanphase=3.08 beats per second
meanpitch=787.65 hertz, 79 cents higher than G5=783.990 hertz, 21 cents lower than G#5/Ab5=830.610 hertz,

slow sections-
meanspeed=92.3 beats per minute
meanemotion=enthusiasm
meanspace=0.650 seconds per beat
meanphase=1.54 beats per second
meanpitch=393.83 hertz, 79 cents higher than G4=391.995 hertz, 21 cents lower than G#4/Ab4=415.305 hertz.

Track #2
song title= “Can’t Run But”
meanspeed=160.23 beats per minute
meanemotion=mixed fast
meanspace=0.364 seconds per beat
meanphase=2.67 beats per second
meanpitch=683.73 hertz, 62 cents higher than E5=659.256 hertz, 38 cents lower than F5=698.456 hertz.

Track #3
song title= “The Coast”
meanspeed=116.6 beats per minute
meanemotion=foreboding
meanspace=0.515 seconds per beat
meanphase=1.94 beats per second
meanpitch=497.39 hertz, 12 cents higher than B4=493.883 hertz, 88 cents lower than C5=523.251 hertz.

Track #4
song title= “Proof”
meanspeed=146.7 beats per minute
meanemotion=mixed fast
meanspace=0.409 seconds per beat
meanphase=2.45 beats per second
meanpitch=626.08 hertz, hertz, 10 cents higher than D#5/Eb5=622.254 hertz, 90 cents lower than E5=659.256 hertz.

Track #5
song title= “Further To Fly”
meanspeed=181.3 beats per minute
meanemotion=mixed fast
meanspace=0.331 seconds per beat
meanphase=3.02 beats per second
meanpitch=773.74 hertz, 77 cents higher than F#5/Gb5=739.990 hertz, cents lower than G5=783.990 hertz.

Track #6
song title= “She Moves On”
meanspeed=121.2 beats per minute
meanemotion=victory
meanspace=0.495 seconds per beat
meanphase=2.02 beats per second
meanpitch=517.35 hertz, 85 cents higher than B4=493.883 hertz, 15 cents lower than C5=523.251 hertz.

Track #7
song title= “Born At The Right Time”
meanspeed=111.5 beats per minute
meanemotion=lust
meanspace=0.538 seconds per beat
meanphase=1.86 beats per second
meanpitch=475.61 hertz, 34 cents higher than A#4/Bb4=466.164 hertz, 66 cents lower than B4=493.883 hertz.

Track #8
song title= “Cool, Cool River”
meanspeed=229.54 beats per minute
meanemotion=mixed fast
meanspace=0.261 seconds per beat
meanphase=3.83 beats per second
meanpitch=979.45 hertz, 85 cents higher than A#5/Bb5=932.328 hertz, 15 cents lower than B5=987.766 hertz.

Track #9
song title= “Spirit Voices”
meanspeed=107.6 beats per minute
meanemotion=lust
meanspace=0.557 seconds per beat
meanphase=1.79 beats per second
meanpitch=459.34 hertz, 74 cents higher than A4=440.000 hertz, 26 cents lower than A#4/Bb4=466.164 hertz.

Track #10
song title= “Rhythm Of The Saints”
meanspeed=116.7 beats per minute
meanemotion=foreboding
meanspace=0.514 seconds per beat
meanphase=1.94 beats per second
meanpitch=497.81 hertz, 13 cents higher than B4=493.883 hertz, 87 cents lower than C5=523.251 hertz.



Ian Schneider
meanspeed.com
January 21, 2007