Eddie Vedder covers it, Michael Moore ended SICKO with it: "Don't Be Shy" - Cat Stevens - tempo calibrations, 6-way chart, screen shots.- mm=67.2 bpm

Song Summary

title="Don't Be Shy"

composer=Cat Stevens

Performer=Cat Stevens

meanspeed=67.2 beats per minute

average beat=0.672 seconds

mean emotion accoring to the meanspeed conjecture=ceremony

I was struck by the subject matter and presentation of Michael Moore's movie SICKO, an exposure to the disgusting, greedy insurance company driven health "industry" (it once was a profession).

In Ricky Gervais' EXTRA, the song Tea for The Tillerman by cat Stevens was used to end the show every episode. I think ending the film with this song was Moore's tribute to Ricky - Ricky is a modern Charles Dickens, and Michael Moore is finding a voice as the contemporary Upton Sinclair.

The song's beatific ceremonial nature is such a stark contrast to the embarrassing and gauche "health care system" that is just - *works* - interesting movie, fascinating song choice for the ending.

Many have covered this song - there are at least 3 Eddie Vedder versions on "The Tube" - it's a very soothing piece. Complex in its simplicity, as a typical Cat Stevens song as Neil Young, Pat Metheny or Peter Gabriel.




Ian Andrew Schneider
meanspeed music
March 29, 2008

Ray Charles - GEORGIA ON MY MIND, 63.5 bpm - #44 the on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest - Seeing Tempo with graphs and controlling your mind. Really.

The song which ranks #44 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time is called "Georgia On My Mind" by the late Ray Charles.




I measured the speeds of the Charles ultra-classic using a Seiko 300 lap stopwatch which facilitates contiguous calibrations. James C.C. Manning supervised.

Meanspeed-Carlton Summary
beats counted=220
mean time=3 minutes, 28.0 seconds
meanspeed=63.5 beats per minute
average beat=945 milliseconds
meanemotion according to meanspeed music theory=ceremony (songs between 63-69 beats per minute).



linear speed graph created by James The Senator Manning for meanspeed music © 2007


In order to see the speed, let us look at the measurements I entered into Microsoft's Excel 2004 spreadsheet program. The first sheet shows the measurements of 10 trials of the first 15 of 55 contiguous measures of 4 quarter-notes were entered and subsequently synthesized by James The Senator Manning--

Spreadsheet of contiguous measures of 4 quarter-notes in contiguous measurements were entered and subsequently synthesized by James C.C. Manning. Excel spreadsheet by Ian Schneider on which the measurements of 10 trials of the measures entered and subsequently synthesized by James C.C/ Manning



An excellent article by the folks at "The Stone" about the Ray Charles song appears at
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595889/georgia_on_my_mind




Ian Schneider
James The Senator Manning
Meanspeed Music
March 27, 2008

Tina Turner - "Drenched in my sweat, I took my shirt off and sang in my bra" - Calibrations, images of speed of River Deep, Mountain High

Song #33 on the Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time is called River Deep, Mountain High. This song is performed by Ike and Tina Turner. The Rolling Stone has an article on the song found at http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595878/river_deep__mountain_high, which features this passage:

"I must have sung that 500,000 times," Tina later said. "I was drenched with sweat. I had to take my shirt off and stand there in my bra to sing."

Meanspeed-Carlton Summary
song title - River Deep, Mountain High
performer=The late, great, misunderstood Ike and the still-too sexy-at-whatever-age Turner
beats calibrated per trial=540
mean time per trial= 3 minutes, 20.7 seconds
mean speed/average tempo=156.9 beats per minute
average beat=0.382 seconds.




Ian Schneider
Sarah Anthony
James C. C. Manning
March 27, 2008

Dr. Robert - The Beatles - a visual tempo mapping analysis in the style of the meanspeed music conjecture

Meanspeed Summary

song title=Dr. Robert

Composer=John Lennon and Paul McCartney

performer=The Beatles

album=Revolver

trials calibrated=10

mean speed/average beat, half note=81.8 beats per minute

average beat=733 milliseconds

mean emotion according to the meanspeed conjecture=loneliness

Dr. Robert is a song that was recorded in England in the spring of 1966. These charts illustrate that which normal sheet music cannot - the precise tempo of the song. The charts allow, in a simple way, a viewer to see the speed at any given 10 beat interval. Beyond that, we see where that speed was played in relation to:
1) the mean speed, usually the average tempo;
2) speed of other intervals of identical beat length;
3) the moving average.





Ian Andrew Schneider
Mike The Spike McKnight
March 24, 2008

Beatles and Song Speed: and Two and Three Dimensional Charts & Seeing Speed Through Space - "For No One" - tempo maps by Hunter Newman

Meanspeed Music Summary

"FOR NO ONE"

The Beatles

composer=John Lennon & Paul McCartney

avg beat=0.735 seconds

avg bpm=81.6 key in which song was recorded=B major

composer=John Lennon & Paul McCartney most interesting rhyme='tears' and years' "..and in her eyes you see nothing no sign of life behind the tears cried for no one a love that should have lasted years." This is an excellent example of why I catalog songs with speeds of approximately 79-84 beats per minute as have the likelihood of expressing loneliness, as this song certainly does, as it is one one the few songs on which the most tuned in (sorry) Beatles fans would agree is simply about loneliness and loss and the maudlin 'what could have beens.' This is the element of the never ending debate over Here, There and Everywhere as "Paul's best song" that does not gets discussed - mainly because people just do not know. People tend to argue feelings, and we try to separate feelings - we don't do feelings, we don't deal in any way with the worst song ever recorded, Feelings - we deal in emotive expression. Big difference. The speed of Here, There & Everywhere is essentially the same as For No One - and the songs are a bit wailing and lonely. All calibrations, synthesis and chart making in general by Hunter Newman. The song does not include George or John in any way. Paul played piano and clavichord while Ringo played drums and played. The band & recording & production team chose take 10 of 11 takes over 12 hours - 2:45 pm until 2:45 am. On take ten, Ringo added maracas and cymbals. George Martin rented the harpsichord. A week later, May 16, 1966, Paul went back into the studio and completed the lead vocal. The French horn solo was overdubbed three days later. Thanks to N.S. & Mark Lewisohn for that information, which is found in Mark's THE COMPLETE BEATLES CHRONICLES. Hunter St. Andrew Newman March 23, 2008

'FLUORESCENT IRONY'? "And Your Bird Can Sing" - The Beatles - Revolver - 2D and 3D graphs, itunes shots, john art /which we hope John would approve

"And Your Bird Can Sing" is a song written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon and was recorded for the Revolver album by The Beatles.

According the the experts I know, the guitar lick is that which a true Beatles' fan will learn upon beginning guitar. I would have never known - but the Beatles fans I know are hard core. Maybe too hard for me, but nothing spells universal language like a Beatles song. If an alien came down from another planet what would they say? Well, humans all speak different languages - the only common point of communication are 44 year old songs by a little band from a little country. But then again, what about life makes sense? The "fluorescent irony" mentioned in the title refers to one of the many [bible] Beatles books, an excellent book called TELL ME WHY by Tim Riley. He is referring to the ostinato guitar riff - says Riley, "In a song about joy this would be celebrator. In the context of Lennon's nose-in-the-air arrogance, though, it glitters with supremacy - the sonic equivalent of Lennon's uppity vocal attack."

Meanspeed Music Summary

song="And Your Bird Can Sing"

composer=John Lennon & Paul McCartney

peformer=The Beatles

album='Revolver'

trial calibrated=10

beat lengths measured=2,510

time calibrated=1,133.81 seconds

mean time per trial=113.36 seconds

calibrator=Mike McKnight

supervising calibrator=James C.C. manning

average beat=452 milliseconds

mean speed/average tempo=132.8 beats per minute

Key of Original recording=E major with bridge in G# minor

Best Rhyme="When your prize possessions

start weighing you down

Look in my direction

I'll Be round!

I'll Be round!"

Ian Schneider
March 22, 2008

"JIMI THING" / "WHAT WILL BECOME OF ME?" - Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Radio City & Luther College - Music Charts of both recordings

The great thing about Dave Matthews #107 - instead of trying to rewrite the same song with a few tweaks, a new name and a "new" piece of art, like a great jazz musician, Dave plays his standards - and though he is always composing more songs therefor, he only writes to express, not to line his portfolio of songs.

Part Two of Jimi Thing has also become known as "What Will Become Of Me?"






These graphs represent two versions of the Dave Matthews song Jimi Thing.
The Luther College version was recorded first, and is faster than the later released Radio City Music Hall version.


Coffee courtesy of Meredith and Jeff Schneider of TexasRoast.com of Rockwall, Texas.


Best,
Ian Schneider
March 20, 2008

Dave Matthews & The Zombies - "what's your name? who's your daddy?"- TIME OF THE SEASON - 40 year tempo maps

Time of The Season is a song that was originally recorded and released in 1967 by The Zombies. Their performance chart -

The song was covered last year by the Dave Matthews Band and is available on their Weekend On The Rocks [download]. The Matthews stage performance is represented by this tempo chart




The chart above the top represents a comparison of these versions.

All charts were based on calibrations, available on request, made by Hunter Newman and supervised by James C.C. Manning. The style of meanspeed charts was developed with the inspiration of Mike "The Spike" McKnight.

Spike.

Best,

Hunter Newman

Ian Schneider

The Speed Of The Beatles - Revolver, Side 2, song 1 - GOOD DAY SUNSHINE - Meanspeed Music Analysis with tempo maps, calibrations, harmony secrets

Meanspeed Music Summary
song title="Good Day Sunshine"



performer=The Beatles Album=Revolver
composer=John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Mean Time Per Trial=122.25 seconds
Beats per trial=240
Trials calibrated=9
Total Beats calibrated=2,160
mean speed/average tempo=117.8 beats per minute



average beat length=509 milliseconds
Intellectual Property=Copyright 1966 Northern Songs All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.
Original Key=B Major Most Interesting Rhyme='Down' with 'Ground' - "We took a walk, the sun was shining down, Burns my feet as they touch the ground"
Most interesting element of rhythm aside from tempo=The final refrain is in the key of F major, This is one of the few modulations of this kind in the entire Beatles catalog according to the book 'Tell Me Why' by Tim Riley (page 191).




Ian Schneider
March 16, 2008

The Speeds of The Beatles - Revolver - SHE SAID SHE SAID - Exposing Mental Rhythm of Song: Secret Invisible Speed exposed with Meanspeed Chart?

She Said She Said is a song that was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The song is the seventh track on the album 'Revolver.' The method used to produce the chart above can be found on the dropdown screen above.



Meanspeed Music Summary
mean speed/average tempo=109.1 beats per minute
average beat length=550 milliseconds
original key=Bb
most interesting rhyme='said' with 'dead' -
"she said,
I know what it is to be dead..."
emotive category according to mean speed music theory=lust







Ian Andrew Schneider
Mike "The Spike" McKnight
Sarah Jane Bristol
March 16, 2008

Meanspeed Music Editorial - OBAMA IS THE CANDIDATE - We Salute Barack's victory with Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours, 109 bpm. History is made.

Meanspeed Music Summary
song title="Signed, Sealed Delivered I'm Yours"
Album=Stevie Wonder: The Definitive Collection
Intellectual Property=Motown Records, Copyright 2002, a division of UMG recording
Kind=Protected AAC audio file
Size=2.6 MB
Bit Rate=128 kbps
Sample Rate=44.100 kHz
Volume=(-13.1) dB
Profile=Low Complexity
Chanels=Stereo
Beats calibrated=2,520
mean time per trial=150.04222 seconds
average beat=550 milliseconds
mean speed/average tempo=109.0 beat sper minute
Emotive category according to meanspeed music theory=lust
Special Event=Barack Obama Psyche Song



Sarah Jane Bristol
Ian Andrew Schneider
James C.C. Manning
Hunter Newman
S. St. John Newman
March 14, 2008

'"Yellow Submarine" - Meanspeed Chart - The Beatles - Revolver. Precise Beats Per Minute Tempo Map Allows *any* Music Lover to *see* Speed

Meanspeed Music Summary
song title="Yellow Submarine"
Words & Music by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
album='Revolver'
Intellectual Property=© Copyright 1966 Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

In the Original Score of the Beatles' catalog, it is noted that certain nuances of rhythm must be *felt* - they have not been noted. I hope to rectify this to some extent with charts such as that above, which illustrate:
1) the performance line of the song;
2) mean speed, most often the average tempo of the song;
3) moving average of the song;
4) line of advance of the song as a function of time, above as centiseconds on the first (left) Y-Axis;
5) trendline of the song as a thrird degree polynomial, formula coutesy of Microsoft Excel.

trials calibrated=9
beats measured=2,520
time elapsed, total=1,364.78 seconds
time elapsed, average per trial=151.64 seconds
average tempo/mean speed=110.8 beats per minute
average Beat Length=542 milliseconds
emotive category according to mean speed music theory found at http://www.meanspeed.com/graphs
most interesting element of the song unrelated to tempo=the song is in Db major, even though most popular sheet music simplifies this to D major. Playing it at this correct key chabges the sound. The key is courtesy of the excellent Hal Leonard transcription.
most interesting rhyme='ease' with 'need' -


"So we live a life of ease,
every one of us has all we need..."

Ian Schneider
Mike "The Spike" McKnight
meanspeed music

March 14, 2008

"Hallelujah" - Jeff Buckley - 'Grace' - SPEED CHART- #1 on iTunes - American Idol's Simon Cowell's praises it as 'one of the BEST RECORDINGS EVER'

tempo chart designed by Sophia St. John Newman - JEFF BUCKLEY, "HALLELUJAH"


It took a performance by Jason Castro of 'Hallelejah' to raise this version of the Leonard Cohen song to bring to the number 1 iTunes download today's #1: the Jeff Buckley version from his album grace.

As Good as Castro was, the comment by Simon Cowell that "Hallelejah," the Buckley version, as he praised Castro for a good try - given that he only gets a 1 minute 30 second clip, that impressed everyone.

meanspeed=67.6 beats per minute

average beat=888 milliseconds.

Ian Andrew Schneider

March 12, 2008

David Cook and Jason Castro, the two best left on American Idol - 7 minutes before the show: Hallelujah & Hello Tempo Charts - both have great timing

These are two tempo graphs.

One depicts the precise tempo of Hallelujah as performed by Jason Castro.

The other, Hello as performed by David Cook.



I found these two performers a cut above the rest last week.



Hunter Newman
March 11, 2008

American Idol and Tempo choice - each of the 60 votable performance Broken Down in Beats Per Minute -

I like calculating the speeds for these song in a blind manner. Does tempo have an effect on song success? Apparently not! It's all about *how* you handle a speed. In the slideshow below you'll see that of the middle speed of all American Idol songs is between 106-107 beats per minute. Exactly 50% - or 6 - of the original have been kicked off after singing song slower than 107, and the other six were booted after sing from the faster 30.



So we see that it is not the speed itself which determines whether the song is successful enough to not get voted off the show - it is all about timing. Ok. What is the difference between timing and tempo? Tempo is the movement of the song, the speed itself. *Timing* is the manner in which the artist makes his or her way through the movement of time. For example, the superstars of timing this week, in my opinion, were David Cook

"Here There And Everywhere" - The Beatles - REVOLVER - Music speed analysis: Calibrations, graphs, BPM and the Reason this "love" song sounds strange

Meanspeed Music Summary
song title="Here, There and Everywhere"
composer=John Lennon and Paul McCartney
performer=The Beatles
beats calibrated=1,584
time elapsed=1276.0111 seconds
average beat length=0.726 seconds
mean speed/average tempo=82.7 beats per minute
album='Revolver'
Date of release=April, 1966
Most Interesting rhyme='everyhwere' with 'care' with 'everywhere' with 'share' with 'There'
"I want her everywhere/and if she's beside me I know I need never care/But to love her is to need her everywhere/knowing that love is to share/each one believing that love never dies/watching her eyes/and hoping I'm always there"
emotive category according to mean speed music theory=Loneliness



Ian Schneider
March 6, 2008