Meanspeed™ Music Journal

The Number One downloaded video for today is Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around…/…Comes Around." The elemental speed of the song is 76.0 beats per minute, thus falling into the meanemotion of Grace.

On this Meanspeed scale, developed in 1992:

30-54=mixed slow
55-58=melodrama
59-62=sincerity
63-69=ceremony
70-76=grace
77-78=bittersweetness
79-84=loneliness
85-89=renewal
90-97=enthusiasm
98-105=natural
106-113=lust
114-118=foreboding
119-128=victory
129-390=mixed fast,

why do we label the emotive element of the song 'Grace ' and not 'Loneliness'? Because "meanemotions" are about the expression inherent in the time sequencing of the beat. Thus, while James Blunt's "You're Beautiful," which is 6 beats per minute faster, would at first thought be the song that has an emotional expression of Grace, it does not work that way. Meanemotions are about the attitude of the expression of the song.

Therefore, in Justin's video of "What Goes Around…/…Comes Around," although his love interest, played by the actress Scarlett Johansson, is unfaithful to him, Justin remain poised, confident and almost mocking. In a case of instant karma, the love interest that cheated is burned up in a car crash at the end of the song. Mr. Timberlake is shown with his arms spread out, singing the song in mansions with a sense of satisfaction without arrogance. There is no "I told you so"—J.T. just does not need them. He's saying: If you want to fool around on that of a Justin Timberlake, well, what goes around comes around.

In contrast, James Blunt's plaintive whining, "You're beautiful, you're beautiful, you're beautiful, it's true/I saw your face/In a crowded place and I don't know what to do," emotes loneliness.

This is the heart of the irony that made me see the patterns in Meanspeed theory—after listening to thousands of examples of the same situation: nature's trick. It is the speed slightly slower that emotes poise, confidence and gratitude—grace. It is only when an almost indiscernible 5% more speed is added that we find a category of loneliness (79-84 beats per minute).

If it were not for a rhythm exercise using a metronome, I never would have noticed it. I didn't invent it, I didn't patent it—it's just a pattern in nature.

These songs are of a similar or identical speed to "What Goes Around…/…Comes Around." All these speeds taken from Meanspeed.com and measured by the staff:

Imagine John Lennon 75.6
I Love Her Too Aaron Neville 75.6
Plenty Of Room Anita Baker 75.6
You're A Big Girl Now Bob Dylan 75.6
You're Having My Baby Paul Anka 75.6
Cherry Oh Baby UB40 75.7
Golden Slumbers Paul McCartney 75.7
Please Don't Make Me Cry UB40 75.7
Dream On Aerosmith
Live-Classics 75.8
The Heart Is A House For Love The Dells 75.8
It Doesn't Matter Anymore Linda Ronstadt 75.8
Version Girl UB40 75.8
Bullet The Blue Sky U2 75.9
Chevy Van Sammy Johns 75.9
Fine, Fine Day Roberta Flack 75.9
Wild For You Baby Bonnie Raitt 75.9
It's So Like Candy Elvis Costello
Live-SNL 5/18/91 75.9
This Guy Is In Love With You Burt Bacharach 75.9
Wicked and Cruel Squeeze 75.9
Country Road James Taylor 76.0
Bullet The Blue Sky U2
Live-Rattle and Hum 76.0
Gentle Man Sybil 76.0
The Great Suburban Showdown Billy Joel 76.0
Wild World Cat Stevens 76.0
Blood of Eden Peter Gabriel 76.1
Blood of Eden Peter Gabriel
Live-Secret World 76.1
Daddy's Little Girl The Mills Brothers 76.1
Happy Birthday To John F Kennedy Marilyn Monroe 76.1
Two Sleepy People Art Garfunkel 76.1
You're a Special Part of Me Dianna Ross and Marvin Gaye 76.1
And It Stone Me Van Morrison 76.2
Careless Whisper Wham! 76.2
Cry Baby Cry The Beatles 76.
Distances David Crosby 76.2
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother The Hollies 76.2
The Parable of Ramon Richie Havens
Live-Richard P. Havens 1983 76.2
Stand Back The Allman Brothers Band 76.2
Can You Read My Mind Maureen McGovern 76.3
Home Sweet Home Motley Crue 76.3
The Story of My Life Neil Diamond 76.3
Texan Love Song Elton John 76.3
Angel of The Morning Juice Newton 76.4
Beggar At the Feast Les Miserables/Engish cast 76.4
The Great Pretender The Platters 76.4
It's My Turn Diana Ross 76.4.