Saturday, November 7, 2009

No of songs in Marcy's itunes library weighing in under 2 minutes

The magic number is 145!

The artist with the most songs in this category:
Tom Waits - 20 songs
The Magnetic Fields - 16 songs
The Beatles - 11 songs

9 comments:

  1. I'd be all over a theme of songs 2:00 or under. Maybe 2:15.

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  2. Okay, first glance:
    Things in my I tunes less than or equal to 2 minutes comes in at 2,218. That seems high. Mistakes have obviously been made.
    Second, more intense glance, more of a stare, really:
    After taking out everything that was dialogue, monologue, intros to songs, incidental music from LAND OF THE GIANTS or some movie soundtrack,and STAR TREK sound effects (don't judge), I've winnowed it down to 1,873.
    Still might be a bit high. I may take out jazz (you really can't trust jazz to be a real song every time) and I'll see what else. Can a song really only be 18 seconds long? Will totally get back to you.

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  3. I got really excited when I got 197, but then realized that the bulk of them were poems, from this poetry anthology I got from the library one time, when I though I was gonna get some culture and learn myself some poetry. That didn't happen. I can also vouch for Magnetic Fields being a big contributor - there's also some reprises of songs from musicals like No No Nanette (I won't judge you, Jim, if you won't judge me!)

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  4. I'm coming up with 1,410. I know, I know, it still seems like a lot. My Itunes tells me that is 1.5 days in increments of 2 minutes or less. I got no excuses. Most of it is crap I'm sure. I took out all the reprises from musicals (is No No Nanette any good? It sounds good). I took out anything without lyrics under the incorrect assumption that if they had bothered to write lyrics it would have been longer. Only one version of each song was aloud by each artist (so covers of the same song are allowed, but not the original, the alternate take, the remix and the eight live versions by any one band.) I've spent more than my allotted time on this, is it noticeable? I'm gonna take it down to what is actually good and seems like a real song. I'm guessing the 800 or so. If it means anything this is all on my limitless-ish Itunes, but my very limited Ipod only has 89. So I got that going for me.

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  5. Jim, I'll be expecting the top 40 songs under two minutes in the next few weeks.

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  6. Jim, I remember at an early music club meeting, you said something to the effect that you prefer songs to be under 3 minutes. That totally explains the 1,410 number above but it does not explain The Decemberists song.
    I agree with Pat. A top 40 under 2 would be grand!

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  7. Top 40 is a lot of pressure. I never claimed I could stand up to the storm of disapproval Pat has opened himself up to. I need people to like me.
    Well, I have already used the Decemberists as a selection. I can't really be hated too much more.
    I'll see what I can put together.

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  8. Jim, I was just kidding -- one main takeaway from the list project is that I would never force this on anyone else.......

    It would be pretty interesting though.

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  9. Pretty interesting is totally what I strive for.
    Also, a top 40 of 2 minutes or less will conveniently fit on a single CD.
    Sweet.
    I'm trying your tier method. Seems logical, but I get confused easily.

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