sir_quirky_k (![[info]](http://www.iziblog.net/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} sir_quirky_k) wrote,@ 2008-05-29 10:47:00 |
Quirks' list of popular songs by range (last update: May 29 2008)
There are two lists. One is of songs which do not go above F4, which can safely all be assumed to be male-sung. The other is of songs which do go above F5, which will usually be female-sung, but this is a less safe assumption than the first due to the complicating element of falsetto. Songs considered are contemporary pop music and musical theatre; all entries are based upon written sheet music from either official album songbooks (or vocal selection books in the case of musical theatre; songs written here which dramatically deviate from the stage version, such as No One Mourns The Wicked, are excluded from consideration) or from books of assorted popular music, all from the stock of Quirks' local music shop in central Southampton. Songs that are frequently performed in various key signatures and/or in various ways, such as the Bacharach and David canon, are excluded from consideration. Where songs are written in a slightly different key signature to the one they are performed in (usually for the benefit of the pianist, I believe), and the music notes this, the latter counts. For duets, each part is considered a separate song, and additional parts in the same song (where both have a highest note in the range F#4-F5) are counted in a separate tally.
I hypothesise that most songs will be on neither list, implying convergence between male- and female-sung popular music (the latter high, the former low). Instead of listing all the songs that are on neither, I will merely mention how many there are, for comparison.
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SONGS ABOVE F5
Defying Gravity, from Wicked (F#5)
Footprints In The Sand, Leona Lewis (A5)
Since U Been Gone, Kelly Clarkson (G5)
Behind These Hazel Eyes, Kelly Clarkson (F#5)
Walk Away, Kelly Clarkson (G5)
I Hate Myself For Losing You, Kelly Clarkson (G5)
SONGS THAT DO NOT GO ABOVE F4
Absolutely none yet (!!), potential update May 30
SONGS IN NEITHER LIST: 40 (+4)
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46 songs considered, for both male and female voices, and 40 (!!) have a highest note in the range F#4-F5.
There are two lists. One is of songs which do not go above F4, which can safely all be assumed to be male-sung. The other is of songs which do go above F5, which will usually be female-sung, but this is a less safe assumption than the first due to the complicating element of falsetto. Songs considered are contemporary pop music and musical theatre; all entries are based upon written sheet music from either official album songbooks (or vocal selection books in the case of musical theatre; songs written here which dramatically deviate from the stage version, such as No One Mourns The Wicked, are excluded from consideration) or from books of assorted popular music, all from the stock of Quirks' local music shop in central Southampton. Songs that are frequently performed in various key signatures and/or in various ways, such as the Bacharach and David canon, are excluded from consideration. Where songs are written in a slightly different key signature to the one they are performed in (usually for the benefit of the pianist, I believe), and the music notes this, the latter counts. For duets, each part is considered a separate song, and additional parts in the same song (where both have a highest note in the range F#4-F5) are counted in a separate tally.
I hypothesise that most songs will be on neither list, implying convergence between male- and female-sung popular music (the latter high, the former low). Instead of listing all the songs that are on neither, I will merely mention how many there are, for comparison.
--------
SONGS ABOVE F5
Defying Gravity, from Wicked (F#5)
Footprints In The Sand, Leona Lewis (A5)
Since U Been Gone, Kelly Clarkson (G5)
Behind These Hazel Eyes, Kelly Clarkson (F#5)
Walk Away, Kelly Clarkson (G5)
I Hate Myself For Losing You, Kelly Clarkson (G5)
SONGS THAT DO NOT GO ABOVE F4
Absolutely none yet (!!), potential update May 30
SONGS IN NEITHER LIST: 40 (+4)
--------
46 songs considered, for both male and female voices, and 40 (!!) have a highest note in the range F#4-F5.
