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Hi John ! I've had the most fun looking for statistical songs. What I did was to boot up YouTube and search on "statistical songs". This throws up some really good songs. Best Wishes, Martin P. Holt ________________________________ From: John Bibby <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Saturday, 5 January 2013, 9:49 Subject: Statistical songs + David Rovics, "the best genuine protest folk singer since Bob Dylan" I've been in touch with David Rovics, an American political songster; our conversation turned to the need for some new songs on statistics or maths. Tom Lehrer was mentioned. This is where I dried up! I have no idea what would be suitable, nor how to guide a non-statistical songwriter to produce a good statistical song. Is anyone interested to help on this? I haven't got the foggiest idea what I am doing. (Increasingly, I find that this is my mantra in life!) I'll copy below where our conversation is so far. I'd welcome your comments. JOHN BIBBY PS: Rovics is visiting UK next June, taking in Leeds and (hopefully) York. My favourites are Israeli geography and Bradley Manning ====== Copy of conversation so far. DR= David Rovics JB=John Bibby DR: >>>>> wow, how to make statistics interesting! looks like a good conference. do you ever listen to that bbc show about statistics, i think it's called 'more or less'? ..... >>> please do send those statistics-related song ideas, i'd love to explore that! what's the most essential thing for a song is a good idea and a good hook line for it. JB: >> How much of a hook is best e.g. 1. "We're Normal" - a play on the Normal curve and its repressive uses e.g. in eugenics. Perhaps a touch of John Cleese + Ronny Barker + Ronny Corbett. (Google them!) 2. "i'm not just a number" - we need a new one. Not even a bar-code 3. "Statistics is the "Science of Evidence" i.e., it's not just about numbers. It's about making sensible use of what we can see and feel in the world around us. This is my personal mantra. A book is on its way (ha ha!), but a song may be quicker DR: > a song on the normal curve sounds very doable. can you point me to more info about the repressive uses of the normal curve? > > i could imagine the science of evidence concept could be a good song, too. i think i'd need lots of examples that illustrate where statistics are used to misrepresent vs. when they're used to represent reality. i think roy zimmerman or the prince myshkins could write this song better than me tho. heard of them? JB: Let me try doing it in text. 1. People say you;re normal if you're bell-shaped da di da di da 2. Stats is far more than numbers you know It's about anything you see in the wind and air around you You've got to use this data to make sense of things & test hypotheses The problem is in knowing what to look at & collect and how to look at it and to watch out for other people trying to pull wool over your eyes ..... You may leave the list at any time by sending the command SIGNOFF allstat to [log in to unmask], leaving the subject line blank. You may leave the list at any time by sending the command SIGNOFF allstat to [log in to unmask], leaving the subject line blank.