# Can rythym people tell me the clap on this **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 5, 2020, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852 "2020-09-05T01:08:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/1 "2020-09-05T01:08:19Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QRuCPS_-_IA/maxresdefault.jpg "John Denver - Thank God I'm A Country Boy (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRuCPS_-_IA) The whole clap on the 1,3 versus clap on the 2,4 for the first 30 seconds? Having a debate with friends. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/2 "2020-09-05T01:12:09Z")
Whatever it is, they’re clapping for _you._ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/3 "2020-09-05T01:16:19Z")
That’s definitely a crowd clapping on the 2 and the 4, which is impressive since white folks are notorious for clapping on the 1 and 3. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/4 "2020-09-05T01:32:02Z")
Okay I really hope you are right. Because that’s what I was thinking. I am a fair bit beyond drunk at this point. I was trying to illustrate to a couple Europeans the difference between "white people"clap and “black people” clap and thought John Denver was a safe “white people” clap song. So I googled that and was surprised to find a 2,4 clap song . But some jackass was trying to convince me that was 1,3 , which I cannot follow. Thanks, ETA: I did notice that it faded fast. when the singing ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/5 "2020-09-05T02:13:51Z")
If you listen closely, Denver is stomping his foot (or maybe it’s the kick drum) on beats 1 and 3, with clapping on 2 and 4. And actually, it’s “cut time,” so it’s kick on beat 1, clap on beat 2 and repeat. If you try to count it as 4, the timing is off. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/6 "2020-09-05T06:12:26Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y_UzuXY4ZeY/hqdefault.jpg "Can't Spell Rhythm - Dave & The Dynamos (1984)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_UzuXY4ZeY) ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/7 "2020-09-05T07:14:27Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lbdEzRfbeH4/maxresdefault.jpg "Unsquare Dance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbdEzRfbeH4) Hint: one TWO three FOUR five SIX SEVEN… ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/8 "2020-09-07T22:15:47Z")
As implied I’m not a rhythm person. Can you explain “cut time” in more detail please. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/9 "2020-09-07T23:06:10Z")
“Cut time” is 4/4 time, cut in half (so it’s 2/2). 4/4 means 4 beats to a measure and a quarter note (1/4 note) gets a count 2/2 means 2 beats to a measure and a half note gets a count (or beat) So, essentially, it’s cut time or there is another term but I’ve forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/10 "2020-09-07T23:14:25Z")
I guess that’s what I thought, but I am having trouble placing it in relation to Burpo’s post. There is a 2-4 beat clapping, but also with a foot beat on the 1-3, but it’s really a 2-2 anyway , so there are really 2 upbeats on every single beat in the song? ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/11 "2020-09-08T00:31:57Z")
Best post of the day! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/12 "2020-09-08T00:37:40Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > Best post of the day!  Agreed!! ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-rythym-people-tell-me-the-clap-on-this/919852/13 "2020-09-11T16:44:19Z")
Alla Breve