Back in the 1950s, Billy Ward and His Dominoes had a minor hit with the song, “60 Minute Man.” But if this latest research is correct, Ward may have been padding his time sheet when he boasted about the time he spends between the sheets.

Perhaps you saw this article last week; if not, let me recap. Despite everything you’ve ever heard to the contrary, a recent survey of sex therapists concluded that the optimal amount of time for sexual intercourse is – are you ready? – 3 to 13 minutes.

The survey was conducted by Eric Corty, an associate professor of psychology at Penn State Erie, and student Jenay Guardiani. They surveyed 50 members of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research in the U.S. and Canada.

Their findings, to be published in the May issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, belie the notion that endurance is the key to a great sex life. In other words, when it comes to lovin,’ it’s better to be a sprinter than a marathoner. (I could continue with the track and field analogies, but you’re on your own if you want pole-vaulting gags). In any event, a gentleman should always take off his spikes.

Guys, if these new standards sound like good news to you, don't get too excited. The therapists rated intercourse that lasts from 1 to 2 minutes as "too short," and also emphasized that the 3-13 minute timeframe did not include foreplay, begging, or going to the ATM.

The Billy Ward song got me thinking about possible ramifications of this study on American popular music, and they are truly staggering. If the findings are correct, one of the major archetypes of rock ‘n’ roll stud-dom – that of the unflaggingly potent lover who can rock the Casbah for hours at a time – will mean nothing.

Also, think of all the lyrics that will have to be rewritten. Ward’s “60 Minute Man” is a perfect example. In this song the protagonist boasts of being able to make love for an hour at a stretch – a stretch that includes “15 minutes of teasin,' 15 minutes of pleasin,’ ” and another 15 minutes for a dénouement that cannot be repeated here. If the study’s right, the guy just wasted 45 minutes.

Imagine wasting 45 minutes every time you had sex; I don’t know about you but speaking for myself, that’s an hour and a half a month I could use to catch up on my filing or something.

This study seems to back up the findings of a 2005 study of 1,500 couples that found the median time for sexual intercourse was 7.3 minutes. Women in the four-week study were actually armed with stopwatches. I can speak first-hand about this survey, as my wife and I were one of the participating couples. The stopwatch was a little unnerving, but not nearly so much as the starter’s pistol.