Textual Analysis of Music Videos

Name of track: 
Sugar, We're Goin' Down

Artist:
Fall Out Boy



Genre Charactistics:
Pop punk, alternative rock, instruments, rebellion (going behind her father's back), etc.

Relationship between the lyrics and visuals:
Due to the video being concept-based, the visuals do not reflect the lyrics in the song. Although a relationship is constructed throughout the video and described within the song, the on-screen relationship and the lyrics do not match. For example, the pair in the video are forbidden to see each other because the girl's father disapproves, however in the song it seems as if the girl is already with someone else, "Oh don't mind me, I'm watching you two from the closet, wishing to be the friction in your jeans."

Relationship between the music and visuals:
There are shots of the band playing throughout, and the editing matches the quick pace of the song.

Are there any close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
Close-ups of the band members:

Is there reference to the notion of looking?
The vocalist, Patrick Stump, looks directly into the camera as he is singing, as if directly talking to the audience.

Are there intertextual references?
No that I know of.

Is the video performance, narrative or concept based?
Performance and concept-based. The video establishes the life of a socially outcast boy with antlers and his feelings for a neighborhood girl. It is made clear that the girl's father disapproves. Distraught, the boy tries to cut his antlers off, but is stopped by the girl. Later on, the father attempts to shoot the boy with an arrow, but is hit by a car. When he rushes to the man's aid, the boy finds that the father has hooves. They connect and the father accepts him, allowing him to date his daughter. Shots of the band performing in a VFW hall are featured.