Artist: Pixies
Song: Where Is My Mind
Genre: Alternative Rock
Length: 3:50 mins approx
Lyrics:
Ooh - stop
With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse
But there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself
Where is my mind? [3x]
Way out in the water
See it swimmin'
I was swimmin' in the Caribbean
Animals were hiding behind the rocks
Except the little fish
But they told me, he swears
Tryin' to talk to me, to me, to me.
Where is my mind? [3x]
Way out in the water
See it swimmin'
With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeh
Your head will collapse
If there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself
Where is my mind? [3x]
Way out in the water
See it swimmin'
Oh
With your feet on the air and your head on the ground
Oh
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Oh
Oh
A2 Media
Wednesday, 4 September 2013
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
Sunday, 1 September 2013
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.
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.
Textual Analysis of Music Videos
Name of track:
Bad Romance
Artist:
Lady Gaga
Genre Characteristics:
Pop, electronic, bright lights, vibrant, lively, dance routines, girls, etc.
Relationship between lyrics and visuals:
"I'm a free bitch, baby" is expressed in visuals as Gaga burns the man who is trying to "purchase" her.
Relationship between music and visuals:
A dance is choreographed to coincide with the beat of the song.
Are there any close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
Some close-ups:
As the first hook of the song begins, a group of female dancers crawl out of white, coffin-like pods. The centre pod has "Monster" written on it, referring to the "Fame Monster" track, Gaga's "Mother Monster" status and the name given to her fanbase, "Little Monsters." As Gaga emerges, a sign reading "Bath Haus of Gaga" appears, illustrating her creative production team "Haus of Gaga", modelled on Andy Warhol's Factory, and the setting of the video, the bathhouse.
Is there reference to the notion of looking?
Gaga is scantily-clad throughout the video as she has to effectively "sell herself" to the men, and therefore has to dress as an object of their desire.
Are there intertextual references?
Gaga's choreography from "Bad Romance" drew comparisons to the choreography to Michael Jackson's Thriller. The white latex suits in the video were inspired by the wolf costume from the film "Where The Wild Things Are", and Gaga also wore designer Alexander McQueen's famous "Alien" shoes.
Is the video performance, narrative or concept based?
Gaga lip-syncs throughout the video, therefore there are elements of performance, but the video is mainly concept-based. The main idea behind the video is that of Gaga getting kidnapped by a group of supermodels who drug her and then sell her off to the Russian mafia. When the chorus of the song begins, two women pull Gaga out of the bathtub, rip her clothes off and force her to drink a glass of vodka. As the second verse begins, Gaga seductively dances for a group of men bidding for her. After performing a lap dance for one of the men, he raises his bid and becomes the highest bidder for her. When the chorus is played for the third time, Gaga walks towards the man who is sitting on a bed and unbuttoning his shirt. Suddenly, the bed spontaneously combusts with the man still sitting on it and Gaga sinisterly sings in front of the flames. The video ends with her lying beside a smouldering skeleton, on top of the destroyed bed, covered in ashes.
Bad Romance
Artist:
Lady Gaga
Genre Characteristics:
Pop, electronic, bright lights, vibrant, lively, dance routines, girls, etc.
Relationship between lyrics and visuals:
"I'm a free bitch, baby" is expressed in visuals as Gaga burns the man who is trying to "purchase" her.
Relationship between music and visuals:
A dance is choreographed to coincide with the beat of the song.
Are there any close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
Some close-ups:
As the first hook of the song begins, a group of female dancers crawl out of white, coffin-like pods. The centre pod has "Monster" written on it, referring to the "Fame Monster" track, Gaga's "Mother Monster" status and the name given to her fanbase, "Little Monsters." As Gaga emerges, a sign reading "Bath Haus of Gaga" appears, illustrating her creative production team "Haus of Gaga", modelled on Andy Warhol's Factory, and the setting of the video, the bathhouse.
Is there reference to the notion of looking?
Gaga is scantily-clad throughout the video as she has to effectively "sell herself" to the men, and therefore has to dress as an object of their desire.
Are there intertextual references?
Gaga's choreography from "Bad Romance" drew comparisons to the choreography to Michael Jackson's Thriller. The white latex suits in the video were inspired by the wolf costume from the film "Where The Wild Things Are", and Gaga also wore designer Alexander McQueen's famous "Alien" shoes.
Is the video performance, narrative or concept based?
Gaga lip-syncs throughout the video, therefore there are elements of performance, but the video is mainly concept-based. The main idea behind the video is that of Gaga getting kidnapped by a group of supermodels who drug her and then sell her off to the Russian mafia. When the chorus of the song begins, two women pull Gaga out of the bathtub, rip her clothes off and force her to drink a glass of vodka. As the second verse begins, Gaga seductively dances for a group of men bidding for her. After performing a lap dance for one of the men, he raises his bid and becomes the highest bidder for her. When the chorus is played for the third time, Gaga walks towards the man who is sitting on a bed and unbuttoning his shirt. Suddenly, the bed spontaneously combusts with the man still sitting on it and Gaga sinisterly sings in front of the flames. The video ends with her lying beside a smouldering skeleton, on top of the destroyed bed, covered in ashes.
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Textual Analysis of Music Videos
Name of track:
Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?
Artist:
Arctic Monkeys
Genre Characteristics:
Alternative/Indie rock, drug abuse, relationships issues, grunge, pubs, leather jackets, etc.
Relationship between lyrics and visuals:
The video focuses on the vocalist of the band, Alex Turner, who embarks on a night-out in which he gets wasted and decides to hook up with a girl he knows, "Now it's 3 in the morning and I'm trying to change your mind." He begins to hallucinate and imagines a number of different sexual situations are happening around him, illustrating his intentions. This is shown through the shakiness of the camera and blurring of shots (the sinking of the ground as he lays down). During the song, the pair communicate via mobile phone, "Left you multiple missed calls and to my message you replied: Why'd you only call me when you're high?", and so Alex is seen messaging 'Stephanie' throughout the video.
Relationship between music and visuals:
The relatively slow tempo of the song is mirrored by the slow pace of the editing.
Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
There are several close-ups of the band's vocalist throughout the video.
Is there reference to the notion of looking?
'Stephanie' is used in all of the sexual situations and once appears naked on the back of a motorcycle. Alex is shown trying to embark on a one night stand with her.
Are there intertextual references?
Not that I am aware of.
Is the video performance, narrative or concept based?
Narrative. The video shows the band in the 'Howl at the Moon' pub in East London, having a drink. Wasted, Alex (the vocalist) sends multiple text messages to a girl called Stephanie to get a booty call, without any answer. When he leaves the pub, he walks through the city and hallucinates. Eventually he gets to the wrong house, across the street from Stephanie's, and stands outside the door. The camera shows the girl at her home, picking up the phone and deciding to ignore his texts.
Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?
Artist:
Arctic Monkeys
Genre Characteristics:
Alternative/Indie rock, drug abuse, relationships issues, grunge, pubs, leather jackets, etc.
Relationship between lyrics and visuals:
The video focuses on the vocalist of the band, Alex Turner, who embarks on a night-out in which he gets wasted and decides to hook up with a girl he knows, "Now it's 3 in the morning and I'm trying to change your mind." He begins to hallucinate and imagines a number of different sexual situations are happening around him, illustrating his intentions. This is shown through the shakiness of the camera and blurring of shots (the sinking of the ground as he lays down). During the song, the pair communicate via mobile phone, "Left you multiple missed calls and to my message you replied: Why'd you only call me when you're high?", and so Alex is seen messaging 'Stephanie' throughout the video.
Relationship between music and visuals:
The relatively slow tempo of the song is mirrored by the slow pace of the editing.
Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
There are several close-ups of the band's vocalist throughout the video.
Is there reference to the notion of looking?
'Stephanie' is used in all of the sexual situations and once appears naked on the back of a motorcycle. Alex is shown trying to embark on a one night stand with her.
Are there intertextual references?
Not that I am aware of.
Is the video performance, narrative or concept based?
Narrative. The video shows the band in the 'Howl at the Moon' pub in East London, having a drink. Wasted, Alex (the vocalist) sends multiple text messages to a girl called Stephanie to get a booty call, without any answer. When he leaves the pub, he walks through the city and hallucinates. Eventually he gets to the wrong house, across the street from Stephanie's, and stands outside the door. The camera shows the girl at her home, picking up the phone and deciding to ignore his texts.
Music Video: General Theory
- Lyrics establish a general feeling/mood/sense of subject rather than a meaning. Meaning is presented more through visuals.
- Tempo of music drives the editing.
- Genre might be reflected in types of mise-en-scene, themes, performance, camera and editing styles.
- Camerawork impacts meaning. Movement, angle and shot distance all play a part in the representation of the artist/band (close-ups dominate).
- Editing is done in fast cuts, rendering many of the images impossible to grasp on first viewing, so ensuring multiple viewing.
- Digital effects often enhance editing, which manipulates the original images to offer different kinds of pleasure for the audience.
- Intertextuality is often present. Intertextuality is the shaping of a texts' meanings by other texts. Not all audiences will spot a reference to another text, which would not significantly detract from their pleasure in the text itself, but greater pleasure might be derived by those who recognise the reference and gain a sense of fulfilment by this. It also increases the audience's engagement with, and attentiveness, to the product. Many music videos draw upon cinema. Some examples are: Madonna's "Material Girl" drew on the song sequence "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" in Howard Hawk's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". 2Pac and Dr Dre's "California Love", which referenced George Miller's "Mad Max Exhibitionism" is often present.
- Exhibitionism is the psychological need and pattern of behaviour involving the exposure of parts of the body to another person with a tendency toward an extravagant, usually at least partially sexually inspired behaviour to attract the attention of another in an open display. The apparently more powerful independent female artists of recent years have added to the complexity of the politics of looking and gender/cultural debates, by being at once sexually provocative and apparently in control of, and inviting, a sexualised gaze.
Saturday, 24 August 2013
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