1. According to Goodwin’s Techniques
Music Video Research
By Hanan Mohamed 13KMH
RAMBLING MAN
- LAURA MARLING

2. Genre Characteristics
 Both the narrative actor’s expression as well as
Marling’s are either blank or appear to be deep in
thought. This is seen in Calgary, Boy With A Coin
and other folk videos indicating the actor and
singer’s introspection.
 The inclusion of nature is another common folk
rock characteristic – in Bon Iver’s ‘Calgary’ a
couple climb up through the earth from swamps
through soil and here a man is walking through
the dirt and pebbles barefoot. It’s folk rock music,
often relating to history and or the country side
and so it’s natural that nature would have a large
part to play in music videos. The main setting is
natural, on a beach with rocks and sand and sea.
 Costume is quite simplistic, casual everyday with
the man’s beanie hat. Make up on Marling is
simplistic, no bright colours just a quiet lipstick
and mascara – this shows the emphasis here in
folk rock is not glamour but the mundane, the
complexity of every day life.

3. Relationship between Lyrics and Visuals
 ‘But give me to a rambling man’ and
the screen shows a man walking in
his beanie on the beach, on
rambles and then later into the sea
in his trunks – the lyrics following
the visuals and so being illustrative.
 ‘let it always be known that I was
who I am’ – at this point the man
dives into the sea, and here the
lyrics amplify as if he is making a
dive for freedom, he is making a
choice and is autonomous and he is
who is: therefore ‘I was who I am’.
This is a dive, a plea for
individuality and the freedom to
choose who you want to be –
freedom in the great outdoors, the
great unknown.

4. Relationship between Music and
Visuals
 The music has a fairly steady
‘one two’ beat against which
the visuals keep in time fairly
easily, the birds flying and the
waves lapping with the man’s
swimming edited in time with
the music.
 The music being in time to the
visuals helped amplify it e.g.
The speed increasing nearer
during the middle and near to
the end when the man finally
took a leap for freedom into
the sea, creating more action
within the video.

5. Demands of the Record Label
 Many, many close ups of Marling’s face which
has been made up with make up and it cuts
between her and the man throughout. Her
hair is a subdued red this time, and her look
seems to change with every music video.
 However for this reason make up has paid
attention to her face – her hair is styled in
waves and loose curls to hang around her
face with a breeze, possibly manufactured.
She’s wearing noticeable although still simple
classic make up, black mascara and a darker
shade of lipstick. This really sells Marling as an
artist as the constant focus on her face makes
her face much more memorable and likely to
be remembered and recognised by the
public. She becomes a brand in and of herself.
 Wearing fur, earrings and make up make her a
stark contrast to the very simple life of the
man . Although the style and fur all makes her
look very middle class, because she has
chosen to downplay it in her stark
surroundings make the man’s costume even
more simple – showcasing his humility and
simple lifestyle.

6. Notions of Looking
Voyeuristic Treatment
of the Female Body
 There was a reference to the notions
of looking in the beginning when the
man regards himself in the mirror –
once again showing self awareness
in a music video (see Boy With A
Coin). He is looking at himself as
others might see him via the mirror,
as he really is instead of his own
imagined perception of himself.
 There is no voyeuristic treatment of
the female body within this video as
the only female is Marling whose
close ups are all on her face, and the
man’s skin is bared in a non sexual
manner. When he walks barefoot on
the rocky beach and when he dives
into the sea etc; the camera treats
all of his actions then as very matter
of fact, doing an everyday thing
instead of treating it as stolen
glimpses.