Analysis of the song Flashing lights by chase & Status for my music video

1. Choppeduplyrics,whenyoufirsthearityou
don’tquite know whatitmeans,thisgivesthe
songa dark sense of mysteryallowingme toset
the dynamicand atmosphere of myfilm,usinga
combinationof mediumandestablishingshotsto
reallygeta feel of the environment
Key:
Lyrics
Annotationsandmyfilm
Lyric analysis
With the opening guitar riff my film will begin, fading in fromblack to an
establishing shot of my house, where the party will take place
Even if I toldyou
It's like I see my whole life
With the increaseof tension with the build-up to the climax of the firstdrop of
the song, I wantto replicate this sametension in my music video, I feel that
these melancholic lyrics can be given reason to be sad, when combined with
the visuals of my music video. I aim to use the scene where the boy is coming
off really nice but in actual fact he is the antagonistand he drugs her.
Even if I toldyou I know you won't believe
It's like I see my whole life
Flashing right before me
So evenif I toldyou
It's like I see my whole life
Flashing right [x34]
Now the girl has been drugged and the next scene ensues with the boy leading
her away to do something bad, I believe this can tie in with the dramatic music
and the lyrics.
Even if I toldyou I know you won't believe
It's like I see my whole life
Flashing right before me
So evenif I toldyou I know you won't believe
It's like I see my whole life
Flashing right before me
I’lluse the dissonantand distant effect of the echoing lyrics to supportthe
visuals, as when they leave the party the girl is stumbling and she finds the
These lyricsbase aroundliesand
deceit,showingthatinthe music
whenthe boydrugs herbut she
thinkshe isa goodperson,this
workswiththe lyrics ‘evenif Itold
youI know you won’tbelieve’ tiesin
withthe fact that evenif youtold
the girl the boywas badshe
wouldn’tbelieve you,allowingher
to fall intothe trap.
These lyricscan be linkedwith
death,as people have beenknown
to have memoriesof theirlifeflash
before theireyesinneardeath
experiences.Thishelpsincrease
the tensionforthe audience asthe
lyricscome intorelationwiththe
visuals,showingthatthe girl may
be comingnear to herdeath.

2. lights too bright This will support the lyrics and as the vocals become more
distant she may feel like the drug is working and she is losing more control of
the situation.
It's like I see my whole life
[x2]
So evenif I toldyou
It's like I see my whole life
Flashing right [x19]
Before me!
They now arriveat the dark, grimy and graffiti ridden walk of art, where the girl
gets jumped by the gang and the boy, who turns out to be the leader of the
gang. This leads to the girl passing out, which I’lltime with the beginning of the
second drop, the lack of music and the low tone will help create more
suspense, eventually leading to the climax of the second drop.
(Me)
So evenif I toldyou
It's like I see my whole life
It's like I see my-
Flashing right [x14]
Flashing
All these lyricsare becomingmore coldand
darker,whichalsowill helpincreasethe
tensionof the film, allowingthe audience to
reallyfeel anemotionforthe girl who’s
losingcontrol.
Withthe scene where the girl wakesupat
the lakes,surroundedby the cars which
turn on intime withthe bassbuildsof the
music,she isshownholdingherhairand
screamingasif she isgoingmad. I aimto tie
thisinwiththe repeatedlyricsthatare
gainingtension ‘flashingright’.Igotthis
ideabecause sometimes whenwordsor
activitiesare constantlyrepeateditmakes
youfeel like you’re goinginsane.Iwantto
add thiswithalsothe build-upof the music
to combine togethertomake the audience
feel asif the gradual dive intoinsanitywill
eruptintoa finale withthe final climax of
the song,in whichthe girl wakesupin a
reversedworld,where she’sthe one leading
the gang, and the boyis onthe floor.