Analysis of music videos - Godwin's theory

1. Analysis of Music Videos
BASED ON GODWIN’S THEORY

2. Vance Joy - Riptide
This video is a prime example of where there is a clear relationship between the lyrics and
the visuals. The lyrics are illustrated exactly through short clips. For example, the chorus
of Lady...running down to the riptide is always expressed by a shot of a lady running away
from the camera and followed by a shot of a riptide. In an even more obvious way, the line I
wanna be your left hand man is illustrated by a shot of a person's left hand, and even if it
wasn't clear enough, with the word LEFT flashing at the bottom. There is almost a
voyeuristic treatment towards the female character, with many close-up shots of body parts
and her face - again adhering to Goodwin's theory of conventions. The visual setting of the
video seems to be of the 1970s, with the era's costume and makeup and the mise-en-scène
including objects from the 1970s (like Camel cigarettes). Although the video does not
display or promote the artist himself, the visuals illustrate the narrative in a quirky,
fragmented way. This works well the indie folk genre of this song, the artist's style and the
fact that the artist has explained the lyrics were a 'stream of conciousness'. Despite the
video being visually simple, it is still challenges the conventions of indie music usually
having a clear narrative story, making the audience come back for multiple views in case
they missed something.

3. Hozier – Take me to church
In Hozier's most famous single and emotionally powerful music video, the lyrics are amplified through
the visuals - enhancing the concept of the music whilst still retaining a link to the lyrics. For a music
video to have a social and almost political meaning behind a current and important issue (that not a lot
of popular media texts discuss openly) is quite bold for an up-and-coming artist. Although the lyrics can
take an interpretation from any relationship, the video focuses on the issue surrounding homosexuality
in traditional (with references to religious institutions) and modern contexts (as seen in the fourth image
of protests occurring in Russia about their stance against homosexuality). The first image demonstrates
that even though the feeling of isolation and abuse towards homosexuality still exists (the imagery of the
couple behind a barred fence in the foreground), nothing can interrupt a relationship between two
people. This is reinforced through the next image of them sharing a passionate kiss along with the
words amen, amen, amen. The obvious religious links made in the lyrics are not literally illustrated
through the video, instead connotations about religion's negative attitudes towards homosexuality and
the existence of homophobia are shown through the hooded gang. The chorus I'll tell you my sins, so
you can sharpen your knife are amplified through the shots where the gang are gathering to find this
couple, preparing to 'sharpen their knives' in order to cleanse the 'sin' of homosexuality in the church's
eyes. Perhaps the grayscale effect throughout the whole video implies that homophobia should not be
an issue anymore; it is an old, outdated view on what freedom there should be in relationships.

4. Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Can’t stop
This music video is in complete disjuncture to the lyrics - where the band do
unusual and abstract actions throughout the video, such as balancing bottles,
talking through tubes, singing in bins etc. The video intentionally ignores the
content of the lyrics and contrasts it with abstract imagery. With many
jumpcuts and a non-existent narrative, the video can be typical of the Rock
genre where artists and directors tend to be more experimental. Perhaps the
reason why music video directors choose to use disjuncture is to attract
attention and create hype - the weird visuals will intrigue the viewer,
spreading the word and attracting a wider audience. Although this does not
occur very often in the creation of music videos, it can still attract and interest
the viewer if done properly.

5. Sam Smith – I know I’m not the only one
Goodwin identified many key features of music videos, distinguishing it as a different
form to other media. This music video creates a relationship between the lyrics and the
visuals, amplifying the story of an unstable relationship in the lyrics through the visual
narrative. This is clearly shown at 3.24, where the lyric You say I'm crazy, but you don't
think I know what you've done is illustrated by the shot of the woman reacting in a
crazy way by drunkenly burning the man's clothes. However, her actions make sense
when the lyric you don't think I know what you've done implies an act of infidelity,
which is again amplified when video crosscuts to the man cheating on his
wife. Furthermore, the emotional imagery of the woman, for example at 1.21 and 1.36,
parallels the emotional, soulful style and lyrics of the proof's in the way it hurts and
denying every tear respectively. The video contrasts shots of the married couple and the
man and his mistress - recreating the same types of shots in different situations. The
audience can clearly make links from the visual to the themes of the lyrics, such as guilt,
fidelity and love/lust.

6. Continued…
Also, the genre of this music is a mixture of R&B, Soul and Pop. This adhere's to
Goodwin's theory of genre being complex and diverse in its style. The music video is
very narrative driven and set with a traditional lifestyle (the housewife, the big house,
the 1950 costume/makeup) - not typical to the Pop genre which focusses its style on
jumpcuts and current, modern settings. The iconography of the music video adheres
to the genre's conventions. For example, at 1.51 the artist, Sam Smith, is seen singing
with a retro microphone and red showtime curtains in the background - typical of the
R&B and Soul genre.
The music video has a voyeuristic style to it. The actors and the artist hardly look
directly to the camera, adhering to the voyeuristic feeling of the
audience looking onto and watching the actors. This helps to enhance the emotional
connection between the characters and between the audience and the music, which
again reinforces the genre of the music.