2. Genre of the song
It is a combination of R’n’B and Ballad.
A slow-jam song and this is indicated through
the musical instruments (guitar and piano) and a
beat that is used. It can also be shown through
the lyrics.
3. Lyrics
The lyrics are about a break-up. How the artist
(Usher) is in love but isn’t happy in the relationship
he’s in. He then ends it with the lady but soon
realises he wants her back.
When you read the lyrics its clear its not going to be
a fast-beat, happy song.
In each stanza there is, including the chorus, there
is the word ‘Burn’. This shows a clear comparison
between the song name and the lyrics. This is a
good way to make the listener remember the song
name.
4. Name of the song
When the reader reads the name of the song..
‘Burn’, it is not clear what the song is
about, whether it’s a fast or a slow song. It is
only properly understood when you hear the
tune itself and see the video.
The word ‘Burn’ is repeated throughout the
song which makes it known to the audience why
it is called that. They consider this song to be
the inner thoughts of Usher.
5. What is the song about?
This song is about a man who breaks his
girlfriends heart by breaking up with her and
then later regrets it. He feels like he is burning
without her but she isn’t coming back.
6. Shots
The music video begins with a close up shot of the artist eyes
(Usher) it then pans and cuts to the ladies eyes who he is
talking to and during this point, he is starting the song in a
spoken intro, this shows Usher is talking to the girl from his
point of view.
When he begins to talk there is flashes at the end of each
sentence. This could have been done to show the lady
blinking, so its clear for the audience to know Usher is talking
to her. During the part Usher is talking, medium shots of him
are used. It then cuts to an image of the lady so the audience
know for a fact he is talking the lady featured.
7. Burn, is the main focus of this video and it is seen in close-up
shots of his eyes where is a flame in them, we can also see this in
other various shots such as a long-shot where he’s standing next
to the car and the trees are on fire, again representing ‘Burn’.
This might have been done to show how Usher reminisces on
what him and his ex-girlfriend use to do, but then when the
flame comes it shows the love has burnt out.
8. Throughout the whole of the music video there
are many close-ups, but most of them being of
Usher to show his emotions, which helps the
audience fully understand what he is feeling.
Long and wide shots are used to show body
movement and surroundings.
9. There is a relationship between the lyrics and
the visuals; when the word ‘Burn’ is sung there
is always reference to fire whether it is just shots
of objects burning in the distance or just flames.
When he sings about the relationship he is
in, we are always shown the girl he sings about
is doing.
