well well well lyrics analysis media a2 music video

1. WELL, WELL, WELL
DUFFY
Lyrics Analysis

2. About the song
“Well, Well, Well” is a song by Welsh recording
artist Duffy, from her second studio album,
Endlessly (2010). It was released as the lead and
only single from the album worldwide. The song
was both written and produced by Duffy and
Albert Hammond, with Stuart Price providing co-
production.
It is an up-tempo pop song in which Duffy
questions her lover’s accusations, with Duffy
calling it a song about “desire for freedom”
within a relationship.

3. Intro
Well well well
Well well well
Well well well
Well well well
◦ The introduction is the word “Well” repeated
12 times. The word seems to come across in
an accusing manner, almost as if Duffy is
asking ”Well what do you have to say for
yourself?”
◦ However this isn’t made clear until you listen
to the rest of the lyrics, as the phrase is
repeated after she explains the situation that
she is in.
◦ I think that this part of the song would be
good for lip syncing with cut away sections to
the narrative set up. This way the audience is
introduced to the artist and start to gain
interest in the narrative.

4. Verse 1
Highly suspicious, where was I last night
Seek and you shall find
And it goes in my mind
You make me draw the line
I didn't commit any crime
◦ This is when Duffy starts to the reason for her
accusative tone in the introduction.
◦ It shows how her partner is always questioning what
she is doing as shown from the word “suspicious”
followed by a question, which she tells them to just
look and you’ll find out the truth. She talks about
how he plays with her mind and she cant take
anymore because she hasn’t done anything wrong.
◦ The word “crime” is usually used when someone has
broke a legal law, but in this case Duffy is being
accused of breaking a moral value of the society, of
cheating.
◦ I think that I would try and incorporate lip-syncing
or the lyrics into the narrative and play out the
story, making sure that the audience has a clear
idea about what is going on.

5. Pre-Hook
I'm not guilty of what
you're saying and I do
I'm not guilty of what
you're saying and I do
◦ In the pre-hook it is clear that Duffy is
standing up for herself by telling her partner
that she isn't the criminal they think she is, as
shown by the words “not guilty”.
◦ She repeats these words now and through
out the rest of the song, attempting to get
the message across.
◦ I think that as the same lyrics are repeated I
will use a combination of lip-syncing and
narrative to play out the situation. This will
help to keep the typical elements of a pop
video and the continuation of the narrative

6. Hook/Chorus
Well well well
Why you giving me the third degree?
Why you giving me the third degree?
When I'm not guilty
Of what you're saying I do
I'm not guilty
Of what you're saying I do
◦ Once again Duffy has repeated the lyrics “well well
well”. This sets up the lyrics for following question.
◦ “the third degree” is euphemism for torcher
(inflicting pain, physical or mental to gain a
confession of guilt.) This highlights the pain that
she is in due to her relationship.
◦ “you’re saying I do” suggests that it’s them who is
imposing these accusations on her, and she hasn’t
given him any reason for this.
◦ As this is the hook/chorus this part of the music
video is the most up beat and interesting to listen
to. I think that this needs to reflected in the music
video.

7. Verse 2
I'm not that cagey
But I don't need to explain
There's nothing to blame
You'll only drive me away
There's so many questions every day
You make me go insane
◦ In this verse Duffy is trying to say that if they
keep accusing her of cheating, then they’re
only going to drive her away. All of the
questions are making her go crazy and she
cant take anymore. She is also saying that
she isn’t normally reluctant to give out
information, but in this case she doesn’t fell
that she needs to explain herself when she
has not done anything wrong.
◦ As with the first verse I would like to try and
incorporate lip-syncing with the narrative as it
will help to tell the story. Helping the
audience visualise the situation.

8. Bridge
Well well well
Well well well
Well well well
◦ The bridge helps the audience to
understand the reason behind her
accusative one at the start because it has
now become clear that she has a reason for
it.
◦ It also links in with the chorus that she has
been kept in all this pain for no reason, and
now he need to explain his reason for it.

9. Outro
I'm not guilty of what you're saying I do
You know
I'm not guilty of what you're saying I do
Why you giving me the third degree
Why you giving me the third degree
Why you giving me the third degree
Why you giving me the third degree
Well well well
◦ Once again Duffy is talking about how she
isn’t guilty and that she really shouldn't be
kept in this amount of pain and torcher. At
the end she then repeats the “well well well”,
finishing the same way the song started,
wanting them to explain why she is being of
being unfaithful.
◦ This shows how the song explains Duffy’s
reason for the accusing tone in her voice at
the start.
◦ When the video is complete, I think the video
should end the same why it starts, as this is
how the song works.