2. Released as Who You Are’s second
single, “Price Tag” was a huge
commercial success, topping the Ireland,
New Zealand, and the UK charts (her first
#1 in all these countries).
The song is about making music because
you want to, not just for the sales and
pleasing the people around you. Jessie
references this when she says that she
writes about her life, and as this song was
written at the start of her career, when she
first came to America, it reflects her views
on her career sort of as a first impression
of the lifestyle.
3. The introduction of the song refers to people
who helped Jessie J compose the song:
-“Coconut Man” (Lukasz Gottwald)
-“Moonhead” (Claude Kelly)
- ‘Pea’ (Jessie J)
These nick names were used to reinforce the
significance of the composers as well as their
sense of human and relationship.
Intro: Jessie J
‘Okay, Coconut Man, Moonhead and Pea
You ready?’
‘Seems like everybody's got a price, I wonder how they sleep at night
When the sale comes first and the truth comes second
Just stop, for a minute and, smile
Why is everybody so serious, acting so damn mysterious
Got your shades on your eyes and your heels so high
That you can't even have a good time’
Verse I directly introduces the audience to the topic of the song. She suggests that
people in today’s society became much more materialistic. The fact that she has related
it to sleeping suggests she is surprised how excessive consumerism became people’s
priority, leading it even to suffering insomnia. The idea of consumerism is supported
through the second line which suggests that money have more value than honesty. The
artist is trying to reflect on this and suggest people should stop and enjoy themselves for
a while. This idea is strongly reflected through the performance of the artist as well as
the lip-syncing, allowing the message to be emphasised even further. Her body
language is significantly working along the lyrics and props. This can be seen on the left
with the screenshots representing Jessie J holding a price tag, while her stylisation
demonstrates clear link to high hills being chained together, reinforcing the idea of
people risking to ‘drop’ as they are seen as being high.
4. ‘Everybody look to their left
Everybody look to their right
Can you feel that? Yeah
We're paying with love tonight’
Jessie’s talking to her audience at a concert: look around at each
other, and feel the music and the love. There’s nothing but positivity
here! For once you don’t have to focus on materialistic things like
clothes and you can just enjoy yourself. This verse significantly
reflects this idea as she is directing it to the audience, making them
more engaged with the song.
‘It's not about the money, money, money
We don't need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance
Forget about the price tag
Ain't about the, uh, cha-ching cha-ching
Ain't about the, yeah, ba-bling ba-bling
Wanna make the world dance
Forget about the Price Tag’.
The chorus of the song shows relation to the music industry which is currently all
about the money due to high production expectations. This is something Jessie J does
not agree with. Her song is directed to the audience saying that music is about having
good time, laughing and ‘making the world dance’. We should stop focusing on
material things and enjoy our lives. This is supported through the hybrid of
performance and the narrative which is emphasising the significance of the lyrics. The
use of props such as money tree, music box - representing expense but also gold
rings and gestures symbolising money allows to visually see the subject of the lyrics.
5. ‘We need to take it back in time
When music made us all unite
And it wasn't low blows and video hoes
Am I the only one getting tired?
Why is everybody so obsessed
Money can't buy us happiness
Can we all slow down and enjoy right now?
Guarantee we'll be feeling alright’
The music box is used as a tool of taking it back
in time. The first two lines strongly suggest that
music used to be much more before than
money, business. It was something that united
everyone together, spending time dancing and
singing. She contrasts this with modern,
mainstream music which presents clear
sexualisation of woman. This can be supported
through the hybrid of Jessie J and other girls
who have exposing and sexual stylisations. The
fact she uses questions within the texts, again
engages the audience, causing stronger
reaction and thought. However, she also
questions herself making her thoughts even
stronger. She encourages people to slow down
and find the happiness as it doesn’t cost
anything. The use of puppets stylisations
suggests we are attached and dependant on
money and we are lacking free, fulfilling time
with people who we care about. The puppets
can be considered as a symbol representing the
consumption and materialism in today’s society.
After the chorus the rapper B.oB starts his collaboration with Jessie J. The hybrid is
continently changing between the artists to emphasise their cooperation and
introduce the new artist. This is effective as it’s emphasised by the beat.
6. ‘Well, keep the price tag, and take the cash back
Just give me six strings and a half stack
And you can keep the cars, leave me the garage
And all I.. Yes all I need are keys and guitars
And it's within 30 seconds I'm leaving to Mars
Yeah we leaping across these undefeatable odds
It's like this man, you can't put a price on a life
We do this for the love so we fight and sacrifice
every night
So we ain't gon stumble and fall, never
Waiting to see this in the sign of defeat, uh uh
So we gon keep everyone moving their feet
So bring back the beat and then everyone sing’
The first few lines of the lyrics performed by B.o.B suggest that people should keep all the materialistic stuff they already consumed.
Directing it at himself he states to leave him a guitar and a garage. This can be automatically treated as a symbol and link to youth
dreams where the music becomes the most important part of your life. This can be supported through the garage which is often seen as
a first place where artist practise their first tunes.
‘And all I.. Yes all I need are keys and guitars. And it's within 30 seconds I'm leaving to Mars’ underlines the reference to the band
30 Seconds To Mars. Flying away to another planet is recurrent theme in B.O.B.’s songs throughout his entire carrier, since The
Adventures of Bobby Ray up to Strange Clouds (“Fly Away”, “Satellite”, etc). He is saying that with only “keys” (piano) and a guitar, he
can take you on a trip (metaphor for what his music does) to another planet.
The next line ‘leaping across these undefeatable odds’ suggests that unsigned artist have little or no chance of breaking into the
music industry. The next few lines within the verse suggest that you get only one life, and the best things aren’t for sale. This can be
seen as B.oB ‘s personal opinion as he creates an image of a person who does not rap for the money. He raps because it’s something
he loves, He wants to engage with the viewer. This can be supported through his body language full of expressions, but also hand
gestures and direct eye contact. His performance is combined with the props reinforcing the message he is trying to pass on. You can
see that he is full of passion and engagement which he is aiming at the audience. ‘So we ain’t gon stumble and fall, never... So
bring back the beat and then everyone sing’ strongly supports this idea.
9. The title ‘Firework’ is directed at the audience, specifically anyone who’s ever felt worthless or unloved. Katy Perry has
been significantly inspired to write this song after reading a paragraph of a novel titled ‘On the Road’ by Jack Kerouac.
During one of the interviews she said ‘’ Everybody’s taking a chance … everybody’s doing something really
positive and good and moving forward and being a better version of [themselves]. And that’s when they turn
into the firework.’’ I think the intended message behind the title is very strong and can be interpreted in many ways.
The first verse refers to people who are feeling
worthless, surrounded by various problems. The
metaphor of feeling ‘so paper thin’ or feeling like a
‘plastic bag’ reinforces this idea even further. The
fact that Katy Perry is referring to the wind
suggests a sense of relief and setting free. As the
song continues the use of metaphor of house
made out of cards builds up significance of feeling
broken and unhappy. This is visualised through
the kids characters who are exposed to parental
argument. The hand gesture of the girl and
miserable facial expression which can be seen on
the screenshot above reinforces that even further,
creating strong reaction within the audience.
The second part of verse one suggests that you end up keep
trying to tell somebody what’s happening, but no one is listening.
No one cares about your problems and what cause it has on you.
There is simply no one you can lean on or talk to. However, Katy
Perry suggests that there is still a flickering flame, a chance you
can become a wildfire, you just have to find it and let it up. The
use of a question at the end of verse one, allows to engage the
audience, making them believe there is still hope. The use of
word ‘you’ is effective as it strongly attracts the audience, making
them feel more engaged and sympathetic.
10. The pre-hook of the song engages the people to believe in
themselves, in order to find the power to make a change.
The phrase ‘ignite the light’ refers to finding that inner
beauty and power in order to let everyone know who you
are and stop living in the shadows of others. She engages
the characters within the video to let your personality and
character out. This idea is supported visually as the pre-
hook is based around Katy Perry where is gains the power
to ignite her own light. This is showed through various
angles and close up in order to build up the significance of
the lyrics. This is then followed through other character’s
narrative where the older brother find the power of ‘light’ to
stop parental argument and give relief and sense of security
to his little sister. The scene is then moved on to a dying girl
who sees the firework from the windows of a hospital
creating a sense of hope and mental and physical fight.
11. The verse two suggests that you shouldn’t feel worthless and
have nothing to offer to the world. You are one-of-a-kind. There
is no one else in the world as everyone is unique and original.
You have great worth, simply by being you. This approach is
emphasised through close up shots of Katy Perry lip-syncing.
The emotive facial expressions reinforce that message even
more. The phrase ‘’the doors are closed’’ suggests that you
might have nowhere to go because you haven’t found the door
yet which leads you to the perfect path. However, you will know
when the right time comes and then you will realise. This idea is
then supported through the characters. A young women who
didn’t feel comfortable in her own skin then exposes her body at
the party like everyone else. The embracement and low
confidence is gone. Similarly to the other character who stands
up to find a company at a club, after he’s been cautious and
separated from everyone else. These narratives emphasised
the lyrics, suggesting that the right time comes for everyone and
although it’s hidden inside you it will eventually come out.
12. The final bridge and the hook are used to empathize the turn of
events of all the characters found within the video reinforcing the
idea of a hybrid, particularly the narrative. This is really effective as
it reinforces the message of the song. The turn of events can be
seen through the screen shots on the side where their beauty,
confidence and hope for better is exposed. The reference to the
moon suggests that your vivid beauty will even outshine the light
of the moon. This is also supported through the various use of
word ‘boom’ towards the end of the song to underline the
significance of the ‘firework’ metaphor. It shows that when other
people tell you that you cant do something, don’t listen. Show
them what your capable of as everyone has the potential within
them selves. It is all about showing them your real you.
13. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the lyric analysis clearly showed me how important it is to understand
the text you are willing to show. Both music videos successfully showed me how to
combine the narrative and performance together, creating a hybrid but also how to
compose it well along with the lyrics. The fact that the artists used props, mise-en-
scene and body language full of gestures to reflect the symbolism and meaning, gave
it more natural and engaging feeling for the audience, allowing the visualisation to
become much stronger and more powerful. I think both of the videos had a strong
message to pass on the use of characters, props and locations emphasised it even
further.
Overall, I found this task very useful as it demonstrates how much words within the
lyrics can change the visualisation. At the same time I think this task showed me the
importance of lyrics and how it can change the concept or a narrative of a music
video. This is something I will definitely take into consideration during construction of
my music video. As a director I will take into account all these aspects as I believe it
will change our thoughts and conceptual ideas.
