The music video for "Basket Case" by Green Day can be categorized as both a performance and narrative video. It shows the band performing in a mental institution, depicting them as patients. There is a relationship between the song lyrics, which reference being a "basket case", and the visuals of the band in the mental hospital setting. The video also aims to reflect the mood of the song through Billy Joe's expressions during close-ups. The gender roles in the video focus heavily on males, with the band members and most characters being male, while the two female nurses depicted conform to stereotypical feminine roles.
2. Which of the 3 types?
The music video for Basket Case by Green Day is of both Performance and
Narrative.
The music video shows the band playing instruments and singing which
conforms to stereotypical performance videos.
However, it could also be argued that the video depicts a narrative storyline
because the we see the band not just performing in a regular studio which we
might first expect, but in a mental institution where the band specifically act
as patients in the building.
3. 3 key features used
There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals.
The band are in the location of a mental institution as the title of the song
suggests they are ‘basket cases’. Other lyrics reinforcing this nature
include ‘sometimes my mind plays tricks on me’ and ‘am I just paranoid?’.
There is a relationship between music and visuals.
The sound of the electric guitar resonates across the whole record,
particularly at the start where it is present only alongside Billy Joe’s lead
vocals.
The demands of the record label will include the need for lots
of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs
which recur across their work. During numerous close-ups,
Billy Joe’s expression will reflect the mood of being in a mental
institution, helping the audience to gain an understanding of
the situation and tone.
4. 5 ways to analyse music videos
• Thought Beats – The structure of the song is traditional - verse-
chorus-verse. The artist’s voice can be easily recognized. The artist is
communicating the story through both the lyrics of the song and the
visuals onscreen.
• Narrative and Performance – the video has no narrative but the stars
perform in it.
• The Star Image – the artists are depicted as insane, which is a
common punk image.
• Relation to Visuals – the song is about having a panic attack and the
video amplifies this theme by taking place in a mental hospital.
• Technical Elements –The video has no dialogue or SFX after the song
begins, contrasting the visuals with sound. The editing is fast-paced,
reflecting the pace of the song and the chaos of the setting.
5. Representation of gender
In the video the balance of gender roles focuses heavily towards the
males with the band members being of one gender.
The two female characters fall within feminine stereotypes as they
are both nurses – a typical female job in a hospital. This makes the
narrative easier to understand for the audience.
On the other hand, it is clear that the males are performing the role
of the ‘doctor’ which is very stereotypical of men as they are
generally represented as being stronger than women in the media.
This video only features two women whereas around ten males are
featured. Therefore, there is a distinct gender imbalance.
