Music video analysis

Andrew Goodwin’s 7 key ideas
• Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos,
dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).
• There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images.
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
• There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual
reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
• 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 (a visual style).
• There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages,
etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
• The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a visual style)
• There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc).

Babies by Pulp
The song ”Babies” is by the English britpop band the
Pulp, who are also identified as alternative rock and
indie music.
This video clearly identifies itself as a promo video with
the use of the definition of a promo at the beginning of
the video.

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance
routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop)
It is typical of alternative rock music videos of this time to perform in
front of a white back ground or in just a room shown by Blurs the
“Universal” or Ocean colour scenes ”hundred mile high city”. Whilst the
band are shown in front of this background they will most commonly
dance along to the music as a performance, this is shown by Jarvis
Cockers famous dancing throughout most Pulps videos and stage
performances. Or close up shots are commonly used and the members
give deadpan stares into the camera, Pulp use this throughout this
video with Cocker looking straight into the camera as singing the song..
Another music video convention of this genre is to use cuts to things that
may be relevant or not. In “Babies” throughout it cuts to two girls which
may have reference or may not as sometimes it fits in but sometimes it
doesn't. This is shown “Hundred mile high city” when it cuts to the band
sat in the car to fit in with the video.
This music video is very illustrative as its simple and just shows the band
performing the song mixed with clips of a narative.

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images. (either
illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
Babies is set out as a straight performance of the song from the band
against the white background with Cocker dancing. The song is about
Jarvis fancying a younger girl but sleeps with her sister then he later
admits to the younger girl that he originally fancied her after spying
on them both multiple times.
These lyrics aren't reflected in the music video much as it most
commonly shows the band with the white background. However, it
does reference the song when it shows the two girls who are sat on a
bed for example when referencing each sister it show which is which
and then references as to the younger sisters boyfriend and other
references.
This follows Steve Archers theory that there needs to be a strong and
coherent relationship between the narrative and the performance
and this is shown with the lyrics being replicated by the two girls.

There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that
of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
The close-ups of Jarvis Cocker in the
video immediately identify him as the
lead singer of the band, also that he is
stood in front of everyone else in the
band. The cuts to the sisters also
identify them as a reference to the
song and the story of the song. The
editing is very fluent and doesn’t
seem out of place making the song
flow very well.

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 (a visual style).
As I've mentioned in the video, Cocker does look at the camera with a
dead pan stare commonly this gives video a more personal feel as if the
lead singer is singing straight to the person listening. However Jarvis
Cocker is famous for another performance of his dancing in the music
videos and also live performances it turned into a Morrissey style
dancing of more of a performance that people liked so this is
commonly done during many of his performances. So the record label
may demand this i=or he did it himself and developed a motif.

The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a visual style)
A visual style of pulps work is with their dress sense all the men in the band will commonly wear
suits with or without ties. Whereas the only female in the band the keyboardist just wears more
casual clothing not a suit. This makes it do the band looks smarter and all have a certain style. The
band would even wear this suit style during their live performances.
Another visual style they include is a slight ‘hazey’ look this can be seen in ‘Babies’, ‘Disco 2000’ also
‘mis-shapes’. This gives it a look as if it may be a dream or something heavenly and surreal. This is a
theme that remains in many of the music videos done by Pulp.

There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc).
In this song/music video there aren't any intertextual references as the
lyrics come from Jarvis Cocker and don’t contain any references also
the music video doesn’t contain any as they wanted to keep the music
video simple with it being filmed in a former bomb shelter.

The Universal by Blur
This song ‘The
Universal” is from
the British britpop
indie band ’Blur’.
Released on 13th
November 1995.
From Blur’s fourth
album, the Great
Escape.

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos,
dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).
This music video doesn’t really go with with the
conventions of this genre at all. This is because it
reenacts a film which is already known for being odd. So
this music video is passed off as odd and not usual
music video, which it isn't. It goes against these
conventions of the britpop/indie-rock genres which are
shown in Babies by Pulp. But it does follow the genre
convention of performing on a stage to a crowd that is
shown in multiple alternative rock music videos.
However when it sways away from the reenactment of
scenes it does start to become more of a convention
with the band performing in front of a white
background all together with Albarn the lead singer in
the front staring into the camera singing. Also it does
cut to different parts of people looking at the sphere
speaker and Mr Red. With these in place it starts to
follow the normal conventions of showing the band
performing to then cutting to other small parts of the
video.

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images. (either
illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
Within this song the lyrics aren't really represented within the song at all. It
is more contradicting that it is a storyline that doesn’t have much to do with
the lyrics of the song apart from the band stood on a stage performing the
song to a bar.
However some of the lyrics are slightly acted out by the lead singer Damon
Albarn this is done by hand actions in which he does them to certain lyrics
where it is available.
For example in the images to the right he is using hand actions to imitate
the lyrics which are “just let them go” so he is imitating dropping something.
This makes the video better to understand due to his hand actions.
This music video is a mixture of illustrative as it shows the band performing
along to the song on a stage but it is also disjuncture as some parts don’t
have have much to do with the lyrics for example the part with Mr Red.
A main part in which the visuals mix with the lyrics is when the lyrics quote
“welcome to the next century” this mixes with the visuals as the set and the
clothing does look futuristic even today when the song was released in
1995. The use of white makes it look very contemporary.

Within 8 seconds of the start of the music video diegetic
sound is used in a way that when the speaker is plugged in
the music starts to play. This makes it so the audience can
understand where to the sound is coming from help slightly
understand the music video.
Where as at 36 seconds in a second piece of visuals shows
the true source of the sound with diegetic. This is by
showing the Blur performing on a stage.
But throughout the music video the music and the visuals
are very illustrative with the video showing where the
music is actually coming from rather than a disjuncture
video that wouldn’t show the band or speakers.

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 (a visual style).
This music video by Blur doesn’t go by its usual
style of music video with there band
acting/performing with a lot of grandeur of
dancing and messing around. Also the stand or
props can be large or important. However, in this
video they’re very dreary and don’t act in their
usual way. It has become common even since
they first formed that Damon Albarn would go
made to the music, but this isn’t seen in this
video.
However, in other music music videos they do
still adopt this look of being miserable or
annoyed at something. For example this is used
in the music video for coffee and tv in which they
all again adopt this deadpan look.

There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and
particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
The main place in which we see the voyeuristic treatment
of the female body/female is when a woman is
surrounded by four men and is evidently portrayed as a
sexual object that all these males are surrounding this
one girl. The mise-en-scene is used by her wearing red
which is identified as the colour of lust and this is
supported by that she has multiple men around her. But
it is also shown by how Damon Albarn looks at her
frequently with his crooked smile.
Also the band performs on a stage through out the music
video which is in a bar with the people sat in the bar
occasionally looking at them but not paying lots of
attention. This is the main place the band stay apart from
being on the sofa but whilst performing the song they are
constantly stood on the stage.

The only things that really occurs throughout Blurs music videos is that
the only person who moves or dances is typically Damon Albarn. This is
slightly preserved in this music video with Albarns hand movements
but apart from this there isn't any sign of him doing his usual dancing
or ’going mad’. This shows that this music video doesn’t have any of
Blur’s usual motifs or iconography that would appear in their videos.

This song is easily identified as
referencing Stanley Kubrick’s film
”A Clockwork Orange’. This is
mainly done by shot by shot
recreation or reenactment of
certain parts. The music videos
does the opening scenes of the
film in the milk bar. With Damon
Albarn playing the main character.
This is identifiable through his
wearing of eye liner.
Occasionally Albarn will give a
crooked smile to imitate Alex
DeLarge.
This style is completely different to
Blur’s usual music video style as
they usually are very energetic and
have a lot of grandeur.

Mr. Brightside by the
American band the Killers.
Released 29th September
2003 on the album Hot Fuss.
This is one of two music
videos made and is the
American wide release music
video.

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance
routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).
This band is an alternative rock band like the
other two videos I have analysed and both
of them including this have the band
performing whether on a stage or just in
front of a white background. This music
video has this as well with them stood on a
stage performing to a crowd in a burlesque
theme.
The performing on a stage is a genre
characteristic of alternative rock as it makes
the band look important and gives it less of
a story line to follow making it easier to
understand. It does also follow the genre
convention of having a small sub storyline to
follow though. This is through the story of
Brandon Flowers and the female in the
crowd.

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images.
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
This music video is similar to Blurs that there isnt a
direct story line in visuals which is linked to the lyrics
but the hand movements of Brandon Flowers are
linked with the lyrics. For example to the right the are
“taking a drag” referencing smoking a cigarette and
hes doing the hand action of doing this which helps
the audience understand the lyrics better.
Furthermore, when then song is referencing sex the
people in the audience also start to get sexual which
again acts out the lyrics in a way with the people in the
audience doing what the lyrics are quoting.
However, cuts from the band on the stage do offer a
bit of story line about a developing or already existing
love triangle including Flowers and a woman in the
audience. This is too show how flowers girlfriend is
now falling for someone else.

The music creates a tense atmosphere but also a pumped
up making the audience excited and this is reflected by
the pretend audience in the burlesque show. When the
song drops all the people in the show start to dance and
perform in a way and this is typically how the audience in
live shows of the killers act.
So the music is mainly reflected by the burlesque shows
audience with the dancing which shows the parts in
which the song becomes more tense and uplifting acting
like a cue for the audience of this music video of when it
is ’getting better’.
Also there are lots of shots throughout of the band
playing along to the music as if they’re playing it and also
Brandon Flowers.

There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors,
stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
In this music video the band are again stood on a stage just like
Blur and are performing to a pretend audience in a burlesque
show. This mean that you can clearly see who the band is.
The main place we see the voyeuristic treatment of the female
body is when they females in the audience start to dance and they
lift up there dresses. And all the men in the audience are looking
at them as if this is what they are supposed to be doing and
they’re treated like sexual objects. The voyeuristic treatment of
females is also shown when the song is describing Brandon
Flowers night with a girl and then this I acted out in a way by the
males and females but it mainly uses the male gaze and mainly
focusing on the females in this situation.
This follows Laura Mulvey’s theory that because videos are
directed by men they use a voyeuristic treatment of the female
body. This is shown in this by how the women are dressed in
stockings and lifting up their dresses.

The only iconography that the killers use is
that the band are just performing the song
this may be to a show or just to the camera.
In some of their music videos they’re playing
in the desert like in the music videos Human
and Somebody Told Me which are links back
to their hometown of Las Vegas.
Another motif that is in most of their videos
is the dress sense. The band (mainly Brandon
Flowers) dress in odd or quirky clothing
rather than typical, normal clothing. This
adds to the bands look of being quirky and
cool.

This music video highly references the film
Moulin Rouge. It’s a 2001 film directed by Baz
Lurhmann. Its based on a man that goes to Paris
to follow the Bohemian revolution and finds the
club Moulin Rouge which has burlesque shows
just like the one that is featured in the music
video.
There are also references to Snow White with a
man throwing a red apple at the girl as if to put
her to sleep with the poisoned apple like in
Snow White. However, there is also reference to
Adam and Eve with this apple that it can cause
death and destruction to the woman and
possibly the other two in the love triangle

Music video analysis

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