Detailed analysis 2

Detailed analysis of music videos

Use the below table to help structure your notes when analysing music video. High grade responses make sustained reference to appropriate theory.

Andrew Goodwin - 7 key ideas to identify

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. Stage performances in metal videos, dance routines for boy/girl bands)

2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)

3. There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)

4. 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 (e.g. A visual style)

5. There are frequent references to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic (sexual) treatment of the female body

6. There is often intertextual references (to films, TV programmes, other music videos, etc)

7. Whether the video is primarily performance-based, narrative-based or concept-based and how element of each is used in it

Artist: James Blunt Song title: Carry You Home

Concept/narrative: Soft Rock

Features Observations Examples

Genre characteristics Soft rock is usually sung with higher-pitched vocals.Lyrics tend to be non-confrontational, focusing in very general language on themes like love.The genre tends to make heavy use of pianos.

Relationship between lyrics and visuals

At 0:27 it says “makes her body older” and these lyrics relate to the girl in the window and the old woman in the window.

Relationship between music and visuals

The song is very slow and calm which relates to the black and white visuals in the music video. The music is also repetitive and steady which also relates to the change between each shot at a steady pace. Also, the tempo is constant and the music is sad which relates to the emotions in the music video as James Blunt didn’t smile in the video.

Are there close ups of the artists and star image motifs?

Yes there are close ups as this is an emotional song and the audience therefore need to see the emotion in the artists face.

Is there reference to the notion of looking?

This is an example of the notion of looking as we as the audience are not suppose to be looking at the artist as it is a place we shouldn’t know and its his place to think.

Are the examples of intertextual references?

There is no use of intertextual references that I am aware of.

Is the video category illustration, amplification or contradicting? How much of each?

This video category is mostly illustration as the lyrics correspond with the visuals quite well and there is no overdramatic shots that relate to lyrics and no contridictions.