Analysing a music video using Andrew Goodwin’s theory

Example- Stay awake

BySophie Lane

Andrew Goodwin’s theoryCharacteristics and features that can be found in music videos: There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. There is a relationship between music and visuals.

(the tone and atmosphere of the visuals reflects that of the music) (illustrate, amplify, disjuncture)

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. 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.

There is frequent reference to notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

There are often intertexual reference. (to films, tv etc)

Relationship between lyrics and visuals

“Did we chase the rabbit into wonderland” “Don’t need sleeping beauty”

“We’ll be the leaders of a messed up generation”

Explanation of matching lyrics and visuals

This song is about how the recent generation has changed and become “messed up”.Throughout the music video a lot of different images are used that are related and unrelated to the lyrics. “Did we chase the rabbit into wonderland” is paired with the visual of a girl in a forest wearing a rabbit head. This is a very literal image but it unrelated to the songs meaning. “Don’t need sleeping beauty” also has the same approach as it is paired with an image of a girl sleeping. The image is very literal but is not what the lyrics mean in this song, because the meaning is that fairy tales and innocence isn’t present in this generation. “We’ll be the leaders of a messed up generation” is paired with an image of a mans arms covered in tattoos which is illustrating the meaning of the lyrics.

Relationships between music and visuals.

There is a clear relationship between music and visuals in this video. The visuals respond to the music by illustrating the meaning of the lyrics and genre. These images illustrate the music video is about how society has changed and it shows how are generation is being represented. The beats in the music are illustrated through editing. Long shots are used on the slower beats and short shots for the more upbeat parts of the song.