'Music is My Radar' - A Textual Analysis

Video release date - 30th July 2012

Produced by Ben Hillier
Genre - Dance-Rock/Psychedelic Rock 

Lyrics:

'You really got me seeing you
Really got me done y'all

Music is my radar
Really topped my joy y'all

Really topped my radio
Really got me done y'all
Dealing I'll be seeing you
Really got my beats now,on my ear...

Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now

Really got me changing from my bill from job
Intro a new life, oh you really got
Really got me singing elsewhere, oh my girl
Really got me dancin', dancin' in my head now baby

Tony Allen dancing 
Tony Allen dancing 
Tony Allen gets what a boy can do
Really got me dancin'
He really got me dancin'
But I don't give my soul
All y'all need and yeah don't give a soul
You really got me drifitn'
You really got me dancin'
You really got me dancin' in my head

Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now
Aah don't stop me now

Aah don't stop me now (You really got me dancin')
Aah don't stop me now (You really got me dancin')
Aah don't stop me now (You really got me dancin')'

The three lines that I have highlighted above 'Tony Allen dancing' x2 and 'Tony Allen gets what a boy can do', were the inspiration for Damon Albarn and Tony Allen working together recording the abum 'The Good, the Bad, and the Queen'. Apart from this, there isn't much else that can be interpreted in terms of the lyrics. However, the lyrics that are used do relate to the music video and the genre of dance-rock, as the lyrics are about dancing and I suppose the thrill of dancing that does relate to the ideology of the target audience. 

The video for 'Music is My Radar' by Blur is almost all performance based, but unlike the video for 'Popscene', in this video, the band are not performing, and instead are watching a performance by a group of performers, much like the audience. The narrative for this video is that the video is taking place on a television talk show and Blur are guests on that talk show. This means that there is only the one diegesis present in this video, as the performance is itself, a part of the narrative. There is also some diegetic sound present in this music video, as the TV talk show host talks to the audience, as well as the conventional sounds from a TV talk show, like the countdown beeps at the beginning and an applause at the end of the video. The non-diegetic sound in the music video is obviously the lyrics of the song, like any music video. 

The mise-en-scene in this music video is arguably the most important part of this specific music video, as well as many other music videos that focus on some sort of performance. Though, I think that the most impressive and influential element of the mise-en-scene in this music video is the colour scheme that has obviously been incorporated into the setting, costume, etc. in a very thoughtful manner. The image that I have included is a collection of screenshots from this music video, which evidently suggests that there is a clear colour scheme of black,white and red within this music video. 

The colour scheme has been incorporated into every aspect of mise-en-scene in this music video. The synchronised costumes that the dance performers are wearing, the setting, the lighting, among other things, are all examples of effective use of colour scheme within music video. Also, the other elements of mise-en-scene are used effectively in themselves, such as the brilliant use of artificial lighting and the huge hanging posters that each have a black and white image of the band members, which reminds the audience of the presence that they have in the music video, even though they are not performing. Often mise-en-scene can be limited by a music video like this one, as the setting is basically one room, however there is so much going on in this particular setting that this doesn't matter. 

A good range of conventional cinematography is used within this music video, like close ups, wide shots, medium close ups, etc., but it is the the shots and camera movements that you are less likely to see that stand out in this music video. There are two points in the video where the shot is from behind the camera, the first of which is from an over the shoulder shot and the second, a close up. This gives the audience a behind the scenes which means to show the music video being created. Just before the first of these two shots, there is a great backwards tracking shot which moves with the performers as they approach the camera. This shot sets the tone for the rest of the music video and the vast amount of quick camera movement throughout the video. Lastly, there is an aerial shot of the seating  area where Blur and the TV talk show host is, which looks effective, as it is a dipped circular seating area which looks good from above. Also, everyone in this shot is dressed in black as this demonstrates the colour scheme, except the host. I believe that this could be because he is really part of the narrative in the music video and therefore he should stand out. 

The editing in this music video isn't as interesting as that in the video for Popscene, but it is still conventional editing for a music video. This means that the editing is generally in time with the non-diegetic sound, which is really quite quick paced. One interesting piece of editing in this music video is during the second sequence I previously mentioned where the shot is behind the camera. During this sequence, the host is directed to a particular camera, so the first shot is a medium close up of him looking for the camera and then there is a match on action cut to the close up of from behind the camera. 

'Popscene' - A Textual Analysis

Video release date - 30th March 1992
Produced by Steve Lovell
Genre - Britpop/alternative rock

Lyrics:

'A fervoured image of another world

Is nothing in particular now

And imitation comes naturally

But I never really stopped to think how

And everyone is a clever clone

A chrome coloured clone am I

So in the abscence of a way of life

Just repeat this again and again and again

Hey, hey come out tonight

Hey, hey come out tonight

Popscene, all right

I'm leaving town to run away

Right into your twisted arms

No queues and there's no panic there

Just dangling your feet in the grass

My lack of natural luster now

Seems to be losing me friends

So in the absence of a way of life

I'll repeat this again and again, and again

Hey, hey come out tonight

Hey, hey come out tonight

Popscene

Hey, hey come out tonight

Hey, hey come out tonight

Popscene, all right

Hey, hey come out tonight

Hey, hey come out tonight

Popscene'

The video for 'Popscene' by Blur is almost all performance, with a very small amount of narrative towards the end of the video, which does fit with the lyrics and meaning of the song. This means that the video does effectively have two diegesis, just that one is much more consistent throughout the video. In terms of the sound within this music video, there is no diegetic sound and therefore the only sound that is present is the sound of the actual song. However the sound that is used in the rhythm of the song is paced in a way which is quite quick but also contains some repetitive parts which may be the influence for the way in which the video for this song was edited together. 

The mise-en-scene in this music video is very conventional as to what we would expect to see in a rock music video with a band performance, as well as the small amount of somewhat abstract narrative which is included towards the end. The video includes a variety of shots and camera angles which show each member of the band performing with their own musical instruments in a conventional layout with the lead singer at the front, two guitarists to the right and left, with the drummer in the back, just in front of the sign that displays in bright letters the name of the song. The design of the carpet and wallpaper is also quite iconic to the era and the band themselves, as they use very similar mise-en-scene in other music videos, like 'Song 2' and 'Beetlebum'. The costume design of each band member is also what you would expect from the early 90s and possibly earlier, as well as being very conventional to the genres alternative rock and britpop which were hugely popular during this time. 

As I briefly mentioned, this video uses a good range of different camera angles and movements throughout, which is what makes it look as appealing as it does, along with the unique over-the-top editing techniques which I will come onto shortly. A very conventional camera angle in music video which is present the most is the four shot, long shot from eye level displays all the band members in the conventional performance positions and stances. As I have noted before, this makes the target audience feel like they are included in the performance, watching the band perform live, which is a big part of the ideology of this particular target audience, particularly within this time period. The video doesn't use very many close up shots, but it still does use a few, most notably of the lead singer 'Damon Albarn' and during the narrative clip, to romanticise the couple.In general, the cinematography in this music video is quite quick paced - even more so than may be conventional with music videos in general, possibly to reinforce the editing that is being used. 

The editing in this music video is probably the most notable technical element being used throughout this video. This is due to it being rather unconventional at times, as the editor has clearly made the editing and the full video in general look rather amateur in the way in which it has been created. However, this has been done intentionally and therefore it does not decrease the effect that this music video has in any way. The two most obvious points of editing that have been made are the 'loop editing' that is included, as well as the lyrics that are projected on screen during editing, in time with the song. Both these editing techniques seem rather simple to do, but are likely not very easily to execute in a way which is effective like this video has done. Be that as it may, I would be interested in at least attempting to include these two editing techniques within my music video. If this does turn out to be quite successful then they could be a part of my final product, however if not then I will include them within my blog at some point to show how the idea turned out.  

Intertextuality in Music Video's

Intertextuality - text which alludes to or references to another text

Julia Kristeva (1969), literacy critic and sociologist

"The shaping of texts meaning by another text."

"The use of an intertextual reference in any text is the absorption and transformation of another."

Some referencing is iconic and therefore the audience can easily remember and recognise the style. This referencing can often work due to nostalgia and familiarity. 

Telephone - Lady Gage ft. Beyonce

Below I have underlined some of the key references to other films, comics, tv, etc.

Jackie Brown - Quentin Tarantino movie

The music video uses a very similar text for the opening credits as this iconic text from this Jackie Brown movie poster.

 

 

 

Roy Lichtenstein - US pop artist 1960's 
Lady Gaga's hair and makeup has been done in this scene to look like a comic book/pop art drawing, such as Roy Lichtenstein's art.

 

Thelma and Louise - 1991 feminist road movie
At the very end of the music video, Lady Gaga and Beyonce both hold hands and drive off a cliff, like at the end of the movie 'Thelma and Louise'.

 

 

 

 

Iconic US Comic Book Hereos - Towards the end of the video, Lady Gaga and Beyonce are doing a dance performance in a cafe, wearing outfits in the style of the american flag, iconic to that of Captain America and Wonder Woman.
 

There are also other refrences towards other media texts that are used within this video, such as Pierre and Gilles  french fashion and photography when Lady Gaga is wearing the police tape and the scene where Lady Gaga is taken to her prison cell being iconic of scenes such as that from Green Mile and many other movies set in a prison.

 

Beastie Boys - Intergalactic

This televised bard style music video uses intertexuality to to create a sci-fi story whilst also referencing and parodying iconography used within other sci-fi movies such as Godzilla, Star Wars and Back to the Future.

Star Wars Episode IV Opening Scene - The opening scene in this music video is a recreation of the iconic opening shot of the star destroyer from Star Wars.

 

 

 

 

 

Doc. Brown in Back to The Future - One of the scientists' costume clearly refrences the mad scientist type hair that was made iconic by Doc Brown from the Back to The Future movies.

 

 

 

1950s-1960s Japanese Monster Movies - The main narrative of this music video is a parody of class japaenese monster movies of the Kaiju genre, featuring movie monsters like godzilla, mothra, king kong, etc.



 There are probably other refrences to sci-fi movies within the video and different aspects of the iconography in sci-fi movies and television.