'Girls'- 1975 is categorised under the category of: Performance
'The 1975' are an English indie rock/pop band. The band have released seven albums, their latest release was this year (2016), "I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It". Their songs tend to be based on relationships, drugs, sex etc, each video is produced with a grunge styling. The band are signed with the record labels shown below:
Song lyrics:
Bite your face to spite your nose
Seventeen and a half years old
I'm worrying about my brother finding out
What's the fun in doing what you're told?
I said no
'Oh give it a rest, I could persuade you
I'm not your typical, stoned eighteen year old
Give me a night I'll make you'
I know you're looking for salvation in the secular age
But girl I'm not your savior
Wrestle to the ground
God help me now because
They're just girls breaking hearts
Eyes bright, uptight, just girls
But she can't be what you need if she's seventeen
They're just girls
They're just girls
A pair of frozen hands to hold
Oh she's so southern so she feels the cold
One moment I was tearing off your blouse
Now you're living in my house
What happened to just messing around?
I said yo, I think I better go, I can't take you
You just sit and get stoned with thirty year olds and you think you've made it
Well, shouldn't you be fucking with somebody your age instead of making changes?
Wrestle to the ground
God help me now because
Song lyrics analysis:
The line ''Bite your face to spite your nose", creates this imagery of the girl being immature as she is oblivious to the consequences of her actions.
The fact that the girl is "seventeen and a half years old" provides reasoning for her immaturity.
"Worrying about her brother finding out" - Her brother is very protective or perhaps her relationship is only based off one thing?
"What's the fun in doing what you're told?" - Suggesting that the girl is rebellious and she does not have particular standards she aims to achieve, in terms of reputation.
"I said no 'Oh give it a rest, I could persuade you I'm not your typical, stoned eighteen year old Give me a night I'll make you''- in this line the boy is trying to persuade the girl to give him a chance.
"I know you're looking for salvation in the secular age, But girl I'm not your saviour" - Saying that he will not play the heroic figure of a saviour, and he is not hoping to have a serious relationship.
"Wrestle to the ground" - sexual implication
"God help me now because" - Realising he has made a mistake, because he is developing stronger feelings towards her.
"They're just girls breaking hearts Eyes bright, uptight, just girls But she can't be what you need if she's seventeen They're just girls They're just girls" - The boy is reflecting and reassures himself that they are just young 'girls' and the fun times he may have with a girl at her age of seventeen, is unlikely to develop into anything serious.
"But she can't be what you need if she's seventeen They're just girls They're just girls" - Remembering that the girl is still young, and her immaturity wont lead to a strong relationship.
"A pair of frozen hands to hold" - The boy is singing about there being no warm hearted feelings towards the girl, instead their feelings are cold.
"Oh she's so southern so she feels the cold" - He realises she senses his cold feelings towards her.
"One moment I was tearing off your blouse Now you're living in my house What happened to just messing around?" - The boy has reviewed his relationship with this girl, and has decided that they're moving on too quick.
"I said yo, I think I better go, I can't take you" - Arguments are are emerging as their relationship has turned serious.
"You just sit and get stoned with thirty year olds and you think you've made it" - The girl thinks she is doing well in life, simply because she is getting lots of attention from older men.
"Well, shouldn't you be messing round with somebody your age instead of making changes?" - He is feeling guilty about what they have done together, and he is trying to convince the girl to change her mind.
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| Tumblr gif - from music video |
(Verses repeat)
Mise-en-scene:
(Location, lighting and colour) - The opening of the music promo is located in an empty white studio. The purpose of the simplistic set may be to allow the audience to make a visible connection with the vocalists, or perhaps to mirror the song lyrics. The lyrics present how rebellious and free their relationship was at the start, the vivid props and lighting gradually become more dynamic throughout the change of scenery, to resemble the development of argument and feelings of guilt within their relationship. At 1.10, the scenery changes to a staged 'pool party' set. The primary based colours and the fact that the band members are positioned awkwardly alongside the (seventeen and a half years old) girls, draws attention to the age gap. 'Pool parties' tend to be associated with those in their late teens/adults, which links with the 1975's target audience. The bright assortment of props like the bright yellow watering can, blue tables and chairs and the beautiful yellow roses all contribute towards creating this young, pop-art styled genre. Later on within the video, we have a very modern street styled set, mainly consisting of just black and white colours. The plain choice of colouring may be purposeful to mirror the seriousness of their relationship, almost as if all the colour has drained from their feelings for one another. The last setting within the video is similar to the empty white studio, however this time there are fluorescent purple/pink lights glowing onto the set. The colours are not too harsh or overpowering, they instead create a neutral feeling which could symbolise unity togetherness.
Make-up and costume:
All band members are dressed in black clothing, this choice of colour makes a dramatic contrast against the white background. The majority of the band are wearing skinny jeans and a black t-shirt underneath a leather/corduroy jacket, their choice in fashion is stereotypical to a young pop/rock band. When the back-up dancers first make an appearance they are clothed in black underwear and high heels/boots. The girls are dressed provocatively, which could perhaps provide a sexual intrigue for the audience - commonly known as Voyeurism . The purpose of wearing minimal clothing is to almost display how free and flirtatious they can be, however they blend into the styling of the band by wearing a formal colour 'black'. In the pool party scene, the girls are dressed in their brightly coloured bikinis to represent their childlike behaviour. There seems to be a theme of flowers on either the dancers necklaces, swimming costume and frilly hat. Flowers are often linked with 'love' as they are used as gifts on occasions such as valentines day. At 2.21, the actress in the bright red dress is pretending to drive a static car. The fact that the car is not moving enhances their juvenile behaviour as they're seen to actually be having 'fun' whilst playing out a fantasy scene. The colour red has connotations of 'danger' and 'meanings of love', her dress colour therefore foreshadowed the upcoming crash which she was responsible for. The girls also have dark smokey eye makeup accompanied with red lips, this once again triggers connotations on love.
1.
the practice of obtaining sexual gratification by looking at sexual objects or acts, especially secretively.
Camera Work
- Analyses from 0.00 to 1.00
0.00 - 0.14 - Wide Shot/ establishing shot of the band, the purpose of this shot is to initiate the setting and cast of the music promo.
0.16 - 0.18 - Medium close-up - high to low shot, of the guitars, allowing the viewers to focus on the movements/gestures and to make the viewers almost appreciate the instrumental instead of just the vocals.
0.18 - 0.20 - Central medium-shot of lead singer. This shot allows the lead singer to become the focal point of the video, and to inform their audience on their different roles within the band, i.e the lead singer, guitarist, drummer.
0.20 - 0.22 - (repeats) - Medium close-up - high to low shot of the guitars. This once again gives the audience an opportunity to appreciate the instrumental and vocals which form the band.
0.22 - 0.24 - (repeats) - Wide Shot/ establishing shot of the band. The wide shot helps to establish the individuals as if they're uniting as a group. This is because all members are made the significant subject of the shot.
0.24 - 0.27 - (repeats) - Medium close-up - high to low shot, of the guitars, allowing the viewers to focus on the movements and gestures. Repeating this shot almost mirrors the repetitive song lyrics, this will appeal to their audience as the song alongside the music promo will become memorable.
0.27 - 0.29 - Medium central shot of drummer, the musician is positioned beyond a black thin frame which is slightly blurred as camera is focusing on the artist. The director has purposefully positioned the drummer within the frame to enhance his role within the band, and to highlight his presence as he the one member of the band which is the furthest from the camera.
0.29 - 0.32 - (repeats) - Medium close-up - low angle shot, of the guitars, allowing the viewers to focus on the movements and gestures. The low angled shot increases the size of the guitar and clearly depicts the guitar as being the main source of sound at that time.
0.32- 0.33 - (repeats) - Wide Shot/ establishing shot of the band.
0.34 - 0.37 - (repeats) - Central medium-shot of lead singer
0.37 - 0.40 - (repeats) - Wide Shot/ establishing shot of the band.
0.40 - 0.42 - (repeats) - Central medium-shot of lead singer
(The reasoning for repeating certain shots: Repetition can suggest 'desperation' which reflects the state of the girl who is attached to the guy. It also reinforces an idea to the point where it is visually memorable.
0.42 - 0.48 - Wide shot/establishing shot of girls in the studio, quickly changes to lead band members. The constant change between the shot of the boys to the girls creates segregation between the two genders, and persuades the audience to recognise the contrast between each side of a straight relationship.
0.48 - 0.50 - (repeats) - Close up, Mid-shot Central to the lead singer. A close up mid shot almost frames the singer, giving the viewers a chance to make an impression on the artist.
0.50 - 0.52 - (repeats) - Wide shot/establishing shot of girls in the studio, quickly changes to lead band members. Once again the shot is dividing the genders, and because the girls and band members aren't yet to be seen on screen together, it foreshadows this idea that they have not spoken about their true feelings to one another. Instead they are expressing their emotions amongst the same gender, which feeds back to this sense of immaturity which is to be expected as for their age difference.
0.52 - 0.54 - Medium Non - central shot of girl playing the guitar in focus, the other girl playing the drums in the back ground is blurred, therefore the Director intends to make the girl in the foreground the focal point of the shot. This suggests that the girl who is made to be the focal point, may be the girl within this relationship
0.54 - 0.55 - (repeats) - Medium central shot of drummer, the musician is positioned beyond a black thin frame which is slightly blurred as camera is focusing on the artist.Once again the director has purposefully positioned the drummer within the frame to enhance his role within the band, and to highlight his presence as he the one member of the band which is the furthest from the camera.
0.55 - 0.57 - (repeats) - Wide Shot/ establishing shot of the girls performing, set stays the same however the girls are replaced by the boy band. This shot is purposeful for creating a division between the boys and girls.
0.57 - 0.58 - (repeats) - Medium central shot of drummer, the musician is positioned beyond a black thin frame which is slightly blurred as camera is focusing on the artist. The black square frames the drummer and highlights his presence.
0.58 - 1.00 - ( repeats) - Central mid-shot of lead singer. To put emphasis on the fact that he is the lead singer and therefore main source of vocals within the band.
The repetitive shots are purposeful for mirroring the repetitive song lyrics, and to perhaps resemble the continuos errors approaching within their relationship.
Examples of shots mentioned:
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| Wide Shot/ establishing shot of the band. |
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| Medium close-up - high to low shot, of the guitars, allowing the viewers to focus on the movements and gestures. |
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