Andrew Goodwin - Narrative and music videos

Andrew Goodwin suggests that music videos and more importantly pop videos nowadays and previously are not like the narrative structures of films or novels and this is all due to them having different reasons for a different narrative structure.

1. For instance videos are generally built around their songs so that both can compliment each other. 
2. Goodwin suggests that pop videos usually use the singer as the narrator of the plot and story in the video and they use them as a character in the video, making them the main attraction of the video.
3. The music video and cameras usually capture the singer using direct address (to look in to the camera), which involves the viewer at home with the performance, in any location that the audience member is.

Goodwin argues that there are three different types of relationships between music videos and the lyrics of their songs:

1. Illustration is when the lyrics of the song completely compliment and go with the things going on in the music video for instance some songs can even use dancing movements that go exactly with the emotional lyrics that is trying to be emphasised and projected through the song. An example of this is in Madonna's 'papa don't preach song'.  

Even from the beginning of this video they have cut the shots in perfect timing so that it compliments each beat of the music, even though this isn't a lyric in itself it still expresses the sharp and harsh angry tones of the music, as it further emphasises the short cuts of the music. 

What really shows illustration within the lyrics of the song and video is when her lyrics match the description in the video. For instance when she discusses herself as when she was younger and with her father, the video cuts into a young extract of herself with her father to further capture the meaning of their close bond and relationship.

She has also used dancing in her video to illustrate the her pregnancy in terms of her lyrics when she says 'i'm keeping my baby'. This makes it clear to the audience that she is in fact pregnant and what she is saying in her lyrics is a story she is telling as a narrator of the plot in the music video. This is a more emotional way of expressing her feelings as dancing shows passion and a more metaphorical meaning of her pregnancy.

    

   2. Amplification is when the images and shots used in the video may be used to emphasise, amplify or exaggerate a deeper meaning to the song and lyrics then that is just described in the lyrics alone. The artist can take on the role of a fictional character to change into other characters within the video to tell the story. An example of this is used in the Basement Jaxx music video of 'Where's your head at'.

For instance in this video the lyrics 'where's you head at' which is repeated could mean anything do to with the inner minds of people but with the use of the strange fictional characters like monkeys creates an abnormal world that the artist has been placed in, therefore because this strange world has been created where monkey's mouth the words to the lyrics and take the place of the artist's role and become the lead singer, which adds and emphasises a further meaning of drugs within these lyrics. 

The further use of the paper instruments that the monkeys hold takes the place of all of the band members insinuating that the man in the video witnessing all of this may have issues with drugs or the band members might. Also the setting of the videos creates a doctor and hospital environment in which drugs and 'being high' is similarly related to.

  3. Disjuncture is when there is very little connection between the lyrics of the song and the music video for that song and it can even go as far as the video contradicting the lyrics of the song. An example of this in a music video is Michael Jackson's 'Man in the mirror'.

In Jackson's 'man in the mirror' genrally the music video is full of people acting together to bring about a change in the world that Michael states in his lyrics, where as in the lyrics of the song the theme is all about self discovery and self-realistation in seeing a change in the world. This is obvious when the lyrics state 'I'm going to' rather then 'we are going to', the lyrics are all in first person which would suggests that Jackson sees himself as the one to need to make and change but in the team effort that is shown in the video it would suggest that a change is needed to be made but with a group effort rather then just one person.