Goodwin

These are my initial notes on Goodwin. There will be more specific posts which follow up on each specific element.

Stevie Wonder - Part Time Lover

Artist: Stevie Wonder
Song: Part Time Lover
Album: In Square Circle
Release: 1985
Label: Tamla
Genre: R&B, Soul, Pop



The video begins with live performance, which Goodwin suggests of the hard rock/metal genre. However Stevie obviously doesn't fit into either of these. Perhaps the area where the fusion between Goodwin's suggestion and Stevie Wonder takes place is to do with the location. Stevie is in a club, whereas the majority of hard rock or metal bands would be shot on stage. This also emphasises the synth-pop part of the song, which fits another of Goodwin's suggestions, the idea that the music fits the visuals. For Goodwin, this video may break the mold and go against some of his theories. In terms of representation this could suggest that black people enjoy breaking the mold and introducing new or controversial (50 Cent..) factors in both their music and the videos. It could also show how black people are usually in the minority (in this case in genre).

The club is full of both white and black people. By this time racism in American had died down but there were certainly still remnants left over. Perhaps this video is making a political statement about racial equality. There could even be an aspect of black supremacy, as the best dancers are all black. However this is probably because black people are generally better dancers than white.

Slightly low tilted angles are often used on Stevie. This helps to reinforce the ideas of equality and also show Stevie as the most important person in the video. Stevie's disability has zero effect in this video, and rightly so. Stevie is an icon and inspiration of how disability doesn't alter talent. Stevie also is the most lit person, and is in front of neon coloured lights. This is a reflection of his personality both on and off stage.

The Police - Wrapped Around Your Finger

Artist: The Police

Song: Wrapped Around Your Finger

Album: Synchronicity

Date of Release: 1983 (UK), '84 (US)

Label: A&M

Genre: Pop Rock, New Wave

The video begins with a shot of a single candle, but then pans up to reveal a whole field of them. We the see Sting doing a crazy Sting-like dance in the centre of them.

Next, we see Stewart Copeland on his kit and Andy Summers on guitar. It's interesting how Sting is doing a dance rather than playing bass. This 'New Wave' genre was new and exciting, and the video is slightly unconventional in the sense that Sting isn't playing his instrument. This video is again probably closest to Goodwin's heavy rock/metal from band setup perspective. There is a lot of live performance as Goodwin suggests. The first shots we see of Copeland and Summers are of them playing. This shows that for the genre and band playing is important. 

The visuals and lyrics do not really match up. The weakest link is in Stings dance/run, which is slightly suggestive of breaking free. The song is about relationship manipulation and how relationships can turn and become a power game. The candles are over the top (as there are thousands) and perhaps suggest romance which is slightly contradictory to the lyrics.

The music and visuals work well together. The song is slightly spacey and the visuals are too. However there isn't any strong links between the music and visuals. Shots are often cut in time to the music.

The Label doesn't seem to have had too much of an influence. There are many shots of Copeland and Summers, although the prevalence lies with Sting. His dance seems pretty genuine and as singer he naturally comes to the front of the band.

There is no reference to the notion of looking, as no screens feature in the video. This is perhaps to draw away from technology and pop culture and focus on the music. There are also no females in the film, again because attention is focused on the music and Sting.

Dave Matthews Band - Satellite

Artist: Dave Matthews Band (DMB)

Song: Satellite

Album: Under the Table and Dreaming

Date of Release: 1995 (Live version released in '93 on Remember Two Things)

Label: RCA in the US, V2 everywhere else

Genre: Well DMB are kind of their own genre, but I guess it's umbrella'd into Rock

This is another really cool music video. Goodwin suggested that hard rock/metal video's will feature live performance. Although DMB is neither of these, the video's main narrative is watching them perform the song. The demands of the label are also shown through the prevalence of Dave Matthews. Any DMB fans know that in this particular band the usual hierarchy is ignored. Each member is valued the same by the band and fans alike. Obviously the label want Dave to be at the forefront and as the singer/guitarist he need to take up most of the shots. There are interestingly two other parts to the video. One of a lady blowing bubbles outside, and the other, played by Johnny Galecki (Leonard from TBBT, although much younger), of a man watching multiple screens flicking through channels.

The first person seen in the video is a bubble blowing female. She circles around blowing bubbles for all of her shots. One particular shot displayed a relationship between the lyrics and visuals, when she blew a string of bubbles into the air while the lyrics were 'Rest high about the clouds, no restriction'. The bubbles have no restriction and float up to the couds. 

The footage of the video is generally 'feel good'. The band look happy and the girl is enjoying herself. Galecki's character is perhaps slightly frustrated that there's nothing on TV. This is a clear relationship between the music and visuals, as the music is also blissful. 

Galecki's narrative is based on the idea of screens within a screen, as he's staring at multiple screens looking like a bit of a nerd. This is another relationship between the lyrics and visuals as the song is about the 'Television we bounce round the world'.

This also links to pop culture and obviously television. The lyrics are reflecting on the amount of TV that's accessible and the idea that the tabloids are like vultures and we all love to follow them following certain high profile names, for example 'Peeping Tom for the mother station'.