Music video analysis questions

Music video analysis questions

Massive attack- Unfinished sympathy

Radiohead- Burn The Witch

1) What are the songs about?

Unfinished sympathy is a love song that expresses despair within its lyrical meaning-'really hurt me baby, really cut me baby', perhaps it is a reference to a previous relationship where an individual is hurting or scared to get hurt.  

Burn the witch has been considered as a song to raise awareness about Europe's refugee crisis and the 'blaming of different people'. Its lyrical meaning could be seen as discussing fear in an unusual way swell as expressing anxiety an natural fears. 

2) What message/ messages do they convey to the audience?

Unfinished sympathy could be viewed as having different in-depth meanings behind its lyrics, a key idea could be interpreted that despite the fact she is singing about heartbreak and sadness, life will still go on as portrayed in the music video. The songs lyrics can infer that she is upset, however, she still continues with her everyday life by walking down the street typically.  

Burn the Witch has less of an in-depth meaning behind the song itself, however, in the music video it focuses on references to other things (such as Trumpton and The Wicker Man')

3) How have the artists been represented in their respective music videos and why have they been presented in this way?

The band 'massive attack' presents the individual band members to fit in with everyday society, this has been presented by each member walking down the street in a typical everyday manor. This may contrast with other big artists who thrive for fame and standing out amongst others, alternatively, massive attack may want to emphasise that they are just like every other individual and try to bring about a positive change in society (bringing together communities).

Unlike many other Radiohead videos, 'Burn the Witch' does not feature any member of the band. instead, it is a stop motion animated music video.