Task 2- Contemporary Resarch on 2 Videos

Bare Naked Ladies- One Week

This was their most famous song, which hit number 1 for 5 consecutive weeks. It has been used in multiple well known films such as; Digimon The Movie, American Pie as well as being covered by Weird Al Yankovic. The Video was created in 1998, the co-producer was David Lenoard and directed by McG- Joseph McGinty Nichol.

The video starts of in a setting just like the old German Caslte in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Which borrows heavily from that film, it then moves onto the Dukes of Hazzard, also Starsky and Hutch. At 0:14 in the video, the band is shown preforming the song, nothing amazing happens around them, but it also shows they are trying to hold onto the old promo vidoes of the past. moving on from that the real obvious refrence to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, apart from the numerous soldiers and colourful background, is a wind up toy doll, which is human sized. The doll moves her body in a 'Robot' fashion to the beat of the song, this happens at 0:26. Though the song just doesnt take its ideas from films, it also uses things from other pop songs. A prime example is the dancing devil group at 1:00, it isn't somethign that randonly appears, but focuses on the fact that in pop songs, woman dance around in a 'sinful' manner. At 1:30, the group uses The General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard, and the same Ford Gran Turismo from Starsky and Hutch. It gives them this car chase scene where Steven page has his head out of the window and continoues to give out the lyrics. Again this could have been done as a way to show that a lot of pop promos have cars either being showed off or being chased. The way they show the shots, is like a comic strip, the action is live and realistic, but in each 'box' different areas of both cars are shown. Towards the end of the song another band perfomace set is shown, but now infront of a coach, with everyone looking less smart.


The song works well with the video, because it is very upbeat and happy, and the video reflects that. The song itself is a large mess, a collaboration of references to famous artists, films and TV Shows. The group play this well, with the music moving quickly and fluidly to find random connections bewteen them, whether it be just because they ryhme or what they are based around is similar. The whole set always changing, from a magical land set from a fairytale book, to a more recent modern surbuban street, with large houses positioned all around. This keeps the audience's attention on the video and mainly on the band, because they are the only none changing thing in the video. Meaning people focus more on them the first time round and listen to the lyrics of the song, enjoying more. At 0:26, Ed Robertson talks about Aqua man, a DC comic hero, with his ability to talk to fish, he uses that as a jump board to connect to Chalet Suisse, a restaurant chain which would obviously work with fish. Then he connencts restaureant and fish to Sushi, which is a japanese delicacy. All that in just 4 seconds, a remarkable speed, and because its so fast, people will keep trying to listen to it, so they can find out what he says. At the beginning of the car sequence, at 1:34 a lyric going - Chickty China The Chinese Chicken, Take One Bite and your Brain Stops ticking. This is a reference to a line the rap artist Busta Ryhmes said in a song called Scenario, but also to the Bird Flu outbreak in China during that time.

The video is really up beat, as shown in comments made by people who have watched it.

Getwellkid- This Sums up how cool the 90's were

chickety china da chinese chicken....my favorite phrase of all time!!!!!!!!!! XD

reminds us all of the good times doesnt it?

The person may be being sarcastic, but I feel he is not, and that this is a genuine compliment, either way it shows that they are the fun side of the 90's and also its very sad cheesy side. This comment can work both ways as a positive and a negative for the song, as it can show how the past was an enjoyable time, but also that current generation are getting to old for that sort of thing. Overall, the song has been known in the current US chart- Hot 100 of the Decade as being in there, as well as featuring in a range of films. It made the band famous around the world, and most people of the current generation, if asked about it, or start hearing it will say they have heard it at one point. The target audience for this song would be aimed at around 16-25 year olds, with its pop culture like tune.





Flobots- Handlebars

In terms of who directed it, or such not much infromation can be found, no matter where I look. The group are owned by Universal Republic, which is a Division of the old Motown Republic group.

The entire video is animated, not using japanese techniques or silly cartoons. The animation is like it was all made up of cardboard, with the detail being very rigid, but through editing made flexible. The colours aren't very bright, like everything as been given an old touch to it, the shades being drained so it comes off like some old video. In terms of what it borrows from other media, it is a very original video, mainly taking what it knows from stereotypes connected to the lyrics as well as what is actually going on in the world. At the beginning we see our 2 main protagonists on a hill, watching over their city, then they ride down on bikes, not holding onto the handle bars, thus matching to the opening chorus and title of the song. This happens at 0:10 and in comparison to the rest of the song, represents the time of ignorance, as childeren when life is free, and no choices are forced upon you. At 0:21 our 2 friends have reached that stage and are shown 2 roads, wit ha sign post, one with a dove on it, and another with a corporate symbol upon it. This represnts the paths the 2 will take, one who will dive into the world of Economics, Industry and Politics. Whilst his friend will go into the more relaxed and creative side of the world, both wishing each other the best. From 0:27 to 1:04, we follow the street of the Dove, seeing the place in degradation. Not as in poor thrid world status, but the roads are broken up due to time, walls are dirty (represented by dark splotches). People aren't shown to be walking around quickly with jobs, they are all taking it in their stride, an american flag flapping in the wind signifying patriotism- The Land Of the Free- as its called.

At 1:04 we see our relaxed man talk to his friend through a video phone. The corporate man has a scared look upon his eyes at first, his world becoming dark, the colours now overly saturated, making it seem like some heavy gothic styled comic. From 1:10 to 1:34, we see how industry and the military affect the main city life. Surrounding him are adverts saying how a woman should look, a child pops out with a toy gun, a car emmiting lots of gas fro mits exhaust as a man throws his fag onto the ground. Pointing out how we liter and pollute our planet as well as forcing the idea of hate agasint others into the minds of young children. Moving on from that it shows how the man rises up in the company, till at 1:38 he is depicted as the President of the United States of America. A thought which people think about, how a high street chain or a powerful company will become so influential they will rise up and take power at the head of Government. Very interestingly at 1:53 it shows a dove (symbol of freedom) being attacked by a Falcon (bird of prey) with a Falcon fighter jet flying from behind. Representative of the whole'1984' of freedom being stripped for a militaristc state. From there onwards, it continoues on this theme, with the music becoming more heated as more freedom is removed. To the point where the relaxed man stands up against his old friend, with an army of rioters and rebels. As usual in the real world, some idiot in the police force is trigger happy, and soon all hell is let loose, with people dying all over the place. However the president himself is horrifed by what has happened, and even more so when his friend is shot down.


The lyrics of this song can be just as powerful as the visuals. Overall, it is only towards the end of the song where it picks up and everything becomes very violent and heated. The opening chorus of - I can ride my bike with no handlebars, no handlebars. no handlebars- works well with the openingsequence. It sounds like a child is boasting over this amazing feat, and is very innocent, and what is clever is Flobots use this theme, of boasting throughout the song. From 0:34 the bragging is focused on small non important things like - I can take apart a remote control, and i can almost put it back together. This would not effect your life majorly but to a kid, its an impressive skill. Movers,Shakers and Producers, Me and my friends understand the future- this is during the 'Corpoate Sequnce' the guy stating he knows what everyone wants, from where he stands, something that any child would boast majorly about. Though it may seem I'm waffling on about boasting, but this is what on a basic level, ths song is doing. The words it uses as well as the visual aspects, give it more flesh that creates a deeper meaning. At 2:12, it becomes very powerful, with the President talking about his strength, what he can do, his absoulute will. I can end the planet in a holocaust, in a holocaust- refreence to the power of the Nuclear and Hydrogen Bombs, which would scar the world, enviornmentally and economically. Capitolism at its most feared position, Dictatorship.

In terms of pubilc reaction, it was viewed on Youtube over 17 million times, after being out for 3 weeks it reached number 3 in the charts in U.S.A. The song causes people to think about what its meaning is, thus inspiring people to leave ignorance and start to learn the truth about things. Anyone who has posted this video up on youtube will have hundreds of people having their own different interpretation of the video but generally coming to the same conclusion. That society is beginning to become more and more like '1984' that the life of controlling your own path, is slowly disappearing from us. That we will soon be monitored nonstop, that Capitalism will go to far, and corporate big shots who have no clue about politcs will begin to take power.