Robbie Williams's "Madonna"

Try analysing this music video using the multi-modal theory of Kress Van Leeuwen and that of Andrew Goodwin. Robbie took a risk with this video on how his image might have been represented in the press.

Like other music artists before him he risks criticism with his subject matter. He offers a parody of celebrity culture and intertextuality with Madonna. He also gives a post-modern (self-conscious and self refencing)representation of his past hits and image. His mention of "multiple personalities" points towards a sophisticated representation of his image past and present in this unusual music video.Consider also the lyrics of the music video.

Here's another music video to analyse by Madonna: "Like A Prayer".

This music video was criticised by various church groups in the late 1980s. Being risque comes with the territory for artists whose music videos challange the existing boundries of public taste when their videos were made. It would develop your skills to have a go at analysing it for Representation: ideology, class, age, sex, race and with Andrew Goodwin's theory.

"Open Your Heart" by Madonna (A2)

Madonna's video, "Open Your Heart" was shown during Longroadmedia's BFI course for Music Videos on The Southbank by The Thames. It's very useful for applying Andrew Goodwin's theory on music videos, particularly as it has voyeurism at its core. Another feature common to music videos past and present is the fragmented representation of the female body.

Here it is again so you can apply the Goodwin's theory to this video and a music video or programme that you are may be using for your case study. Find Goodwin's theory on this Blog to apply his theory. Notice also this music video's homage to Liza Minelli from the movie, "Cabaret"(intertextuality).

Madonna - Open Your Heart via Noolmusic.com


Get Video Code For YouTube Music Videos 80s 90s - Madonna - Open Your Heart

Adrew Goodwin's Method of Analysing Music Videos

Andrew Goodwin’s music video analysis

Andrew Goodwin writing in ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’ (Routledge 1992)

This amounts to what Andrew takes to be the defining characteristics of music videos.

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
(e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).

5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc).