All the boys and all the girls are begging to ______
My friend recently introduced me to a video and I found that I could not resist analysing it with a critical eye...
The video is filled with vivid choreography and suggestive dance moves, but it isn't just another music video. What makes this video stand out is its underlying overtones of indignation and deception. The video begins and ends with a brief mock news flash that blatantly outlines the triumph and indignation of the artiste in producing the piece of work which treads a thin line. The last 'news flash' is ironic, given that the headlines spell out what it is about yet the newscaster does not seem to understand the hidden message. For a viewer who still does not get the message at the end of the video, the end punchline "Doesn't make sense, does it?" is thought-provoking and leads to a closer viewing of the video. Indignant the artiste must be, for the seemingly-innocent song has managed to get past our local censors to be played on air. Indeed I was surprised that a song which spells out an expletive would be allowed on 987. Maybe the censors merely read the lyrics and did not get a chance to hear it.
Deception is another theme of the video which ties in with the song. The artiste, first portrayed in a provocative black outfit, is shown later changing into a nondescript pink blouse and white skirt. She emerges from (what seems like a house of debauchery on the inside) a typical American house with her family and a freshly baked tray of apple pie. This ending reiterates the age-old saying "do not judge a book by it's cover", as the innocent family scene betrays the apparent mass debauchery that goes unnoticed from outside the house.
This piece which has managed to dodge (some) censors bring to mind the case of the Mandarin "Grass-Mud Horse", an innocent video imploring the plight of the titular creature. However, for those who understand Mandarin, the lyrics take on a vile and profane turn. The creators of the "Grass-Mud Horse" video must have been indignantly triumphant that their work has escaped strict censorship, appeared on the Internet and is a statement in itself.
I am sure there are many other examples of dodging censors, especially in our humble island, but there's no need to list them. The point of my rambling, is that there will always be those who try to test the system and succeed. As long as most are kept in check and do not vilify our perfectly uncorrupted minds, we'll be free from evil! ; p
The video is filled with vivid choreography and suggestive dance moves, but it isn't just another music video. What makes this video stand out is its underlying overtones of indignation and deception. The video begins and ends with a brief mock news flash that blatantly outlines the triumph and indignation of the artiste in producing the piece of work which treads a thin line. The last 'news flash' is ironic, given that the headlines spell out what it is about yet the newscaster does not seem to understand the hidden message. For a viewer who still does not get the message at the end of the video, the end punchline "Doesn't make sense, does it?" is thought-provoking and leads to a closer viewing of the video. Indignant the artiste must be, for the seemingly-innocent song has managed to get past our local censors to be played on air. Indeed I was surprised that a song which spells out an expletive would be allowed on 987. Maybe the censors merely read the lyrics and did not get a chance to hear it.
Deception is another theme of the video which ties in with the song. The artiste, first portrayed in a provocative black outfit, is shown later changing into a nondescript pink blouse and white skirt. She emerges from (what seems like a house of debauchery on the inside) a typical American house with her family and a freshly baked tray of apple pie. This ending reiterates the age-old saying "do not judge a book by it's cover", as the innocent family scene betrays the apparent mass debauchery that goes unnoticed from outside the house.
This piece which has managed to dodge (some) censors bring to mind the case of the Mandarin "Grass-Mud Horse", an innocent video imploring the plight of the titular creature. However, for those who understand Mandarin, the lyrics take on a vile and profane turn. The creators of the "Grass-Mud Horse" video must have been indignantly triumphant that their work has escaped strict censorship, appeared on the Internet and is a statement in itself.
I am sure there are many other examples of dodging censors, especially in our humble island, but there's no need to list them. The point of my rambling, is that there will always be those who try to test the system and succeed. As long as most are kept in check and do not vilify our perfectly uncorrupted minds, we'll be free from evil! ; p
a moment in time 4:09 am
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