Goodwin Theory-Linking Park “What I’ve Done”

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics

The music video for “What I’ve Done” shows many images comparing the third world to western culture and standard of living this is an example of how the rock/alternative rock genre goes against the commercialism of western culture. This also addresses the issues of poverty and the environment which is a characteristic of the genre. The music video also shows Linkin Park playing the song this is another characteristic of the genre a gives semi realism to the video which the target audience of the genre like to see.

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals

The lyrics of the song are the inspiration of mans negative effect on each other and the world and the lyrics relate to how our ignorance, aggressiveness and greed as a race (especially the western culture) is harming the world showing examples of race segregation, environmental destruction and poverty. Goodwin’ theory would say the lyrics are very illustrative but because they do not directly have a connection to each and every image these can be seen a symbolic.

http://www.metrolyrics.com/what-ive-done-lyrics-linkin-park.html

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals

The relationship between the music and the visuals helps give the same message portrayed in the lyrics of the song. Usually the louder the music the more emphasis on the juxtaposition between the clips this is back up by the lyrics either having a gap or the singer holding  note to the music. The music is there to increase the overall feeling that the viewer is meant to feel when seeing the visuals on screen.

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

The video has a large numbers of close ups on the singer and other band members and the song itself has self analyzing questions that are a recurring aspect of Linkin Park songs. Also the video is a message about poverty etc. Which like many other bands seen in their genre of music is a recurring theme in a lot of their songs.

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

This aspect is not seen in the music video. This may be to do with the genre characteristic of anti commercialism in their music and videos. Also if women were shown in voyeuristic situations then the message of the whole song and video would be very hypocritical providing they are making a song partly about the wrongs of segregation.

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

There are lot of intertextual references to other media forms throughout the course of the video in fact about half the video are archive footage of wars, the civil rights march, Ku Klux Klan footage and vast number of clips from nature documentaries. These somewhat iconic and stereotypical images use in juxtaposition are clearly meant to provoke thought in the listener/viewer.

Link to the video below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sgycukafqQ&ob=av2e