Music Video DeconstructionMorrissey – Tomorrow

Background

This particular music video features Morrissey walking through streets (giving a slight Italian feeling) with people out of focus in the background following him.

This music video is most likely a hybrid between performance (due to him being alone singing to the camera) and also concept based (due to the video focusing on one idea and little variation in camera shots).

1. Genre characteristics

During this music video there are no aspects which would suggest the genre of music, this could be down to how simple and stripped back this particular music video is.

2. Relationship between lyrics and visuals

The lyrics and the visuals in this music video contradict each other. And example of this is when Morrissey sings at 0:43 seconds “Would you put your arms around me ?” No one physically puts their arms around him. However, he does slightly fold his arms at this point perhaps connoting someone having put their arms around him.

3. Relationship between music and visuals The music and visuals in the whole of this music video don’t specifically amplify nor contradict each other.The evidence for this is that the music melody is quite up beat and fast. However, the visuals of Morrissey moving and walking are at the correct speed to show a connection. But the visuals overall do not fully connect and connote what the music is doing. In this video there is on beat editing when the chorus finishes and the beat drops slightly, Morrissey’s eyebrow raises at the same time. This can be seen at 1:24Also at 2:07 Morrissey begins to hit the wall as he walks past, these hits are at the same time to the drum beat in the music.

4. BrandingThere are no obvious branding techniques that the record label have shown. However, this music video is made up of close ups of Morrissey and he is obviously the focus throughout the whole video. Morrissey has several motifs that are related to his style, these motifs were established when Morrissey was in The Smiths and they have never left. These recognisably – Morrissey esc things include his hair, his eyebrows and also his style of baggy shirts.

5. Notion of looking Throughout the whole of this video there are specific references to the notion of looking. This is either demonstrated through Morrissey looking behind him at the people who are following him (3:18) or the fact that he is most concentrated on the camera for the most of the video, as if singing to the audience.

6.Intertextual references

There are no intertextual references of TV programmes, films or other music videos in this music video.This could be because this is quite a simple and gimmick-free piece of film.