Charlotte Burton A2 Media Studies Coursework

Song Choices and Analysis

When looking at successful trailers as promotions for Teen television programmes a non-diegetic song is usually played over the top as an indication of the style of the programme and the lifestyle of the characters.
To work according to my characters I need to look at different songs and analyse their lyrics and meaning in order to decide which would be the best representation of my soap, characters and storyline to attract the right audience.

Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This

Lyrics

Oh she can't wait for
What I can give
She knows what I am
But she won't believe me
Is it all ok?
Will I come off the lightest
I can't believe it
It's always Like this

Like this (x8)

Kept it at bay
Yes you kept you word
It's there on your mouth
But it's not what I heard
If I follow the light
That I deem the brightest
I won't believe it
It's always like this

No No No No No

I'm not home
I'm not home
Home, you wasted, No,
(Repeat 3 more times)
Ohhhhhhhh
Well I'm not home.

Oh you can't wait for
What I can give you
You know what I am
So you know how I live
You try to look proud
But you're not in the slightest
It's Happening now
And it's always been like this

(Like this)
I'm not home
I'm not home
Home, you wasted. No-O.

Well I'm not home.

As a typically 'indie' song the beat and sound of the song using a mix of instruments gives the audience an automatic impression of the music video being a bit alternative and controversial.

In the first verse of the song it ends with the lyrics:

I can't believe it
It's always like this

These lyrics at the end of the verse give an impression of unsureness of life and not being satisfied with what is happening. When it is followed by the repetition of 'Like this' this impression is confirmed to the audience.

Between verses there is a common change of instrument and beat allowing a good opportunity to change the cut of the shot at the time when editing to this music in production.

Also the chorus includes the lyrics:

'I'm not home'

Which would word accordingly to the attitudes of my characters as they go through the issues in their lives both at school and at home.

I think the style of music and instruments used would make this song a good song to use as an overlay of my soap opera as it has various upbeat and downbeat sections which can relate to different characters and storylines at the time of the trailer.

Ed Sheeran - The A Team

Another 'indie' styled song with what could be thought to be a Pop vibe to it this song incorporates acoustic guitar with piano to create a slow meaningful song of the low things in life.

The lyrics of

'But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting'

Gives an impression of unhappiness and unfulfilment of life and the way life is going for the individual in focus. This way of thinking could work well with the storylines of my characters as they undergo the conventional problems that soap characters do.

The change of instrument and beat of the music would be good for editing and finding ways to cut to the beat so the music could relate to the production meaning the audience would possibly enjoy it more.

Also, with the meaning behind the song the audience would receive an idea of what to expect when watching the trailer when they go on to watch the programme.

With the artist being well known and the song also, the audience could be inclined to notice the trailer as the song is an attraction, this could be thought to be a sort of product placement to attract my audience.

I think this song choice would be good in attracting audiences but I think the lyrics may be a bit too meaningful and deep for my trailer but I think the music and beat would work well with the trailer and editing.

Lyrics

White lips, pale face
Breathing in snowflakes
Burnt lungs, sour taste
Light's gone, day's end
Struggling to pay rent
Long nights, strange men

And they say
She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries

And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
Cos we're just under the upperhand
And go mad for a couple of grams
And she don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
Or sells love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
Angels to fly

Ripped gloves, raincoat
Tried to swim and stay afloat
Dry house, wet clothes
Loose change, bank notes
Weary-eyed, dry throat
Call girl, no phone

And they say
She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries

And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
Cos we're just under the upperhand
And go mad for a couple of grams
But she don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland
Or sells love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly

An angel will die
Covered in white
Closed eye
And hoping for a better life
This time, we'll fade out tonight
Straight down the line

And they say
She's in the Class A Team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since 18
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
They scream
The worst things in life come free to us
And we're all under the upperhand
Go mad for a couple of grams
And we don't want to go outside tonight
And in a pipe we fly to the Motherland
Or sell love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
Angels to fly
To fly, fly
Angels to fly, to fly, to fly

Angels to die

The Wombats - 1996

Lyrics

I had no cares in the 1990s,
I knew of no downfalls,
The war was breaking out all around me,
My concerns were with prank calls.

She kissed me on the cheek,
She kissed me on the cheek,
Right in front of the older kids,
But my self belief, my self belief,
Wasn't scarred by the modern glitch.

Cause now it feels like
We kissed with one eye on our TV set
And the more I give, the less I get
Using fairground rides just to spark her smile,
This little hit to miss,
Bring back 1996
Bring back 1996,
I want to beat those teenage kicks,
Bring back 1996.

We were cloning sheep in the 1990s,
We were building telescopes,
And sugar filled the whole of my body,
As I urged it all to grow.

I kissed her on the cheek,
I kissed her on the cheek,
Just to impress the older kids,
But my self belief, my self belief,
Wasn't lost in the modern glitch.

Cause now it feels like
We kissed with one eye on our TV set
And the more I give, the less I get
Using fairground rides just to spark her smile,
This little hit to miss,
Bring back 1996,
Bring back 1996.
Stop talking, stop talking!
I need a lover, not a friend tonight,
I'm leaving, I'm leaving!
I'm not cut out for the modern life.

I'm going to beat those teenage kicks.

This indie rockish boyband has a rebellious reputation with the attitude of loving the past and not so into the present and future.

The lyrics of the first line especially:

'I had no care in the 1990s'

Gives the impression of the singers love for the past and regrets how he has changed into the man of today.

The song gives off the impression of not only a regret of the past but a regret of a relationship which would relate to one of my storyline incorporated into my trailer.

The style of music is more upbeat than the other songs selected so I think it could possibly cause some confusion and could be a bit contradictory of what is portrayed in the trailer.

However, I think the lyrics and meaning behind the song is very fitting for my idea.