Song choice

In making a music video, song choice is clearly incredibly important. The lyrics need to relate to the narrative of the video and the tune/melody of the song should create meaning for the audience too. In my case it should be uplifting yet soft, easy and enjoyable to listen to, with simple yet heart-felt lyrics.

Due to my initial ideas you have seen in my previous blog post, I want to use a song with lyrics that can relate to any relationship, not necessarily just a romantic one. I typically enjoy listening to pop songs, therefore I am thinking of using a slow pop song, as if I enjoy the song behind the music video, I will enjoy producing it more.

With this genre/type of music that I am interested in (for the music video) I think a documentary genre for the narrative along with romance would fit nicely, as lyrics in these music genres aren't necessarily deep enough to be part of a full on dramatic music video, yet they still create uplifting meanings for the audience and have lyrics portraying important messages, which when talking about different types of relationships, is suitable.

I have decided that 'Always be Together - Little Mix' appears to be more about friendship than any other relationship, and that 'Home' by Michael Buble is more about a non-platonic relationship. That leaves me with 'Flashlight' by Jessie J and 'Photograph' by Ed Sheeran. These are now the top two songs I will decide between for the song choice. I really like the meaning behind each of these lyrics, especially when put side by side with my idea... here are the lyrics of the first verses and chorus' from each song.

Flashlight - Jessie J

VERSE 1 "When tomorrow comes
I'll be on my own
Feeling frightened of
The things that I don't know
When tomorrow comes
Tomorrow comes
Tomorrow comes
And though the road is long
I look up to the sky
And in the dark I found, lost hope that I won't fly
And I sing along, I sing along, and I sing along"

CHORUS "I got all I need when I got you and I
I look around me, and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
You're getting me, getting me, through the night
Kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes
Can't lie, it's a sweet life"

Photograph - Ed Sheeran

VERSE 1 "Loving can hurt
Loving can hurt sometimes
But it's the only thing that I know
When it gets hard
You know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing that makes us feel alive"

CHORUS "We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
Times forever frozen still
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket
Of your ripped jeans
Holdin' me closer
'Til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone
Wait for me to come home"

I feel like Ed Sheeran's photograph lyrics are much more fitting to the meaning of the music video I intend to create rather than flashlight. I think 'photograph' is more relevant to all different kinds of relationships, therefore I have decided I will use this song in my music video.