Andrew Goodwin's theory

In his book Dancing in the Distraction Factory, Goodwin writes about what he defines as the characteristics of music videos:

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (illustrative, amplifying, or contradicting).

3. There is a relationship between the music and visuals.

4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artists and the artist may develop motifs which reoccur across their work (a visual style).

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

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

Applying the theory
For homework we needed to apply Goodwin's theory to a music video of choice; which was kind of sad as apparently lots of the music doesn't have official videos for their songs, then after settling on Purity Ring for their beautiful yet admittedly kind of confusing videos, I realised that it would be hard to apply Goodwin's idea of genre characteristics and motifs as they are relatively new. :(

Eventually, I decided to apply Goodwin's theory to Marilyn Manson's cover of Tainted Love (originally by Ed Cobb, made famous by Soft Cell).

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics

Marilyn Manson is a popular industrial metal band, they play on a lot of the features of that genre; Marilyn Manson and the people in his car arrive with dark, alternative clothing, heavy make up and visibly paler skin than other people. Often in metal the videos are based almost purely on performance rather than concept as in Tainted Love the video gives a more pop vibe by doing this, possibly refer back to its origin as a pop song. Also, a characteristic for this genre in film, is alternative or "gothic" sub-culture not fitting in; they break this stereotype by taking over the party in the video, which taps into the anger among the excluded.

There is a relationship between the music and lyrics
The lyrics of this song is regarding a relationship in which he loves the other person but they've hurt him in some way and now their love is tainted with something bad. This loosely relates to the video as it possibly gives more meaning to the original intention. We see Marilyn Manson dancing with a girl, then later, he leaves her, in a room with the sign: 'Keep out!' written on it, this might relate to the lyrics "Run away I've got to - Get away" and Don't touch me please,I cannot stand the way you tease, I love you though you hurt me so" in a notion of trying to get away from a girl he loves. The video is shown to be dark intergrating with light could be a literal interpretation of love being "tainted" or almost poisioned.

There is a relationship between the music and visuals

Though the visuals don't have have a direct relationship to the visuals; at the beginning Manson taps the steering wheel as if to to the beat of the song; the editing is put together on a similar tempo as the music, you can see this specifically at 3:10 - 3:12 of the video as the drum speeds up the video flashes from images of his teeth, back to him singing on a bed; when the tone of his voice raises we see an extreme close up of him singing. As well as this the overall sound of the music is heavy and Manson distorted vocals make it feel dark, this is accentuated by the dark imagery of the video.

The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artists and the artist may develop motifs which reoccur across their work

Marilyn Manson's logo is a 'MM', the typography varies between albums, but is almost always shown in their videos as a memorable motif of the band, similarly the use of the gothic font is used both in the intro: 'not another high school party' and on the front of their car: 'goth thing'; the record label also advertise the band's merchandise with one of people at the party wearing their top which says 'ain't nothing but a goth thing'. Over the years, Marilyn Manson himself has became a recognised icon within modern pop culture, he always keeps a similar image, thus continuing to make himself easily recgonisable; he is known for having one white lens, shaved eyebrows, dark lipstick and silver or gold grills, adding to his star image.

There is frequently reference to notion of looking

Though there is not much use direct mode of address used within this video, we see a lot of voyeuristic treatment and fetishisation of the female body, dancing or in very little clothing which is popular in music videos and could be seen as the Male Gaze, and a scene which uses an over-the-shoulder shot to show someone looking into a mirror. In contrast to what is the common use of sexualised imagery of women in the media, Manson opposes what would be the typical use of male bodies -which are usually expected to be muscly and tanned- by being tattooed, pale and reasonably skinny, kind of warping what would usually be expected in a music video while still using a notion of looking.

There is often intertextual reference
This song is in the soundtrack to the 2001 comedy film Not Another Teen Movie and the characters and settings from films are used to create more popularity to the film and song and a better understanding of the music video. It also makes a subtle reference to teen films, a much used scene in which a "geeky" character takes off their glasses to become "beautiful" or "sexy" they use this idea in their own way by turning the quiet, bookish looking girl into one of Marilyn Manson's crew, gothic and dancing with him. Within in the video guest stars Joey Jordison, in his mask, in the party crowd, a member of the metal band Slipknot, which helps enforce the idea of the metal scene "infultrating" a party.


As well as this I've noticed, particularly in the beginning, that it somewhat resembles a "dark" version of an RnB or Rap video, fitting in with a lot of their genre characteristics such as an expensive looking car, shots of its grill and even shots of lowrider car. Also, shots of a lot of jewellery, sunglasses and a silver grill. As a reference to another genre, though not all musically fitting in with it seems to be creating contrast, or a countertype; mixing what could be seen as a popular, normative persona with the specific subculture of "goth" keeps the audience interested. 

By applying this theory, I have looked in detail why each of these points are important to a music video; it has helped me further my understanding of what I will need to do in making my own music video! :)