Analysing a Music Video

Vanessa Paradis- Be My Baby

The final music video I have chosen to analyse is 'Be My Baby' by Vanessa Paradis, the French singer, model and actress. The song was her first in English, and is from her self-titled album which was released in 1992.

In the video, she is always on her own, which links to the lyrics, as in the song her lover seems to perhaps be leaving her; 'I saw you walk down the street with some other girl.' Her loneliness in the video reflects how she would be feeling. However, she always looks almost hopeful, again amplifying the lyrics, 'Always thought that I was the only one in your world/Baby can you tell me so.'

The video focuses mainly on her, having different shots of her from different angles, showing her emotions on certain lines.

Vanessa Paradis rarely breaks eye contact throughout the whole video, so it is almost as if she is speaking to the audience, or, if she was writing about a real person, they would be watching, therefore speaking to them. This also makes you focus almost entirely on the lyrics and the beat, as there is nothing besides her to distract you.

The video has no particular plot, it is literally just her on her own in different places; simple and beautiful. A lot of the time, she seems to be restless and wandering idly, as if trapped in her mind, not knowing what to do but think and remember. I think that this could be to portray that all she is doing all of the time is thinking of her partner (if said person existed), reminiscing on the happy times; 'Sweet harmonies filled and floated through our minds/Never felt this way before.'

It appears to be autumn in the video, which is a lovely time of the year, though supposedly rather depressing. The colours are therefore colours which link to the season- mostly different shades of orange, red and brown.