Textual Analysis

My textual analysis is of Paparazzi, a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga. The music video was directed by Swedish director, Jonas Åkerlund, who has previously directed music videos for artists like Madonna, Moby, Rammstein, and U2. The video is a 7.11 minutes long, which Gaga described her music video as “a short film”, and goes on to describe that, "It has a real, genuine, powerful message about fame-whoring and death and the demise of the celebrity, and what that does to young people”. Written by Rob Fusari and Gaga, the song portrays Gaga's struggles in her quest for fame, as well as balancing success and love. Musically, it is an up-tempo Pop/Dance song, which its characteristics are shown through various dance routines by Gaga, and other characters in the video.

Throughout this music video, the lyrics are illustrated by use of the visuals we see. This becomes evident when we first see her in the wheel chair paralysed, the lyrics say “I’m your biggest fan I’ll follow you until you love me”, then we see 4 women and 4 men crowd around her as if they worship her. Also when she says numerously, “I won’t stop until that boy is mine”, we see her struggling to move on her crutches as if she is eager to get this “boy”. This part of the song is again emphasised towards the end of the video when she drugs her boyfriend’s drink, and the lyrics repeat “Promise I’ll be kind, but I won’t stop until that boy is mine”, conveying how she is seeking revenge on him; she doesn’t really want him. After she kills him, we see her being harassed by the paparazzi and again the same lyrics are repeated, and we see visuals of the newspaper about how Lady Gaga is ‘back’ in the spotlight and has regained her fame. We see lots of still images of women lying dead in different locations as she talks about how she’ll be “your girl backstage at your show”, and “you’re my rock star”, talking in terms of idolisation over someone she admires, and what fame is doing to young girls. She also illustrates this by making the sign of a gun with her hands, and with her hands around her neck as if she is being strangled. We see images of eyes when she says, “The tear drops I cry” yet it is a contradiction as there are no tear drops in the eye. When she talks of how the paparazzi “snap snap” their cameras, the lighting in the video shows the flashing lights.

What I find most interesting about this music video, and what makes it so dramatic is how the video cuts to the beat of the music. For example through various dance routines, and the way Gaga moves her hands across her face and parts of her body robotically, is kept at the same pace with the music throughout the video. We see lots of different scenes of Gaga in different costumes and playing different roles, which the beat of the music cuts to the order of the clips. However, there are no instrumental parts of the song that need highlighting in the song as it’s a pop song, and the main focuses are the artist herself.

The record company are looking to sell this track simply through word of mouth – clearly something like this hasn’t been done before. The music video itself is so shocking, and the fact that its 7 minutes long shows that this is very typical of Gaga. It focuses on the artist and the star images we see throughout the video, typically when there are various close-ups of her in different outfits, playing different roles. Lady Gaga is offering an unusual look which will make the audience want to watch more because you are drawn to her strange image, and what she’ll do next. Many close-up shots are focused on her face, and different parts of her body, emphasising how she is perceived as a sexual and sensual person. I think if Lady Gaga wasn’t the eccentric and dramatic person that she is, she wouldn’t be as successful; however, there is no denying that she can produce an amazing performance vocally.  Her music video’s clearly show that she has the most unusual and rare ideas, as they are all completely different, yet in the same way all link together. For instance, the video for “Telephone” with Beyoncé, is a continuation of the "Paparazzi" music video, and is a short film as well, which motifs are similar as the concept of poison and drugs are incorporated into that music video too. The video picks up right where "Paparazzi" left off; starting with Gaga in prison. “Paparazzi” is also very similar to another one of her music video’s “Bad Romance” where it features the same actor (who plays her boyfriend in ‘Paparazzi’) Alexander Skarsgård, and the same dogs appear in both video’s as well as her “Poker Face” video. 

Lady Gaga is portrayed to be on display in a sexual manner, not only in this particular video but in every one she has done so far. This is conveyed through her various unconventional and bizarre costumes and through dance. She is often seen in outfits like metallic leotards, underwear, fishnets, tape, leather etc., which draws our attention to her body and how she is putting herself on sexual display at all times. Especially in this video, we see her touching her body and her face, even kissing other women and touching them. The effect of this is to not only fulfil the male fantasies, but make Gaga be recognised as sexual ‘feature’ which we are all engaged in. She often looks into the camera lens touching her face, and putting a finger in her mouth in a seductive way.

However, the end of the video where Gaga lies at the ground in her own blood as the photographers continue take pictures of her bloody body and tabloid headlines proclaim that her career is over, shows intertextual reference to Alfred Hitchcock's film Vertigo. Also Gaga’s metallic outfit is a reference to the film Metropolis. When Gaga wears a yellow jumpsuit with circular glasses and shoulder pads, it is said to show that she is trying to be Minnie Mouse.

The music video is a combination of performance, narrative and concept based. Performance – she performs for half of the video, illustrating different dance routines, as well as singing to the camera throughout. Narrative – as Gaga said, this music video is like “a short film” as the video shows a story of a young girl balancing her success and love. Concept – Gaga is extremely artistic as she designs and directs her own videos. Particularly for “Paparazzi”, the story line was Gaga’s original idea.

Overall, this particular video of Lady Gaga’s shows her experiences on her way to fame. It is based on slightly languorous synch textures and incorporates percussion to convey the emotions. Emotions lying in the composition range from sexual desire, dread, and resigned acknowledgment to an insistence to have fun. The lyrics of "Paparazzi" deal with stalking and the trappings of fame.

Sources:

• Wikipedia - Paparazzi (Lady Gaga song)