Data – Don’t Sing Analysis

Data – Don’t Sing by David Bertram ■The message from this music video is

wanting things that we cannot have, therefore this follows the idea of temptation but also shows how through human nature we will never truly be satisfied.

■ The choice of this t-shirt and the fact that it is featured within the music video means that the director is trying to connote/denote something through the use of costumes. This also is the case with the lady in the fur coat (in the car). The fact that the male is wearing a tiger t-shirt suggests animalistic behavior from him but also the fact that the tiger is

only a cub connotes that he is out of his depth and although is causing damage its only minor because he is not capable of doing anything more, this is contrasted when he shoots the older male from across the table although as we later find out this is only a figment of his imagination, like the whole video is. To add, the idea of the tiger cub suggests that this character within the narrative believes himself to be stronger than he is through the persona he is giving off although this is not the case.

■ In this still, I personally feel that it connotes that human society has become too greedy but also cannibals (killing of one another). This is also shown through the fact that the male is tied up like a piece of ham (meat), this image links to the idea of being a pig and therefore link back to the idea of being greedy. Furthermore, the woman

is preparing the food which is a stereotypical view on women, being the housewifeand doing the domestics jobs e.g. cooking. But in fact she is in control and therefore has power over the man. This continues throughout the rest of the music video and this therefore challenges the usual stereotypes of the man being the dominant within the relationship and the woman being the submissive. By challenging these views and ideas it allows this music video to appeal to both men and women and neither are shown as truly dominant within its narrative.

woman within this still makes the viewer believe that sexual activity is going on between the man and woman. At the end of the music video the male driving the car, steps out after having the crash with a small dog with the same colouring as the fur coat. This shows that the sexual behaviour within the car just before the crash is animalistic and therefore links with the fur coat and the desire for sexual relations like animals. To add, this could be thought to symbolise how women are companions to men but also seen as something they can control like a dog.

The woman in the fur coat foreshadows the ending of the music video through her costume. The fur coat worn by the woman is features throughout the music video but only when the lady is bent do you see the coat by itself. This shot makes the coat look alone and therefore the viewer focuses on the fact its fur and they make the link to an animal. Furthermore, the position of the

■ Here the woman is shown running her fingers down her neck and she is wearing red nail polish. The action that the woman is doing has a sexual nature to it; this is further emphasis through the colour of her nail polish. Red suggest love/lust as well as danger this could connote temptation but also foreshadow the danger of the events yet to come (car

crash). Also in this shot you can see a ring, you can tell this is on her wedding ring finger because it is on the left hand ad therefore states that she is married, this shows that what she is doing is already ad as she's betraying her husband or partner.The action which she is doing is one of a seductive nature which therefore undermines the rest of the power to the female gender throughout this narrative although it could be argued that women ultimately have the power as they can control men through their sexual desire.  

■ Here is a man tied up wearing clothing which makes him look like Jesus when he was about to be crucified. The first story in the bible was the original sin and from this came bad/evil. This type of behaviour is being displayed as the male is using the story of Jesus' death to fulfil his sexual lust and needs.

Within this scene he is shown with a younger girl who you later find out is his neighbours daughter, at the ending you see him with his wife in handcuffs against the bed, and when he see's the younger girl he smiles; this suggests temptation and lust towards the younger girl and therefore links back to the idea of the link to the original sin. 

■ Here is an over the shoulder shot of the male who just crashed his car looking at the woman who featured within the scenes (lady wearing the fur coat). Blurred out but looking directly at the camera in the small dog which is blocking out the woman's husband. this connotes that the woman is not happy with her husband and therefore

is separate from him. Furthermore, the fact that the dog takes up a large proportion of the screen suggests that it has priority over her in his life but it is something they do both desire. The dog is also not in focus any more and therefore suggests that the males focus s now on this women rather than his pet and it is something is lusts for and gives more attention to now.