Sheryl Crow - Easy

Conventions of Country

Costumes: Sheryl is wearing a vintage tasselled jacket with a cream laced top and jeans. The entire outfit is conventions of Country Music videos. The costumed is simple but also stylish. It contrasts with the warm and inviting homely space that the video is set in.

Mise-en-scene

Make-up: The artists make-up was neutral colours, representing her calm and natural personality. Many country artists tend to show their natural looks in order to present their innocence and realistic facial features.

Props: the guitar is a significant convention in country music as the guitar is one of the main instruments used in majority of country music videos.

Conventions within music videosAndrew Goodwin’s Theory Conversely to Andrew Goodwin’s theory, there is no voyeurism within the visualization of the music video, this may be due to wanting to show the calm and loving character that she presents herself as in the music video. However, it is arguable that some shots demonstrate voyeurism. For example It is evident when the artist and male actor kiss eachother towards the ending of the song. This is to promote the artist as loving or lovable.

Visualisation through lyrics

‘We’ll play Jack Johnson’The actor in the video brings out objects (props) which match to the lyrics that the artist sings. In this case, he brings out an old CD player in order to listen to another artist. This builds emphasis to the lyrics of the song and also a little humour between the couple, making it seem more realistic and effective.

We’ll go surfing, surfing, surf the radio’The lyrics here has been used cleverly, as surfing would usually mean going away and surfing at the beach, however she means to surf in the comfort of her own home on the radio, which further illustrates the meaning of the song. The lyrics of the song are further emphasized through the visual of the surfboard.

There is a concise relationship between lyrics and the visualization of the music video. The lyrics ‘sit in the sun and drink beer all day’ are clearly emphasized through the visualization of the camera shots. This makes it easier to tell the story from the lyrics and allows the audience to understand and see visuals of the characters emotions and facial expressions to emphasize the lyrics.

‘But you make it easy, easy, easy to get awaySit in the sun and drink beer all day’Here is a mid shot of a cup, although the image isn’t a beer bottle, the artist is emphasizing that the person she is singing about makes it easy to go on holiday without going on one, therefore illustrating the opposite of the environment/location she is at.

Genre CharacteristicsRomance

Country

The use of the guitar is a convention of Country and are usually played in real time or ‘live’ in the music video as visible in Sheryl’s music video.

The artist is wearing a tasseled jacket, jeans and cream top which all conventions of Country artists costume. In country music video the artist is usually dressed in lights pastel colors to illustrate their innocence and calm characteristics.

There are elements of love and affection which are visible in the visuals. Towards the end of the song, there is intimacy between the artist and male actor of them cuddled up together, dancing together or looking in each others eyes as well as when they kiss.

Most of these romantic shots are close ups, possibly to illustrate their privacy of their relationship as well as to display a clear visual of their facial expressions of being so in love.

In many Country music videos, there is usually one setting that the video is filmed in, in this case it in a warm and comfy home.

Music Style

• This music video was in the style of performance. Its evident that the artist is performing with the guitar whilst lip syncing. This makes the video more effective as playing in real time adds more emphasis to the lyrics and the audience are able to the see the facial expressions and realism in the lyrics when sung by the artist themselves.

Relevance of research• I have been inspired by this music video as the atmosphere and the tempo

of the song is very moving and relaxing. I like the idea of there being one location for the video to take place which was in a home (specifically in the living room) It was a simple idea, but enabled me to understand of being able to a lot with little with regards to setting, costume and or props.

• An idea I have taken from this is for my artist to wear a similar costume to Sheryl in one or two of the scenes - wearing blue jeans and pastel colours in order to conform to a convention of Country artists. Another idea I’d like to follow is of the props in shot of camera when sung by the artist, for example the surfboard.

• Overall, this was a very simple but well thought out video which put more emphasis on the lyrics to the song. The visuals allowed me to read the lyrics in my head and think about the story behind it.