Good Charlotte- I just wanna live
Background information about the artist and the song
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland, that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas, and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin. Their latest drummer and percussionist is Dean Butterworth, who has been a member of the band since 2005. The band has released five studio albums: Good Charlotte (2000), The Young and the Hopeless (2002), The Chronicles of Life and Death (2004), Good Morning Revival (2007), and Cardiology (2010) as well as two compilations: Greatest Remixes (2008) and Greatest Hits (2010).
"I Just Wanna Live" is the second single from Good Charlotte's third full-length studio album, The Chronicles of Life and Death and was officially released on November 15, 2004. It was one of the songs that Sony paid radio stations to play in the 2005 payola scandal.[1] The song is well-known worldwide and helped the band gain more sales and to become successful
Camerawork
The video revolves primarily around the use of mid shots mixing with several worms eye view and low angle shots of the stars to emphasise their status in such a way as to mock the status of other celebrities of said calibre. The video also encompassed the use of close ups in particular when the record producer pulls up in his limousine and the dollar signs appear in his eyes.
Genre characteristics
Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt rock or simply alternative) is a genre of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s. Although the term was most commonly associated in its commercial heyday with a loud, distorted guitar sound, its original meaning was broader, referring to a generation of musicians unified by their collective debt to either the musical style, or simply the independent, D.I.Y. ethos of punk rock, which in the late 1970s laid the groundwork for alternative music.[2] At times, "alternative" has been used as a catch-all description for music from underground rock artists that receives mainstream recognition, or for any music, whether rock or not, that is seen to be descended from punk rock (including some examples of punk itself, as well as New Wave, and post-punk).
Relationship between the lyrics and the visuals
Good Charlotte are perusing the theme explored in their lifestyles of the rich and the famous video. The basic concept of the song is the global obsession with fame and the way that celebrities are not appreciative of how fortunate they are.
The song has references to a number of celebrities within the lyrics. Johnnie Cochran, a famous attorney who represented (amongst others) stars such as O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown. He is mentioned in the lines "Well did you know when you're famous you could kill your wife/ and there's no such thing as 25 to life/ as long as you got the cash to pay for Cochran". A former mayor of Washington, D.C., Marion Barry – who was convicted on drug charges – is also mentioned in the lyrics: "and did you know if you were caught and you were smokin' crack/ McDonald's wouldn't even wanna take you back/ you could always just run for mayor of D.C."
Does the video cut to the beat?
During the opening thirty seconds of the video the video cuts to the multiple chugs ("chugging" sound of distorted guitar music.) from the guitars featured ranging from low angle shots to sweeps across the band members bodies. The video proceeds to almost consistently cut to the beat of the song throughout. With a particularly lengthy shot upon the band exiting the courthouse which features a heavy drop in dynamics.
Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
There are not necessarily conventional star motifs but they make use of the stars to promote the content of their lyrics mentioned earlier such as mentioned in the lines "Well did you know when you're famous you could kill your wife/ and there's no such thing as 25 to life/ as long as you got the cash to pay for Cochran". This is in turn coupled with the use of still fanzines including the band members particularly the lead vocalist.
How is the record company looking to sell this track
The record company is looking to sell this to appeal to the teenage angst and conform to youth vernacular. Playing on the younger generations passion for rebellion against the governing body or the “man” and any being of superfluous nature in this case Hollywood stars in particular those that are “famous for being famous”.
What image of the artist/band is being offered?
Revolutionary pioneers.
How does this video relate to previous videos by the artist?
Good charlotte have a reoccurring theme for sticking it to the man however this was their first major hit and set the trend for future videos such as the Anthem and I just wanna live.
Narrative And Representation
The narrative of Good Charlottes I just Wanna Live follows the rise and subsequent fall of the band due to the celebrity lifestyle and its flawed functionality.
The band are represented as a group of amateur stereotypical pop punk teenagers working in menial jobs before being discovered and succumbing to the lure of fame.
Video style and iconography
Good Charlotte are perusing the theme explored in their lifestyles of the rich and the famous video. The basic concept of the song is the global obsession with fame and the way that celebrities are not appreciative of how fortunate they are.
Mise en scene
In this video they make heavy use off ambient lighting as well as camera flashes to build a deep party based atmospheres and false sense of glamour. the props consist of various instruments and household items. The costumes are a key part of this video and help enhance the joke dynamic of the story.
Editing
During the opening thirty seconds of the video the video cuts to the multiple chugs ("chugging" sound of distorted guitar music.) from the guitars featured ranging from low angle shots to sweeps across the band members bodies. The video proceeds to almost consistently cut to the beat of the song throughout. With a particularly lengthy shot upon the band exiting the courthouse which features a heavy drop in dynamics. The majority of the cuts are particularly fast in order personify the expression life I the fast lane.
