Interpretive in Music Videos

Interpretive: using the lyrics to determine the style of the video. Almost a contra-dictionary theme between lyrics and music videos.

Tool - Parabola

Song lyrics:

So familiar and overwhelmingly warm
This one, this form I hold now.
Embracing you, this reality here,
This one, this form I hold now, so
Wide eyed and hopeful.
Wide eyed and hopefully wild.

We barely remember what came before this precious moment,
Choosing to be here right now. Hold on, stay inside...
This body holding me, reminding me that I am not alone in
This body makes me feel eternal. All this pain is an illusion.

We barely remember who or what came before this precious moment
We are choosing to be here right now
Hold on, stay inside...

This holy reality, this holy experience
Choosing to be here in...
This body, this body holding me
Be my reminder here that I am not alone in...
This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal
All this pain is an illusion

Alive!

In this holy reality, in this holy experience
Choosing to be here in...
This body, this body holding me
Be my reminder here that I am not alone in...
This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal
All this pain is an illusion

Twirling round with this familiar parable
Spinning, weaving round each new experience
Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing
A chance to be alive and breathing

This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality
Embrace this moment, remember, we are eternal
All this pain is an illusion.

Concluding commentary: the last section of the video was overseen by American visionary artist Alex Grey, who draws inspiration from his own work. The detail, including the eyes and symbols, are of his own creation. The band itself also draw heavily from his works. While the video may not be as clear cut as most (in terms of literal interpretation), the video uses many nature of mind symbols that link back to the story being told by the lyrics itself. 

"The song describes human existence and our own spirit and bodies in an eternal sense. It illustrates the idea that life is just a place to prepare our spirits for some kind of eternal cycle or state of being, whatever that may be." - TroTrombley, user on genius.com. 

The song itself is mean't to be teaching a sort of moral lesson, which brings in its name, a “parabola” is a U-shaped curve in a quadratic function. “Parabola” is a play on the title of the introduction section, titled “Parabol,” which is a play on the word “parable,” or a story with an intended moral lesson. This gives the video and song a literal meaning, despite the somewhat abstract images displayed. 

Katy Perry - Firework

Song lyrics:

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind
Wanting to start again

Do you ever feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards
One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel already buried deep
Six feet under screams
But no one seems to hear a thing

Do you know that there's still a chance for you
'Cause there's a spark in you

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the fourth of July

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "oh, oh, oh!"
You're gonna leave 'em falling down down down

You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow
And when it's time, you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the fourth of July

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework
Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "oh, oh, oh!"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe-awe-awe

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
And it's always been inside of you you you
And now it's time to let it through

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on show 'em what your worth
Make 'em go "oh, oh, oh!"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby you're a firework

Come on let your colors burst
Make 'em go "oh, oh, oh!"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe awe awe

Concluding commentary: perhaps one of the more literal songs out there, "Firework" is a message delivered by Katy Perry, and is a rather simple one at that. We all have something great inside of us and something we hide; however, we shouldn't be ashamed of it, but instead embrace it and wear it like a badge of pride. Katy Perry herself says the song resonates with her and finds it to be her most favorite work of art written.