Task 2.1: Music Video Analysis: Johnny Cash - Hurt

Johnny Cash - Hurt
Music Video Analysis

This music video is performance yet narrative based. Johnny Cash is an American singer/song-writer, actor and author and was very well known in his high time of frame. Although remembered vastly for his country music, he also is known for blues, folk and rock and roll music. He was also known for travelling to jails to play blues music to the inmates giving him the nickname 'The Man in Black'. This is a cover song from a rock punk band, so this could be possibly aired on music channels such as Scuzz or Kerrang! The music video has performance aspects and narrative aspects adding to the nostalgic story line. During the final stages of his career, he covered songs, notably 'Hurt' by Nine Inch Nails which I will be now analysing. 

The music video opens with a montage of shots, showing objects relating to wealth and religion. 

The montage of these objects which appear to be sculptures of religious symbols and a wealthy painting in the right screenshot, can symbolise wealth and status. These shots change on each riff of the guitar. This is for added effect which is very common in music video editing by flowing the visual queues with the audio queues. The camera angles used here are close ups, hinting at the artist having a lot of possessions which we see later in a wider frame. 

This shot shows a medium shot of Johnny Cash opening the piano lid. This symbolises his memories within the music industry, by showing opening the case. The orange tint here suggests sunset. This can imply the end of something, due to the sunset being the end of day, the something being his music career. He also wears all black, which also resembles funeral attire. This also signifies the end of his music career.

 The editing is key throughout the next few moments of the music video. A black and white filter is used to show the audience that the next few clips are retrospective to the present time, insinuating that these clips are memories of Johnny Cash's music career. There are also fast transitions from clip to clip, giving the imagery of memories flooding Cash's mind as he plays the piano. This adds deeper cynical meaning to the lyrics 'what have I become', suggesting his music career has shaped him as a person he didn't want to be.

To support the cynical undertones, there is a certain part in the lyrics which says 'you can have it all, my empire of dirt' which shows the clip above. The above clip features mise-en-scene of Johnny Cash merchandise. By adding these lyrics with the image, we get the connection that the artist doesn't believe fame has worth to him any more.  Another well stylised editing technique here is the transitions are in perfect timing with each chord, this contributes to aesthetics when viewing a music video.

The shot here is quite a powerful one. We see the record frame cracked which could imply the career he once had is now damaged and not the same. It also reflects Johnny Cash's attitude to fame, thus bringing in a sense of regret from this scene. The editing also uses a blue hue, to set the nostalgic mood used throughout.

The mise-en-scene is vital here, showing a banqueting table set for many people with expensive food and beverage such as caviar and wine, however, Cash sits alone at the large table. This may have been done to depict his loneliness after fame, after all his fans have forgotten about him. This can also imply with the lyrics 'Everyone I know, goes away in the end'. This gives anchorage to this specific scene.

 Following the last scene, Cash pours red wine over the table and the food. This can represent a couple of instances. The first being, since there is a lot of religious imagery in this music video, that the red wine could symbolise sacrifice, hinting at how much Cash has sacrificed for fame and fortune. The other connotation might perhaps be tainting fortune with blood, ruining something that doesn't matter to him any more, than something that does, for example his family hence the blood colour connotation. 

Nearing the end of the video, a montage of close-ups display the present singer Johnny Cash and religious imagery. The past and present clips are randomly displayed in this montage, with a series of quick jump cut edits. This is done to present to the viewer the pain and regret Cash is feeling due to the close ups showing the past when he was proud and happy, whereas the present clips are of him sobbing. The religious imagery is again shown in close up shots, which links with the idea of Cash giving up his life so he can please his fans. This is why shots of Jesus Christ are used, as it is a cinematic connotation of sacrifice. 

The end of the music video shows a medium shot of Johnny Cash from the past, finishing a song with a guitar with a black and white filter. This is followed with the present Cash closing the piano lid after the music has stopped. This can signify how he wants his fame and talent to come to an end so he can forget about who he once was.