Billie Jean
Magical Negro
Everything he touches lights up
The man in the PI trying to photograph him
Was the first person that introduced music videos
MOONWALK!!!
The video portrays him as a magical almost phantom
He was the first black person to be on MTV (Music Television)
His producer/manager pressured MTV to allow him to be on their network, or else they would pull all of their other videos.
Goodwin’s music video theory
Andrew Goodwin’s theory of music videos states that music videos contain some or all of the following elements:
A link between the visuals & lyrics (compliment, contradict or amplify)
Genre characteristics (heavy metal in industrialised settings; rap music in urban street contexts etc.)
Contain intertextual references (references to popular culture)
Contain notions of looking (e.g. screens within screens)
Include objectification of females (e.g. male gaze)
Include demands of the record label (close-ups of lead singer, symbols or motifs associated with the band/performer etc.)
The video will be performance, narrative or concept based.
Goodwin’s music video theory
Andrew Goodwin’s theory of music videos states that music videos contain some or all of the following elements:
A link between the visuals & lyrics (compliment, contradict or amplify)
Genre characteristics (heavy metal in industrialised settings; rap music in urban street contexts etc.)
Contain intertextual references (references to popular culture)
Contain notions of looking (e.g. screens within screens)
Include objectification of females (e.g. male gaze)
Include demands of the record label (close-ups of lead singer, symbols or motifs associated with the band/performer etc.)
The video will be performance, narrative or concept based.
Neale’s genre theory of Repetition and Difference
Steve Neale states that though all genres are structured along the identical conventions of plot, narrative and mise-en-scene, success lies in their ability to manipulate and re-shape these elements.
In this sense, all genres all contain instances of repetition and difference – and the difference is essential to the economy of the genre.
Neale’s model holds that a product’s genre is defined by:
How much it conforms to its genre’s individual conventions and stereotypes. A product must match the genre’s conventions to be identified as part of that genre if it is to attract that audience.
How much a product subverts the genre’s conventions and stereotypes. The product must subvert convention enough to be considered unique and not just a clone of another product.
The short film featured a paparazzo attempting to photograph Jackson as he danced through an urban landscape. A specially created set featured steps and sidewalk tiles that lit up underneath Michael's feet. It is here that fans first saw some of Michael's best-known dance moves, such as spinning and landing on his toes. Many of Michael's steps and mannerisms in the video would become forever associated with The King of Pop.
The short film featured a paparazzo attempting to photograph Jackson as he danced through an urban landscape. A specially created set featured steps and sidewalk tiles that lit up underneath Michael's feet. It is here that fans first saw some of Michael's best-known dance moves, such as spinning and landing on his toes. Many of Michael's steps and mannerisms in the video would become forever associated with The King of Pop.
LYRICS
She was more like a beauty queen
From a movie scene
I said, "Don't mind, but what do you mean
I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round?"
She said I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
She told me her name was Billie Jean
As she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
People always told me, "Be careful of what you do.
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts."
And mother always told me, "A-be careful of who you love,
And be careful of what you do
'Cause the lie becomes the truth."
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one It is like a court case where the law is on
But the kid is not my son Billie's side. She is claiming child fees
She says I am the one
But the kid is not my son
For forty days and for forty nights Biblical reference ie he may have been tempted by her
Law was on her side The law was on her side, court case ^
But who can stand
When she's in demand
Her schemes and plans
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round
So take my strong advice
Just remember to always think twice Be careful who you dance with
(Do think twice, do think twice.)
She told, "My baby, we'd danced 'til three." we danced till early in the morning and may have slept
Then she looked at me with each other
Then showed a photo of a baby cry
His eyes looked like mine, oh, no The baby may be his after all
Do a dance on the floor in the round, baby
A-people always told me, "Be careful of what you do
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts."
(Don't break no heart.)
A-but she came and stood right by me
And just the smell of sweet perfume
And this happened much too soon
And she called me to her room
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
(No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.)
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one
But the kid is not my son
No, no, no
Billie Jean is not my lover
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one
(No, there's not me, baby.)
But the kid is not my son
(No, no, no, no, no, no, no.)
She says I am the one (No, babe.)
But the kid is not my son, no, no, no
She says I am the one
You know what you did
She says he is my son
Breaking my heart, babe
She says I am the one
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
She is the one
Billie Jean is not my lover
She is the one
Don't call me Billie Jean
She is the one
Billie Jean is not my lover
She is the one
Billie Jean is not my lover
He was not used for the first black person on MT because firstly the song was better rated at the time, But the main reason was that the music video did not portray the black demographic in a good way.
Black men stereotypes
black sidekick of a white protagonist (the help)(secondary role) – learners may independently research the meaning of the “foil” as a character role.
the token black person,
the comedic relief,
the athlete,
the over-sexed ladies’ man, (black Buck)
the absentee father or,
the violent black man as a drug-dealing criminal and gangster thug.
Black men stereotypes
black sidekick of a white protagonist (the help)(secondary role) – learners may independently research the meaning of the “foil” as a character role.
the token black person,
the comedic relief,
the athlete,
the over-sexed ladies’ man, (black Buck)
the absentee father or,
the violent black man as a drug-dealing criminal and gangster thug.
Rick James conforms to the over-sexed 'ladies' man.
Stereotypes: Positive and negative stereotypes are often seen in contemporary British media.
Musicians – jazz, hip-hop and soul
Sportsmen and women
Comedians
Criminals
Socially dysfunctional
Prostitute/sexually promiscuous
The stud/pimp
Analysis
Media language
Editing
Camera work
Mise un-scene
Sound
Lighting
The music video Billie Jean was the first music video that featured a black person, ie Michael Jackson.
Editing
The editing and special effects in this music video are very important. The producer let Michael pretty much improvise with the music video. So he decided to have certain slabs of pavement light up, as well as other things. This did raise the costs from around $50,000 to $55,000. This at the time was almost an obscene amount of money for a music video. Some of the other special effects involved parts of Michael being frozen on the screen while the rest of him continues to dance. Michael disappearing altogether and the homeless man's old clothes being replaced with a new flashy tuxedo. Generally, these special effects can point towards the stereotype that is the "magical negro".
Camera Work
the camera work generally is about showing off his dance moves and the environment around him, meaning it is mainly full body shots and far away wide shots. There are some close-ups of Michael, the homeless person and the PI to show their reaction.
The Billy Jean music video represents black stereotypes in many ways. One way in which a stereotype is shown is in the way everything Michael touches glows or lights up. This stereotype is known as the "magical negro". This stereotype, in particular, appears a lot throughout the media industry and is the kind of person who tends to look on the bright side of things all the time. The Billy Jean video, however, has taken this stereotype literally and given Jackson "magical" powers. This is also seen when he disappears from the photograph that the paparazzi took, and also when he gets into bed with who I assume is Billy Jean and the disappears. All of these examples are good examples of editing work being done because obviously, Michael does not have magical powers.
Essay
Analyse how the Billy Jean music video by Michael Jackson represent or subvert black stereotypes of black identity.
The Billy Jean music video represents black stereotypes in many ways. One way in which a stereotype is shown is in the way everything Michael touches glows or lights up. This stereotype is known as the "magical negro". This stereotype, in particular, appears a lot throughout the media industry and is the kind of person who tends to look on the bright side of things all the time. The Billy Jean video, however, has taken this stereotype literally and given Jackson "magical" powers. This is also seen when he disappears from the photograph that the paparazzi took, and also when he gets into bed with who I assume is Billy Jean and the disappears. All of these examples are good examples of editing work being done because obviously, Michael does not have magical powers.
The editing and special effects in this music video are very important.
The producer let Michael pretty much improvise with the music video. So
he decided to have certain slabs of pavement light up, as well as other
things. This did raise the costs from around $50,000 to $55,000. This at
the time was almost an obscene amount of money for a music video.
The camera work focuses on Michaels dancing and the immediate environment around him. This helps to support the stereotype that black people are good at dancing. Because of this, the camera work is made up of mostly full body shots. There are a few exceptions such as the homeless person's reaction when Michael gives him a new suit, as well as the paparazzi's reaction when Michael disappears and when he is taken away by the police.
With the way the man in the trench coat follows him around or the "paparazzi" with a camera, its like he is trying to find evidence that Billy Jean was right and that he is the father of her child, and that he is guilty of a one night stand. This makes Michael seem like someone who is portrayed as a criminal but is in fact not. This is also shown in the lyrics "
Billie Jean is not my lover She's just a girl who claims that I am the one But the kid is not my son". This supports the stereotype that black people are portrayed as criminals but also contradicts it in the way that Michael is innocent, supporting the counterstereotype that black people are not all criminals as the first stereotype suggests. Michael is shown to be innocent in the lyrics and also due to the fact that Also Michael is wearing a kind of casual party suit. Pink shirt coat/tuxedo with a red bow tie. This helps to counter the stereotype of criminal because instead of wearing dark clothes that would help him blend in, or clothes that are cheap which provokes the need to steal or commit crimes he is wearing a flashy expensive outfit.
With the way the man in the trench coat follows him around or the "paparazzi" with a camera, its like he is trying to find evidence that Billy Jean was right and that he is the father of her child, and that he is guilty of a one night stand. This makes Michael seem like someone who is portrayed as a criminal but is in fact not. This is also shown in the lyrics "
Billie Jean is not my lover She's just a girl who claims that I am the one But the kid is not my son". This supports the stereotype that black people are portrayed as criminals but also contradicts it in the way that Michael is innocent, supporting the counterstereotype that black people are not all criminals as the first stereotype suggests. Michael is shown to be innocent in the lyrics and also due to the fact that Also Michael is wearing a kind of casual party suit. Pink shirt coat/tuxedo with a red bow tie. This helps to counter the stereotype of criminal because instead of wearing dark clothes that would help him blend in, or clothes that are cheap which provokes the need to steal or commit crimes he is wearing a flashy expensive outfit.
The editing and special effects in this music video are very important.
The producer let Michael pretty much improvise with the music video. So
he decided to have certain slabs of pavement light up, as well as other
things. This did raise the costs from around $50,000 to $55,000. This at
the time was almost an obscene amount of money for a music video. Some
of the other special effects involved parts of Michael being frozen on
the screen while the rest of him continues to dance. Michael
disappearing altogether and the homeless man's old clothes being
replaced with a new flashy tuxedo. Generally, these special effects can
point towards the stereotype that is the "magical negro".
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