Themes in the Music Clip "Girls Like You" by the Music Band Maroon Five

Introduction

This paper discusses the major themes presented in the music clip "Girls like You" played by the music band Maroon Five. The video uses techniques such as audio dialogue and visual techniques such as use of famous characters, lyrics and activist messages written on clothing to explore the message and themes of feminism, female empowerment and diversity, because the message implied is centred on the modern issues facing the women, and what needs to change to ensure that they receive equal treatment with their male counterparts.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Lyrics

Lyrics explain the recommended treatment of women in the society explaining to the audience the need to change the perception of women in the society. The inhabitants of a community can achieve that by addressing the perceived domination by men.

The film clip 'Girls like you' presents women in a positive light and avoids objectifying them for the entertainment of men. For example the lyric, 'Maybe I'm thinking its better you drive' (YouTube 2018, 2:44) challenges the assumption that the man should drive, and hints at a wider criticism of traditional gender roles. This shows that women are given the chance to participate in the same activities as men, hence not objectified.

The clip begins with a close-up view of women dancing as Adam Levine sings. Highlighting the images of the women by allowing them to occupy the larger part of the frame drives the point of feminism home.

The performer has brought the effect of gender equality in the modern society, because the women are participating in the entertainment industry. They can comfortably sing and enjoy the music as exhibited by the film scene (YouTube 2018, 3.20).

They bring out the theme of feminism. It is through the impression created by the message on the lyrics, as an audio technique that the change needed in the current society to empower women in an amicable manner is portrayed

The Use of Famous Women in the Clip

The visual technique used in the clip to explore the theme of empowerment uses influential female personalities in the clip to bring out the extent to which women have achieved success in the public eye. Women have been rising to become powerful and famous each rising day due to their combined effort and support for each other. Moreover, some women have been seen taking part in the male-dominated sporting world. Alex Morgan who appears in the music video as a dancer, (You tube 2018, 1:15), has participated in the American Soccer, won a gold medal in the Olympics and became a champion in the FIFA Women's World Cup. Another important personality is Jackie Fielder who appears when Adam is singing (You tube 2018, 1:34). She has organized with Mazaska, talks aimed at fighting for Native American rights.

Female empowerment, which has been presented in the film clip, through inclusion of celebrities has displayed a significant meaning in the modern society. The application of the contemporary and women shows the importance of the women in the development of the community in different sectors. The tone of Cardi B's rapping, (You tube 2018, 2:54) which comes out with a tough feel emphasizes on the importance of women in the society and the need to empower them.

The film features a number of celebrity women like Phoebe Robinson, and tech entrepreneur who is Amani Al-Khatahtbeh who bring out the visual image of women empowerment.

Activist Messages on Clothing

The treatment of women by men is also brought out through the image of women as through the costumes they wear and they message written on them. For example, Angy Rivera wear a t-shirt written 'Undocumented, Unafraid Unapologetic' to pass across the prevailing circumstances facing women in foreign lands especially those that are illegal immigrants. She encourages them not to be afraid about going through the processes of acquiring the right documentation, and should remain unapologetic of their situation because its difficult to turn things around. Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, a Muslim activist in the film clip brings out the message of fair treatment of women regardless of their religion by wearing a hat that says 'Muslimgirl.com,' an intersectional feminist website that she runs.

The video clips have concentrated on talking about girl power whereby they have included a lot of girls in the clip from diverse cultures for diverse niches of entertainment (YouTube 2018, 1.26). The video shows to the audiences Adam Levine in a stage where it is lit up, but the cameras are rotating all around him. Once a cam revolves around Adam, diverse female counterparts, superstars are appearing behind him, in a mode of entertainment that is, dancing and singing to the tunes of the song .The performer has brought the effect of gender equality in the modern society, because the women are participating in the entertainment industry. They can comfortably sing and enjoy the music as exhibited by the film scene (YouTube 2018, 3.20).

Conclusion

The main themes are diversity and the empowerment of women, which are explained through the incorporation of visual and audio techniques such as activist messages on clothing, lyrics and inclusion of women celebrities.

Display of activist messages on clothing and the song lyrics bring out the expected impression the society should have of women, in regards to the equality in professions and the activities they can take part in the society. The narrations also assist in the acknowledgement that failures of women at one point or another in life does not mean that they cannot achieve a whole lot of new things that are good and rise to power. Respect for women by men should not be an option but rather a priority (YouTube 2018, 1.23).

Through the inclusion of famous people, a picture is created in the minds of the viewers that all people are equal regardless of their gender, and can achieve great things in life. So we should not take others as objects rather like a human being just like we are all. After watching this clip, the audience is left with a definite idea about women in our societies and how they should treat them.

References

Newsbeat. 2018. Here are all the inspirational women in Maroon 5's Girls Like You. Available at https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-44329628. [Accessed 19 June 2018]

YouTube. 2018. Maroon 5 - Girls Like You ft. Cardi B - YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJOTlE1K90k. [Accessed 11 June 2018]