Textual Analysis of a music video - Toxic

Textual analysis of a music video – Toxic by Britney Spears

Britney Spears ‘Toxic’

This was Britney’s second single from her fourth studio album. This song became a worldwide hit.

Lyrics

"Toxic"

Baby, can’t you see
I’m calling
A guy like you
Should wear a warning
It’s dangerous
I’m fallin’

There’s no escape
I can’t wait
I need a hit
Baby, give me it
You’re dangerous
I’m lovin’ it

Too high
Can’t come down
Losing my head
Spinning ‘round and ‘round
Do you feel me now

With a taste of your lips
I’m on a ride
You're toxic I'm slipping under
With a taste of a poison paradise
I’m addicted to you
Don’t you know that you’re toxic
And I love what you do
Don’t you know that you’re toxic

It’s getting late
To give you up
I took a sip
From my devil's cup
Slowly
It’s taking over me

Too high
Can’t come down
It’s in the air
And it’s all around
Can you feel me now

With a taste of your lips
I’m on a ride
You're toxic I'm slipping under
With a taste of a poison paradise
I’m addicted to you
Don’t you know that you’re toxic
And I love what you do
Don’t you know that you’re toxic

Don't you know that you're toxic

[x2]
With a taste of your lips
I'm on a ride
You're toxic I'm slipping under
With a taste of a poison paradise
I'm addicted to you
Don't you know that you're toxic

Intoxicate me now
With your lovin' now
I think I'm ready now
I think I'm ready now
Intoxicate me now
With your lovin' now
I think I'm ready now

The lyrics of ‘Toxic’ have sexual meanings and from the video you immediately notice this and it’s a very seductive song. The lyrics show that fact that Britney has grown up and moved from her teenage years to adult and this shows throughout the lyrics from ‘with the taste of your lips’ this is sexual and seductive. Most Britney fans were the same ages and her lyrics relate to her target audience and by Britney moving from her teens into a adult her fans would to by the lyrics relating to her fans it makes them feel closers to her as a artist. Within the lyrics there is some drugs reference which indicates that she is growing up to a older age from ‘i need a hit, baby, give me it’.

Britney has been styled completely new and it brings herself into the adult world. Here Britney is very reavealing in a diamonds and this is proof that she is an adult and able to wear these types of clothes for her age without being judged by the public.

Above is a printscreen on Britney and a male in a toilet again sexual nature towards him which shows the sexual reference used in the lyrics. In the video Britney is dressed very seductive in a blue air-hostess uniform in a short skrit and her underware on show to attract attention from a older target audience and to keep attention throughout the video.

Music

Toxic is in the ‘pop’ genre and differently fits in with the genre as the music has a mixture of fast and slow beats. Most pop songs have a beat to the song then within the song there the beat will drop for the last verse then for the last chorus the beat comes back. This happens in Toxic with the last verse at a slower beat then the final chorus back to the fast upbeat pace. This is an upbeat, high tempo track and throughout the video the editing is rapid and fast which makes the music video intriguing to watch.

Mise-en-scene

During the video Britney’s Hair changes colours three times, she starts the video with blonde hair, then on to second verse she has red hair. The red hair shows a sense of danger and her being on a motorcycles shows she has the power in the video then on the last chorus she has black hair. This also reflects her age and maturity. By doing this and having costume changes throughout the videos keeps the audience not to get bored and attracted to the video

 

Camerawork

The main focus in the music video ‘Toxic’ is Briney. The director has used many shots to show this. During the video there is many close up’s of britney to show her singing the song. There is many long shots of Britney to show her outfits and how she is using her body to get attention from the male, by showing her legs in the air hotess uniform, also in the diamonds where Britney is not clothed. The long shots are also used to show her talent in the video and thats her dancing skills. There are many mid-shots to show the setting and the surrounding area and how Britney is in control.

 
This is a long shot and shows the surrounding area and also a new costume change for Britney.


Editing

All the way through the video the editing is the same throughout, as the song is upbeat and fast the editing styles is very rapid so the viewers dont get bored and by Britney having different costumes throughtout the video the editing keeps the audience watching and each shot is different

 
This shows the setting that Britney is driving through on the motorcycle to give the audience a view.