Music Video Analysis: TLC - 'Waterfalls'

After analysing 'Survivor' by Destiny's Child, I wanted to compare it to another girl band but a song which had a slower tempo.  This led to me to identify 'Waterfalls' by the group TLC and I found many differences to 'Survivor', but also many similarities in terms of the theories that Goodwin enforced.

First Shot Setting a Narrative

Firstly, the music video starts off with a narrative based shot which sets the scene for the video and also gives the audience an insight to what might come.  Moreover, the pace of the camera is extremely fast as the lens is directed prominently into the sky.  This idea is then developed as the next narrative shot reveals an aeroplane crossing what appears to be an island over seas.  It later becomes clear that the girls appear to singing, standing on water, as if to portray a 'waterfall' effect which relates  directly to title of the song.

Birds Eye View Shot of Aeroplane

As seen in the image to the right, there a distinct camera focus on the aeroplane.  As previously stated, this suggests that the first layer will be visualised on a beach or on an island, either way placing emphasis on the lyrics and the song's title.

Girls emerging from water figures

Effectively, when the next layer is seen on screen, there appears to be water figures which almost evolve into the band members of TLC.  This has been cleverly conveyed to add to the image of the girls expressing the nature of their song and amplifying the title, 'Waterfalls'.  In terms of Goodwin's theories, this idea immediately relates to the link between lyrics and visuals.  Not only do the visuals represent what the lyrics and more specifically the title of the song is conveying, but I would argue that this effect amplifies the meaning of the lyrics as it shows the importance of water being a key theme.  Moreover, as the girls begin to develop further into the song, the idea is distinguished that within the second layer alone there is a connection with music and visuals.  As the song begins, the sound identified is quite ethereal but more up-beat than mysterious.  This sound relates directly to the motion of the see and the actions that the members of the band are displaying through their dancing.

Long Shot Displaying Music and Visuals

The choreography is quite subtle, but looks extremely natural.  This is because instead of revealing big, spacious dance moves, the girls appear standing on the sea water relatively still moving their arms and torso to the rhythm of the waves.

Birds Eye View Shot of Urban Street

The music video continues to display clear narrative aspects, as the next layer is set in an urban city of America.  This is further represented through the use of a birds-eye view shot and reveals part of the meaning of the song, a mother worried about her son's safety and health due to him being involved in American youth crime.

When the lyrics of the song begin to be heard, it becomes clear that there are many references to Goodwin's ideology based around lyrics and visuals.

Close-Up of Hand Gesture

The lyrics which state 'she can't touch' has a direct relation to the choreography that the girls express.
The girls are seen on screen revealing a hand gesture that almost connects to the audience but then is drawn back in to their bodies.  Furthermore, this movement resembles the idea of almost being able to touch someone and guide them in the right direction, but at the last second something gets in the way.

Long Shot of Band Members Pointing

Similarly, this idea is conveyed again through the lyrics of 'by his side'.  When the girls are dancing, they are seen pointing to their sides initiating that someone could be there with them.  The link between lyrics and visuals within the song is very common as it is again expressed though the lyrics of 'don't go chasing waterfalls' and 'natural obsession'.

Long Shot of the Band Dancing as Water Figures

The image which represents 'don't go chasing waterfalls' visualises the members of the group dancing in front of a waterfall.  The same effect has been used to that seen at the beginning of the song in which the girls are made up of water.  This again amplifies the effect of lyrics and visuals as it takes the lyrics into consideration and not only refers to them visually, but also adapts the image to portray a more meaningful concept.

Establishing Shot of Landscape

The lyrics 'natural obsession' are sung when the image on screen is of a beautiful, natural landscape.  I would argue that this image was chosen as many people find beauty in reality to be a calm and natural.

Shot of Clock Used as a Motif

Furthermore, when there is a prominent switch in layer,  in which the time has changed dramatically, an image of a clock appears on screen with fast moving images behind it.  Furthermore, it could be argued that the clock on screen is identified as a motif throughout the video, acting as a common image which is present when there is an instant and prominent layer change.
Within the video, there is a close-up reflection shot which adds to the idea of the narrative behind the lyrics.

Close-Up of Mother's Reflection

The refection is seen through the mirror or a car wheel and reveals the mother of a son in a red dress looking worried and afraid.  The connotations of the colour red can be associated in this case with vulnerability and the love that she has for her son.
The colour also represents the danger that the boy later gets himself into.  The use of the shot being expressed through a reflection conveys the idea that the actions of the son and the decisions that he makes directly impact the mothers emotional state.

Close-Up (Notion of Looking)

Goodwin's theory relating to the notion of looking is displayed within 'Waterfalls' but is subverted in some ways from the traditional idea. The notion of looking is represented when the mother's son is the only focus within another boy's eye.
The boy whose eye focuses directly on the son is part of a gang subculture suggesting that danger will be enforced on to the son himself.  Instead of typically looking through a lens, telescope etc, the looking is distinguishably identified by the use of a close-up.

Close-Up of Man - Notion of Looking

In addition to this, notion of looking is displayed again within TLC's video but is subtly subverted.  A man is seen looking into a mirror which almost gives the audience a perspective which sees him differently to how he sees himself.  The notion of looking at this particular moment also relates directly to the lyrics and visuals as the image is conveyed through the lyrics of 'he doesn't recognise his own face'.

Long-Shot (Mother Appearing in Front of Son)

Furthermore, through the use of a long-shot, the music video reveals the son heading towards a group of boys who are dressed and acting through the use of their gestures to be involved in part of a gang.  Through the use of editing, the boy's mother appears in front of him as if to worn and stop him from getting himself into trouble.  This layer of the video relates specifically to the narrative and emphasises the meaning of the song, being based around love, danger, and making the right or wrong decisions.
In terms of Goodwin's theory based around typical genre characteristics, as a girl dance group, and similar to what I analaysed within Destiny's Child's 'Survivor', TLC as a girl group displayed many choreographed dance routines and actions throughout the video.

Choreographed Dance Routine

This is expected from girl groups and it helps the members of the band relate to their target audience more effectively by appealing to wider age group.  For example, the song itself and the emotion that it portrays would relate to those aged between 16-20, but the dance moves and the narrative behind the song allow the target audience to widen to members of the public from as young as 13 years of age.
Lastly, anther theory that Goodwin spoke about was the use of voyeuristic imagery and how the female body can sometimes be exploited.  As the meaning of 'Waterfalls' is quite serious and emotional, very little voyeuristic imagery is expressed, but nevertheless, some is still depicted on screen.

Close-Up (Voyeuristic Imagery)

This is seen when one of the band members is identified tapping her hips and a close-up shot is taken of her stomach.  This suggests that even though the lyrics of the song and what the band members are wishing to portray throughout their video, being based on the harsh reality of American youth crime, the record label still expect to see aspects of a voyeuristic nature to be visualised from a girl band.
Further Analysis 
As spoken about, 'Waterfalls' by TLC has many on screen shots relating to the idea of reflection.  This is seen through the mother's reflection in a car wheel, a man looking into a mirror and the son who is reflected in the another boy's eye.  After further analysis, I realised that the reasoning behind this was due to the title of the song and where many of the layers are filmed.  The use of reflections relates directly to the title 'Waterfalls' and how water reflects anything that is above it.  Furthermore, as the meaning of the video is deciding between making right or wrong decisions, the reflections act as specific insights to the narrative and display the consequences of the decisions that the actors make.