Nightwish - The Islander

By Matt Love

My gold standard for music videos comes from what is, in my opinion, one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of music ever written: Nightwish's "The Islander." Released in 2008, a little less than a year after the album on which the song was featured, it was directed by Stobe Harju and filmed in a large Finland city called Rovaniemi. At times both surrealistic and whimsical, it is an example of what all music videos should be.

The song follows an old man who keeps a lighthouse on an otherwise abandoned island somewhere in the middle of the sea. He had a wife and children with him once, but they have all long since died, and he has been completely alone for some time. Eventually, no longer able to bear his isolation, he ties an anchor to his leg and drops it into the water, killing himself with a smile.

The accompanying video makes full use of its ability to show rather than tell to enhance the story. That is to say, the lyrics tell you the story, and the video shows you. Each can stand without the other (i.e. if you watched the video without sound, you could still easily tell what's happening), but when put together, they become considerably more powerful. The video adds an extra level of depth, which is something that the vast majority of music videos simply fail to accomplish.

Take, for example, the titular character of the Islander. The video allows us to put a face to the character. We can see his struggles, see how lonesome he is. His march to the cliff where he will end his life is uneven and difficult, but he walks it with determination and dignity. He is so accustomed to the presence of the island's ghosts that he doesn't even acknowledge them. Then, we get to watch his last smile as he takes a final deep breath of the sea air that he probably found comforting in times long past. You pity him in that moment, but also feel something akin to relief that his troubles are at an end.

The video is also heavy with symbolism. The most noticeable symbols are the cherry blossom trees at the cliff, literally the only other living things on the island besides the old man. In this way, they do symbolize life, but at the same time, they also symbolize death. When the islander drops the anchor, a new tree grows on the cliff out of nowhere. It seems likely to me that the five other trees grew from the deaths of his family. This would fit, because the young man playing the bagpipes on the cliff towards the end of the video, presumably the ghost of the islander himself, is approached by five others: one tall figure in the middle and two smaller ones on either side of it. These are his wife and four children.

The other important symbols are the ship and the anchor, and the video plays with the general conceptions of those symbols by basically reversing them. In many, many stories, ships are used as symbols of freedom, vessels that allow tortured souls to escape lives they hate to seek better ones. However, in this story, it is the ship that is keeping him chained to the island (literally, since he is forced to drag it behind him), and it is the anchor, which normally secures things in one place, that finally releases him from his pain.

The mark of a great music video is that it makes you appreciate a song more than you did before watching it. Most fall short of that. The Islander definitely does not. The first time I saw the video, I walked away feeling as though I had just seen the story in an entirely different way. It turns out the most effective videos are the ones who just want to tell their story.

Simplicity in "Where is the Love?"

By Rosie Van Vliet

The music video for “Where is the Love?” by the Black Eyed Peas was released in 2003. Shot in East Los Angeles, the video features the members of the band along with many other people, most of which are children. The overarching theme of placing question marks all over the city, along with one sub-story of a man getting arrested, best serve the purpose of this video and its song: to illuminate the hate in the world to everyday citizens and ask them, “where is the love?”

The symbol that stretches through the entire music video is a question mark. This symbol has a lot of characteristics that create a theme in this music video. The question mark literally represents the most vivid symbol, being a very distinct shade of red in the otherwise washed out film. This fact makes the viewer think about the meaning behind the symbol itself. The video is obviously posing a question for the viewers with the use of this symbol which can be found in the title of the song: “Where is the Love?” The enhancement of the question mark itself causes the reader to think about the question more thoroughly, and ask themselves, “where is the love?”

One other characteristic of the question mark is its sporadic placement throughout the video. The symbol pops up everywhere: on buses, skyscrapers, even interrupting children playing video games. By literally shoving the question mark in people’s faces, the band - acting as “freedom fighters” - is forcing the characters, and subsequently the viewers, to think about its meaning in society. By the end of the video, the characters look up in wonderment at all of the question marks floating around, sharing the feeling of togetherness that the band has said is missing throughout the whole song.

I really enjoy the use of this symbol throughout the music video. It keeps everything cohesive and really makes it clear that the message of this song is to wonder about where is the love in today’s broken society. The two characteristics mentioned above are the characteristics that make the message the clearest. Viewers are not confused about the meaning behind the symbol, which is something that I value as a critic.

Secondly, the sub-story of a man, played by band member apl.de.ap, who is arrested for vandalism after placing a sticker with the question mark symbol on the back of a city bus is also very

meaningful. Apl.de.ap sits on a step after being arrested, talking to the cops by singing his verse of the song directly to them. This image is probably the most powerful one in the whole music video. He is explaining to policemen, which are universal symbols of “the man” and “society”, exactly what is wrong with “the man” and “society”. The storyline of him being arrested while trying to promote peace resonates with the viewer so deeply that they find themselves on his side, which is the whole point of the video itself - to get people to understand the necessity of peace, unity, and equality.

This video is very successful. It is cohesive, symbolic, and powerful. The use of the question mark as a symbol for the title of the song (“Where is the Love?”) and the storyline of a man being arrested and singing to the police are two of the most meaningful images in the video.

A Critical Analysis of "Where is the Love?"

The message behind The Black eyed Pea’s 2009 smash hit “Where is the love?” isn’t exactly groundbreaking, and it certainly isn’t subtle. That is not to say, however, that it isn’t poignant. In a world characterized by ever-increasing consumerism, violence, and resulting existential angst, it is easy to forget that in many ways all people are the same. As such we should have nothing to fear from one another, but the fact remains that we do; we are our own most dangerous enemy. With this in mind, the question posed by the Black Eyed Peas is simple; why? Where is the love?

The music video opens with a shot of a red question mark poster, which slowly pans out to reveal more similar posters, held by several young African American men who frantically run and post them around their city—“Where is the love?” is a relevant question both at home and abroad. In this same vein, the first lyrics are “What’s wrong with the World?” Again, the message here is no mystery, but this makes it no less powerful. As a whole, the video offers a string of powerful, often off-putting imagery: a gas station with a “?” posted over the price, brainwashed-looking children playing a violent video-game, close-up shots of people of all races and creeds looking forlornly into the camera—their eyes seemingly asking “why?”, a street-preacher screaming frantically and being ignored by those around him, an aerial shot of a wheat crop with a “?” plowed into it, and a black man being chased and abused by white policemen are just a few.

Indeed, from these portions of the video alone, the song’s message seems rather bleak. Whatever and wherever this “love” is, our chances of finding it, and more importantly the prospects for the future of our species, don’t look good. One has to look significantly harder to find the positive, hopeful message hidden within the video, but it is there, and it resides with the young. About halfway through the video, the aforementioned bleakness is interrupted by a snippet of hope: tens of smiling, jubilant children of all races are shown chasing after a vehicle with the question mark posted on its backdoors.

This could be interpreted in many different ways. Perhaps the message is still fatalistic—after all there is no way a mob of children could ever hope to catch up to a moving vehicle. This interpretation is certainly tempting, but I would suggest a more light-hearted one. Yes, the children may never catch the vehicle, and yes world peace will probably never truly be achieved. Still, it will, and is being striven for by the youth, and perhaps that is all we can expect. Any step in the right direction is a good one—a sentiment that the Black Eyed Peas would certainly echo.

Where is the Message?

By Katy Freeman

“Where is the Love” is a music video produced by UMG Records, Inc., and performed by the Black Eyed Peas in 2003. The music video for “Where is the Love” is fast-paced, bold, and visually iconic. Many of the video’s brief shots match the beat of its fast-paced song. As a mainstream music group, it was bold of the Black Eyed Peas to challenge problems with the media so directly. And the video attempts to be visually iconic by frequently placing the spotlight on a graphic question mark logo. These three characteristics of the video—fast-paced, bold, and iconic—exemplify what the video for “Where is the Love” is attempting to achieve: a commentary that challenges what journalists choose to show their audiences in the United States. But while the song preaches universal peace and love, its attempt to convey a powerful critique about American journalism is softened because neither the lyrics nor the video’s shots distinguish a clear target for criticism.

Since the lyrics of “Where is the Love” do not clearly target one social problem, the audience loses
sight of what the song’s main message is. “Where is the Love” contains lyrics that prompt audience members to question why journalists selectively show their audience sensationalized violence, crime, and suffering. The Black Eyed Peas are quite explicit in their criticism when they sing, “Wrong information shown by the media.” This message aims to challenge American journalism. But once other messages are introduced in the lyrics, the song’s critique of journalism grows weaker
For example, during one shot, the band’s lead singer, Will.i.am, stands in front of a mural signed, “We are not a minority,” next to a portrait of Fidel Castro. The mural brings up racial discrimination, while the image of Fidel Castro could have political undertones or just be a sign of rebellious graffiti. As seen in this scene, there are so many visual symbols that they end up confusing the viewer as to what the song is actually trying to say. The lyrics may have conveyed a stronger, clear message had they not attempted to tackle a handful of other social problems also.

The fast rhythm and short duration of shots in “Where is the Love” quicken the pace of the music video and slightly disorient viewers. Short shots in music videos sometimes excite and engage its viewers in the song’s messages. However, in the video “Where is the Love,” viewers are rapidly pulled along from scene to scene with little time to piece together the main message of the video. Viewers are uncertain about what the exact message of the video is and what all of the shots will lead to in the plot. The video concludes with characters staring at an unknown thing in the sky, which does not answer certain questions that the video introduces, such as what the undercover messengers (dressed in all black) were trying to accomplish. Much like the people wondering at the sky at the end of the video, viewers of “Where is the Love” are left wondering what specifically the Black Eyed Peas are preaching.

"Where is the Love?"

Where Is the Love? by The Black Eyed Peas was written by the band itself with the assistance of Justin Timberlake as well as produced by one of their very own band members, Will.i.am. Released on the 26th of June, the song addresses the lack of unity and love in the world with a heavy emphasis on the effects that it has on children. Through uncensored lyrics discussing issues on the inaccuracy and negativity within the media, global warfare and human indifference which are then further emphasized by the thought provoking use of semiotics and intertextuality within the music video, it is no wonder the song became the highest selling single of 2003 in the United Kingdom. 

The song’s central point is that today’s society is easily influenced by the negativity and drama within the media but extremely detached from global issues like warfare and racism because it doesn’t affect them personally. The use of semiotics and intertextuality are incorporated throughout the video making it more relatable. The music video does a great job of making it relatable which is effective in emphasizing their point that people only care about things that are personal and relatable to them. If the video had been shot in an otherworldly setting, the message would not have been as easily received.

A perfect example of intertextuality within the music video is the depiction of kids playing the video

game Postal 2. The inclusion of this video game is significant because after its release in 2003 there was a huge controversy over the graphic violence and stereotypes being portrayed in the game. This goes along with the lyrics “wrong information always shown by the media, negative images is the main criteria, infecting the young minds faster than bacteria, kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema”. The image of young kids playing a video game well known for its violent content and laughing over it proves the point in the lyrics that negative images like this have become normal and accepted in society. Even worse, the song warns that children see these graphic images and want to replicate them because they look cool and exciting. The song basically states that by glorifying violence and other explicit content, it desensitizes children to it causing them to be undisturbed by it in real life.

An example of the semiotics used would be the question mark that the band members plastered throughout the city of LA. The question mark is a universal symbol with the sole purpose of asking a question and making a person think. It appears immediately after the video game is shown, making the viewer think about what they just watched.

Children play an important role throughout the music video by making people care. There is a natural instinct to protect children and by using children in the music video about all these serious issues it motivates people to want to do something to prevent anything bad happening to the kids.

“Where is the Love?”

By Maia Ogembo

Black Eyed Peas’ 2003 song “Where is the Love?” which was produced by Interscope Geffen (A&M) Records which is a Division of UMG Recordings Inc. It is a music video that did a good job of relating to the viewers through the location about a serious issue, which is the lack of love and unity of our country. Which is important because “we only have one world” and we should take care of it for the next generation.

The video was shot in different locations in New York City and included people biking down the streets, at a gas station and inside of a portable radio truck. This was a really good job way of engaging the audience by making the video seem realistic and relatable to the viewers because it is their everyday scenery being shown in the music video. It also included “normal” people of all ages and races singing the chorus of the song to showcase the unity that our country should have. There were people biking around the city and posting the question marks, tattoos of it and it appearing on television, that causes it to seem like a big issue as the #BlackLivesMatter campaign in our current society. #BlackLivesMatter is popular on social media, as this seemed popular in general. They both shared the common denominator of race as their main issue and the “Where is Love?” lyrics explain it well in that “... love for your own race… leave[s] space to discriminate… [which] only generates hate.”

This loss of compassion is important because “instead in spreading love we're spreading animosity,” “most of us only care about money makin'/ [so] selfishness got us followin' the wrong direction” and “not respectin' each other, [by] deny[ing] thy brother” and these types of behavior are being observed by children. They will be passed on to the next generation and create a colder country because there is a lack of love compassion for each other. To show examples of the things children are viewing, the video showed them playing a violent video game. And because “kids want to act like what they see in the [videos],” it is teaching children negative scenarios to reenact. We should not let our children play violent video games and let them view the wrong role model because it “infect[s] the young minds faster than bacteria” and will lead to a new generation of hateful people.

“Where is the Love” music video was well performed because it related to the audience with the people included as well as the location and it relayed the message of protecting the love and compassion for one another for the next generation to come because hate will lead our country away from unity.

What the media shows us?

Isaac Villalobos

The title of this song is “Where is the love by the Black Eyed Peas.” This is a video offers a very interesting introspective look at ourselves. It does this by displaying the negativity that is so prevalent in the media within our society today. This is shown through specific scenes in the video, lyrics as well.

The Black Eyed Peas are an American hip hop group. They released this music video in 2003 and the song premiered on their third album. A major tool that was used in this video was juxtaposing different themes together. We would have a connotation about what is happening but we would be mistaken in different examples in the video. This was in part accomplished by the question mark we see a throughout the video. This acts literally as a sign of questioning as we find out in the video.

The sign here works together with the lyrics “where is the love” to ask that question. This straightforward method allows us to easily tell when the artists want us to see how negative the media can portray things in our society. We can see this negativity by the juxtaposition of the question mark to what is seemingly happening in the video. In one of the most evident examples there are multiple people running through the city in black hoodies looking back as if they were being chased or doing something wrong. However, when we see what is going on they are simply spreading the question of “where is the love”. This in turn also points out the negativity of what we are shown, which may give the idea of crime and delinquency. However, we may not be seeing the whole picture like in the video. This is the most used method in the video and accompanies the lyrics very well.

Another example that occurs happens when one of the men who has been spreading the “question mark” is being chased down by the police. He is eventually captured and this represents what the media shows us. However, we see beforehand that all he was doing was asking “where is the love?” This relates strongly to the lyrics “wrong information always shown by the media negative images is their criteria.” This really encompasses everything that is being said in this video. We only see the negative images in the media, but just because that information is what we see doesn’t mean it is the truth. Even partial images of the truth can be “wrong information” if the whole context isn’t analyzed.