kate bush - sat on your lap
DESCRIPTION
Video AnalysisTRANSCRIPT
The next song I will be analysing is by Kate Bush and is called ‘Sat in your lap’The song was released in the 1980’s and the artist was renound for being very abstract and different in her videos.This video is set in a darkened room with a very empty feel to it.It opens on a long shot of her sitting down on the floor by herself emphasising the emptiness feeling, a spotlight then shines upon her showing that this is the important and the song is about her
Throughout the song random creatures and people appear in the room with no relevance whatsoever to the lyrics or the other creatures there, The reason this could have been done was just to confuse the audience, the lyrics to the song also are very abstract and only when read separately can a meaning be derived from them.
“See the people working,
And see it working for them.
And so I want to join in,
But then I find it hurts me.
Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap.Some say that knowledge…”
One of the main props used in the video is the dunce hat. Kate Bush is shown to be wearing this along with others in a long shot watching them roller skate towards the camera. The dunce hat represents stupidity and could relate to the lyrics by suggesting that she is stupid and so are the ones with her. Directly
Afterwards she is seen sitting in the same position as how the video opened but this time sitting next to two ‘Jokers’ doing the same movement as her. This could suggest that she’s trying her hardest with trying to gain knowledge but can’t do it and is looking like a fool.
This whole video is set out to confuse the audience, several things throughout have no relevance whatsoever to the video I shall give some examples now.
Men in head masks with weapons
Her dancing around in between them as if she’s one of them
The men in dunce hats dancing around
The cut being shown for a new scene randomly put in.
The background changes into a ‘Void’
The ‘Fools’ Dancing the same as her