Oxford Comma Analysis

By Vampire Weekend

Intro…

• Vampire Weekend is an American indie rock band originally from New York City. The group formed in 2006 and signed to XL Recordings. The band has four members: Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson, and Chris Baio. Their hit song Oxford Comma contains multiple messages and connotations behind the lyrics. The music video is purposefully filmed in one long take as was its unified visual and music features.

To begin…

• The audience is presented with an establishing shot of a rural, western-like setting with a car entering the frame. There is use of caption: Chapter One. This has an episodic effect to the video, which also echoes filmmaker, Tarantino’s segmented style. The music doesn’t enter immediately suggesting a possible climax before the percussion starts. The car stops in the centre of the field as four white and black suited men leave the car. The theme of lack and white reflects the old-fashioned style and also is a statement of male hipster fashion. This introduces a narrative to the story as these four characters are unknown to the audience and now the song plays as their narrative to aid the viewer into understanding.

Connotation?

• The intentional message behind the video corresponds to the meaning of the song, as the song is talking about why something as little and insignificant as an oxford comma matters or not. The lack of editing used throughout the video and the fact that its just one long shot perhaps represents lack of punctuation used, and this is because they are trying to convey through the song and the video that punctuation doesn't really matter. This creates a free rhythm and reflects the rebellious, wild style of the genre.

• The camera slowly pans the lead singer whilst the three other band members leave the wide shot. This enables the viewer to concentrate on this significant person as he is conducting the video. Questioning cameramen and reporters signifying a sense of status then ambushes the singer.

• The ensemble is dressed in 70’s style clothing demonstrating the time period. This reinforces the hipster, vintage look being achieved. The mise-en-scene illustrates this further as the cameraman is gripping onto a tripod; classic movie camera is a decorative touch to the shot. The camera is still transporting in a panning style, whilst the reporter flee and on of the band members give the lead a guitar.

• This introduces the performance aspect, which boosts the musical appeal to their audience. There are two women incorporated in this moment of the shot, expanding the originally two person shot into a four person shot. An army-dressed female with a bullet belt pretends to shoot the member of the band with a pistol suggesting a cowboy/cowgirl western theme to the song. The innocence behind it makes it satirical and shows that it is juvenile and not severe.

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• The song ultimately focuses on why grammar is complicated, which also implies why one complicates a relationship based on minor things like that. This proves why the video is simplistically constructed in order to show that he is trying to say that everything should be simple. In Chapter 2 the lead sings "I haven't got the words for you” affects the camera to zoom out and retreat showing the contradictory force of what he is saying.

• Another meaning of the song could translate as him asking why do people try to be perfect and all the same when everyone is fine being different anyways, this is portrayed when he says "I met the highest lama, his accent sounded fine to me" and also when he says "check your handbook, its no trick, take the chapstick, put it on your lips" and this is illustrated in the video when we see different people sat around and to him, they are all fine doing what they're doing. Whilst the lead singer is walking through the take horizontally, the viewer plays as a follower, as they are watching his gradual journey.

• The surrounding mise-en-scene creates a quirky impression upon the audience as there are stationary cows, farmers and groups of hippies standing whilst the shot progresses. This is an example of a genre’s music video technique, which makes the artist appear unique. The viewer then is presented with the band as a group playing showing the collaborative performance to the song. The camera momentarily pauses but without a cut it rapidly pans to the right to a sudden outpouring of children running into the field dressed in similar cowboy attire and Indian headdresses whilst playing with fake pistols.

• Here in Chapter 3 the shot has become all the more colourful which embodies the youthfulness and free personality of adolescent people. The shot continues to follow the lead singer as he encounters other musicians playing. This shows the friendly and community-like relationship between musical people. Chapter 4 commences with the shot covered in smoke whilst the same car from the start drives through.

• This use of coda aids the viewer to recognise the features of the video. The lyrics and video match whilst the lead sings: ‘take your passport’. The fact that he is wearing a plain white suit also represents the meaning of the song to be simple and gives us the impression that he didn't want to complicate things. There are formally dressed personnel, checking the lead singer onto a supposable flight.

• The check-in desk is then purposefully carried off showing a change in status. The camera zooms in on the lead as he gives direct eye contact to the viewer. The camera follows the lead whilst he is on a treadmill. This movement allows the viewer to connect with the lead and feel that he is addressing them face-to-face. The medium close up is irregular to the music video as a whole affecting the audience to listen to the didactic lyrics of the song as they are being personally spoken to.

The end…

• The lead then gets into an open door of the car whilst they drive off into the distance, affecting the camera to zoom out and slowly pan to present the final wide shot of the video. This is labelled: Epilogue, with a launch of female fans running after to moving car along with the mob of children. This collection of people running in the distance highlights this independent style of music. To conclude, the video rarely uses elements of the lyrics, achieveing a less is more effect, allowing the audience to explore the meanings of the narrative.

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