SLEDGEHAMMER – PETER GABRIELAnalysis of music video. By Sam McNamara

ABOUT THE SONG• Released on 25 April, 1986• Released on 7” and 12” vinyl, as well as casette and CD• Written, performed and composed by English rock musician Peter Gabriel• Recorded in Bath, England• Record label: Charisma (UK), Geffen (US)• The ‘parent’ company of Charisma was Virgin Records, it was then owned by

EMI in 1992 until its closure due to its $4bn debt in 2012, the musical operations, and subsequently ownership of this song and the Charisma label, are now owned by Universal Music Group.

• Sledgehammer has been identified with the rock, dance-rock, soul and funk genres.

ANALYSIS - GENREIn the first two shots of this music video we are presented with microscopic motion images, one of sperm and one of an egg. This immediately implies a sense of sexuality surrounding the song which is later contextualised by the connotations of Peter Gabriel’s lyrics. Themes of a sexual nature are stereotypical of songs found in the pop/rock genre, meaning that the links between the initial shots and sex are one reason that this particular music video is typical its genre. One reason for why this music video is unconventional of the pop genre is nature of the stop-frame animation of the video, however the alternativeness of this style can be said to link the video to the alternative rock genre.

ANALYSIS – GOODWIN 7In this music video, there is a strong relationship between the audio and visuals. Animator Stephen R. Johnson and Aardman Animations (producers of Wallace and Gromit) worked extremely hard to ensure that the stop-frame animation was perfectly timed with the music. The two shots to the right are from the first sequence of microscopic motion images which are both cut to in time with the music, giving the video a link to the audio and a sense of rhythm. For this reason, the music video is compatible with the Goodwin 7 as there is a clear link between the audio and the visuals.

ANALYSIS – GOODWIN 7In this music video, there is also a strong relationship between the audio and the lyrics. This is illustrated through the visual of a sledgehammer smashing through ice appears on screen while Gabriel sings the line, “I want to be your sledgehammer”. The link between the music video and the lyrics is also demonstrated when Peter Gabriel sings the line, “You could have an aeroplane flying, if you bring your blue sky back”, during this line, Peter Gabriel’s face and the backdrop is painted blue and white to appear like a ‘blue sky’. For this reason, the music video is compatible with the Goodwin 7 as there is a clear link between the audio and the lyrics.

ANALYSIS – GOODWIN 7Due to the fact that the majority of the shots in this music video focus on the face of Peter Gabriel it is extremely difficult to say that this video is compatible with Goodwin’s idea of the notion of looking. This is also because there are no other characters for Gabriel to look at for the majority of the video’s duration. However, due to the connotations of Goodwin’s principle of the notion of looking, and how this depicts the treatment of the female body by males in music videos, it is arguably compatible due to the fact that the music video is all about Gabriel’s sexual desires about a particular woman. The shot in the top right shows a dilated pupil, something which we typically associate with excitement or pleasure, perhaps sexual. For this reason it is arguable that this music video is compatible with Goodwin’s notion of looking.

ANALYSIS – GOODWIN 7Secondly, the shots to the right conform with Goodwin’s idea of artist image and how this is typically presented in music videos through a series of close-up and extreme close-up shots. While the three shots to the right are extreme close-ups, which suggest the alternative style of the music video, the entire video focuses on the full face of Peter Gabriel enforcing a strong brand recognition.

ANALYSIS - CONCLUSIONIn conclusion, despite certain elements of the video which are unconventional of the genre, the themes, music and the audio-visual link make this a pop music video. This video can be linked to the Goodwin 7 and features mean conventional features of pop music videos, including its representation of women, the theme of sex and its suggestions about pop culture.