Video analysis of Linkin Park "Numb"

Video analysis of “Numb” by Linkin’ Park

The song numb by Linkin’ park is off the album Meteora, which was released in 2003. The song is about a person who is in love with someone who sets to high expectations for him or her

and whatever they do is not good enough for that person.  Linkin’ park are considered a nu-metal, modern rock type of band but this certain song was considered to be in the alternative rock genre. The song was directed Joe Hahn also known as Mr Hahn who is the director and the DJ of the band.  Linkin’ park are a quite successful band in the the “Nu-metal” genre and a lot of people like to listen to there music this may be because the type of music is not really heavy for people who don’t like to much screaming in a song and people who don’t like techno type music.

Lyrics:

I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface
I don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow

I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
Become so tired, so much more aware
By becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you

Can't you see that you're smothering me?
Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control
'Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you
Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow
And every second I waste is more than I can take!

And I know I may end up failing too
But I know you were just like me with someone disappointed in you

I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
I'm tired of being what you want me to be
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
I'm tired of being what you want me to be

The lyrics of the song and the video have a strong link with each other from the beginning of the song right through till the end.  

In the music video it shows a female character who was forced into having a certain lifestyle and do certain courses at college by her mother, this is shown at the start by the shots of her when se I always by herself and shortly after the guitar and drums come into the song, the scene goes to her in school/college and she is drawing and not taking notice in the lesson. This is shown when the teacher asks her a question but she is not the lesson and the teacher has to tap the table in front of her to attract her attention. The lyrics links to this in the first few scenes the lyrics are “I’m tired of being what you want me to be, feeling so faithless, whilst under the surface” this is the suggesting that she is being forced into something that he does not want to do.

This shot shows over the shoulder of the female whilst she is in her lesson in class, it shows her doing sketch, this is showing she is not really interested in her lesson and is not taking much notice of her subject teacher.

After the first verse of the song when the chorus starts during the first few lines where the lyrics are “I’ve become so numb, I can’t feel you there” it shows her in her class still whilst time has speeded up and everyone is going past, this scene makes her look like some sort of outcast and shows that she does not fit in with everyone else because if the type of life style she has. This is the shot at the start of the chorus, this is probably used to show that she is oblivious to life around her.

When the second verse has started it shows a shot of the female in the kitchen with what appears to be her mother they are facing away from each other (the mother stood up doing the dishes the younger female facing the other way sat down at the dinner table) the lyrics at this point are “can’t you see that you’re smothering me? Holding to tightly, afraid to lose control” this could be linked to the video as it shows that they do not agree what the mother wants the lifestyle and life choices of her to be and what she wants the lifestyle of herself to be and it is tearing them apart as a family, almost making her feel like an outcast .

After this it shows several different shots of the band playing and the lead singer, then after the lyrics “everything that you thought I would be, has fallen apart” have been sang it shows a medium close up of the woman who appears to be her mother talking, it looks like she is complaining, maybe this could be used to show that the mother has seen that she is not enjoying this type of lifestyle and is not very happy so she is complaining telling her that she has to do it and she is only forcing it on her because it is good for her future.

 After this scene when the bridge to the chorus arrive it shows the female look like she is trying to fit in and enjoy this lifestyle that has been forced upon her, she may be trying this because after she had been tlking to her mother she may have decided to take an “might as well try if I have to do it” approach to it at this pint where the lyrics are “every step that I take is another mistake to you, and every second I waste is more than I can take” when these lyrics are same a long shot is used to show the female going to try and sit down with other people as a pose to sitting by herself and as soon as she sits down the other people on the table decide to gety up and walk away like they do not want to be seen with her like she is some sort of freek or outcast and it is not “cool” to be seen with her this could be because she did not really talk to many people before so people started to look down on her like a loner and did not want to talk to her

 

After this it shows several shots of the band, this is to show who is playing the music and singing etc. 

 After this the chorus is repeated several times and it shows the female individual throwing things at what appears to be a painting board, this is possibly used to show the fat that she has had enough and can not take this type of life anymore and she needs to be herself now and be who she wants to be and make her own choices etc, this is what is repeated to the end of the song.