Detailed Textual Analysis of a Music Video

Taylor Swift- You Belong With Me

Context
The song You belong with me by Taylor Swift is a country pop song, the song was co-written by Taylor Swift and Liz Rose and produced by Nathan Chapman. It was released on April 21st 2009, by Big Machine Records.This was the third single from Taylor Swifts second studio album, Fearless. The idea for the song came from when Taylor was inspired after hearing a male friend of hers arguing with his girlfriend through a phonecall.

The songs music video was directed by Roman White, the video featured Taylor Swift portraying two characters a 'nerd' and a 'popular girl'. The videos plot centres the nerd secretively loving the male lead, although he has a girlfriend.

The song went on to win an a award at the 2009 MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video Music Awards, but during Taylor Swifts speech, rapper Kanye West rudely interrupted, protesting in support of Beyonce. The song was performed live at numerous venues, being the opening number at the Fearless Tour.

Lyrics
You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset
She's going off about something that you said
'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do

I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And she'll never know your story like I do

But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts
She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You, you belong with me, you belong with me

Walking the streets with you and your worn-out jeans
I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself
Hey, isn't this easy?

And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town
I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down
You say you're fine, I know you better than that
Hey, what ya doing with a girl like that?

She wears high heels, I wear sneakers
She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know?
Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're 'bout to cry
And I know your favorite songs and you tell me 'bout your dreams
Think I know where you belong, think I know it's with me

Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You belong with me

Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time, how could you not know?
Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

You belong with me
Have you ever thought just maybe
You belong with me?
You belong with me

Content

The video begins with a mid-shot of a boy walking around his room on the phone. The songs then begins with the lyric 'your on the phone with your girlfriend shes upset'. The shot then moves to a mid shot of a girl, this girl being the artist Tayor Swift sitting on her bed lip syncing the lyrics 'she doesnt get your humour like I do'. The shots then jump cut between each of them holding up pieces of paper, the artist Taylor Swifts asking if he is ok and his saying 'tired of drama' The next part of the video moves onto a long shot of the artist Taylor Swift dancing around her room singing into a hair brush, then jumping to the boy laughing at what shes doing. The camera then moves back to show the artist chaning her clothes showing as a series of mid shots, while lip syncing the lyrics 'but she wears short skirts,I wear t-shirts'. Showing an extreme close up of Taylors face lip syncing the lyrics. The next shot then shows Taylor Swift with a brown wig, showing her as the boys girlfriend. The shot shows a mid shot of her as as a cheerleader then jumps back too Taylor as herself on the benches. This represents the lyrics 'she's cheer captain and im on the bleachers'.

The next verse, shows Taylor Swift back dancing around her room, this shown as a long shot of her lip syncing the chorous. Then going to an extreme close up of her writing on a piece of paper 'I Love You' while lip syncing the lyrics 'You belong with me'

The next scene of the video shows the artist sitting on a bench lip syncing the lyrics 'Walk in the street with you and your worn out jeans' jumping to a long shot of the boy walking towards her. She is then sitting on the bench laughing with the boy, this shot being a mid shot to represent the lyrics 'laughing on a park bench thinking too myself, hey isnt this easy?' The next shot then shows a close up of the boys girlfriend pulling up in car and calling him over, but this character being played by Taylor Swift. Then jumps back too Taylor as the 'Geek' lip syncing 'hey what you doing with a girl like that?' The next scene then shows the girl on the bleachers and the girl as the cheerleader, them both being played by Taylor Swift. Representing the lyrics in the chorous.

The next verse then shows a shot of Taylor back in her room studying. Then jump cutting to a shot of the boy holding a piece of paper up saying 'not coming tonight?' meaning to the school prom, then Taylor holds up another piece saying 'studying :(' as this is happening, she is also lip syncing the lyrics 'and I know your favourite songs, and you tell me about your dreams, think you know where you belong,think you know its with me'. Then jumps back to a mid shot of him holding another piece saying 'you should come'.

The end scene then shows a long shot of Taylor as the 'geek' dressed up for the school prom, to suprise the boy. By this scene the music slows down and shes lip syncing the lyrics 'can't you see that im the one who understands you'. Then jump cuts to a shot of the other girl trying to pull the boy away from going over to Taylor, but he pulls away and slowly walks over to Taylor, this being shown through a long shot and then jumps to Taylor slowly walking towards him. She is lip syncing the final chorous 'all this time how could you not,baby you belong with me' then an extreme close up shows both of them pulling out pieces of paper saying 'I Love You' and then an extreme close up as they kiss. Then her lip syncing the final lyric 'you belong with me'.