God Blessed Video
Alcatrazz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To play with a non-descript song
We'll shoot all the crotch shots for 12 year old hopefuls
To make you a real man my son
Some cheap kid from Birmingham
Blessed with an accent
That pours like the darkest brown ale
Just one more puppet, piss elegant marionette
He's just a fast buck for sale
Don't you know that God blessed video
We know that God blessed video
Break out the cameras that re-shape my face
And get someone to carve up my hair
If you can't beat them, you might as well join 'em
And be glad to say you were there
The lyrics of Alcatrazz's song God Blessed Video highlight the commodification of music and its performers in the era of music videos. The first stanza depicts the band's willingness to go to great lengths to create a visually exciting music video, even if the song itself is mediocre or uninspired. The focus on "crotch shots" speaks to the sexualization of music videos and the target audience of young boys. The line "to make you a real man my son" could be interpreted as a commentary on toxic masculinity and how music videos perpetuate harmful gender norms.
The second stanza references a particular musician, "some cheap kid from Birmingham," who is blessed with a distinct accent that sets him apart in the music industry. However, he is ultimately just another "puppet" or "fast buck for sale" for record labels looking to profit off of the latest trend. The chorus, "Don't you know that God blessed video / We know that God blessed video," emphasizes the importance of music videos in the marketing and commercial success of musical acts.
The final stanza encourages musicians to embrace the superficiality of the music video era and play into the industry's demands for image over substance. The line "If you can't beat them, you might as well join 'em / And be glad to say you were there" suggests that even if the musicians themselves are not fully committed to the commercialization of their music, they may as well participate for the sake of their career.
Line by Line Meaning
Lets take a plane and go somewhere exotic
Let's go to a foreign country where no one knows us and create something different from usual.
To play with a non-descript song
We'll create a very simple, ordinary song and purposely put suggestive, controversial scenes in the video to draw attention.
We'll shoot all the crotch shots for 12 year old hopefuls
We'll focus on showing explicit sexual imagery to give a sense of growth to young boys.
To make you a real man my son
By watching this video, you'll feel more masculine and matured.
Some cheap kid from Birmingham
We'll hire an unremarkable, unknown person from a small town in England to do the vocals.
Blessed with an accent
However, his accent would make him distinctive among the other puppet-like performers.
That pours like the darkest brown ale
His voice is flowing out effortlessly like dark, heavy beer.
Just one more puppet, piss elegant marionette
The performer is just another puppet, operating under the control of those in the music industry, with false elegance.
He's just a fast buck for sale
The industry is just looking for a quick profit and doesn't care about the performer's potential or talent.
Don't you know that God blessed video
At this point, it's evident that the video is only successful because people are drawn to scandalous content.
We know that God blessed video
Therefore, making such videos is perceived as the right way to please the public and make money.
Break out the cameras that re-shape my face
Invest in high-end cameras that can modify one's features to look more desirable.
And get someone to carve up my hair
Get haircuts and stylings to match trends and be more presentable for the camera.
If you can't beat them, you might as well join 'em
Rather than trying to challenge unscrupulous content, it's easier to create similar content and benefit as others have.
And be glad to say you were there
Be proud of one's contribution to the music industry, even if it required compromising morals and ethics.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GRAHAM BONNET, STEVE S. VAI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind