Reasons to be cheerful - Ian Dury.

Here is a carefully researched collection of images to hep you gather an understanding of the important historical cultural context of the song before I introduce my idea. I ask you kindly to focus on the lyrics of the song and attempt to explore the deeper meaning with this complex piece of music. Thank you

Ian Dury

Reasons to be cheerful, part three. 

https://youtu.be/CIMNXogXnvE 

 

:)

 

 

                                                                              

                                                                     

This satirical video would consist of entirely lyric related visuals. Things from Ian dury's list, perhaps one from each line or verse, would be presented as they appear in the song. This would be done mainly by a main narrator, lip syncing the song as he goes. The things and places listen in the song could be presented in multiple ways. For example;

1) Literal action or object. In many of the things listed, it would be possible to act out, use or wear. "yellow socks" and "health service glasses" could be worn, "phoning up a buddy" and drinking "the juice of a carrot" could be acted, "nanny goats" could be petted and "boats" could be launched. I could go on. These could be filmed as long shots, close ups or tracking shots for those which involve movement or action. Towards the end the amount of items represented could increase and they could be merged into continual tracking shots of the actor walking, with objects in frame overlapping or being put in the same circumstance together. For example "All other mammals plus equal votes" could emerge into a scene in which a group of mammels are then pointed to a voting booth, given suffragist banners or ballot paper.

2) Unless libe guinea pigs are on hand and RSPCA are distracted, the toy mammels we would use brings me to another example. Miniature models, toys, satire props or pictures could be used to present that which couldn't literally appear in the clip. "Take your mum to paris" could be an over the shoulder shotm of two people, the son or daughter pointing to a page in a tongue in cheek brochure we have made for trips to paris. Alternatively, steriotypical berets, baguettes and a low quality green screen of the eiffel tower would do the trick. His many musical references could simply be the actor with the appropriate CD or record in hand, enjoying the music. The less entertaining lines can only feature for a couple of seconds while more entertaining scenarious involving multiple references can be drawn out for slightly longer.

This video would have a light hearted feel to it, a few minutes of innocent fun to make any warm blooded viewer smile. Part of the entertainment may come from guessing or attempting to keep track of the more obscure references - just as I am sure some of you were confused about one or two of the pictures I put up in the first verse.

Depending on which version I would use (As of i've found 3 main ones) there is a sax solo, a guitar solo, or both. In these musical interludes I would film live performance of friends I know who play the sax or the guitar. This could be done in the style of the existing music video, but could be intermingles with interruptions from things on the list in a childish attempt to be funny.

Locations will evidently vary throughout the video. The actor will most likely be Male but aside from that there are very few required or desired qualities. Fundamentally, the narrative is a simple listing of reasons to be cheerful in the world, a cheery celebration of the little things in life.