The song/video is about a guy who broke up with a girl a while ago, and wonders "who will be there to take my place" and watches over her, and really loves her.. getting back with her after she finds that her current boyfriend is cheating on her...
Alternative analysis: the singer is singing from a 1st person perspective, watching over her and guiding her in the right direction somehow. This is supported of shots of the singer high up above her on the roof, looking at her in a divine manner and watching over her. But for my sake, let's go with the first, the singer as a narrator for the story of the other guy.
The music video starts with an atmosphere of transport and transition, symbolised by the opening shot of the bridge. The sun is shining, but it is murky and dull ambience. The band it shown on the ground below the middle of the bridge, in dirty water filled with rubbish. There is a trolley pushed over and a trashed garbage bin, the trolley emphasising that something has gone wrong, crashed, gone off course, and the bin next to it shows where it is ending up, with the trash. Neither belong there, either. A girl in a red top, jeans, white sneakers is seen walking through the water in the middle, showing that she is in the transitionary stage of making a decision. She is attractive and the red singlet top shows that she is romantic and is outgoing and lovin'. The sneakers show that she's a regular down to earth gal, too, not in posh high heels or anything.. winning the favour of the general audience. She also has a white bandage on her right arm.
This is further emphasised by a shot of sitting on an apex of two ramps, that she could go either way. She is sitting down, stable, showing that is her decision of which way to go. A shot of a photo of her and another guy together suggesting a relationship, and the timing suggests that this is the issue that she is thinking about. Also the lyrics "need love" are sung when the photo is shown. The next reveals another level above the ramp, making it clear that she is quite low down in comparison. This reflects her mood at the time, feeling low, but thinking. This idea is
repeated a few seconds with a shot looking up at her on a ramp, the camera tilting up, making her look high, coinciding with the lyrics "way up high", then right after of her on a different ramp (where there is another level above), but looking at her straight on, which compared to last shot makes her look "down low", while she cries a little.
She peels of a bandage on her arm, revealing a tattoo with the name "Jake" written. This relates to the lyric "who will be there to take my place" - it answers the question - with Jake.
The shot goes to the tattoo place she was getting it done. Showing her in pain, but seeing another guy. It relates to "wherever you will go" - the guy is there where is she is, watching over her in a way. They look like they know eachother, but it is unclear - however, a definite connection is made with eye contact. He is positioned in from of a red spiky heart, which foresees them together in the future, but the spikiness of it suggests that there used to be something between them, but it was broken a bit (but not shattered - the heart is still very much in tact).
She then walks to a house, while peeling off the tatoo bandage (again!) presumably discarding it (it is unclear). With the lyrics "And maybe, I'll find out / A way to make it back someday" - suggesting that something will happen that will make it possible for them to be together (i.e. her finding her boyfriend cheating on her!) A little action figure toy with a gun suggests that there will be conflict, or even that they had a son (why else have the toy?). But this is doubtful because the photo that is used include only them. She catches her boyfriend cheating on her. The room is dark (not in a romantic way) and suggests that he knows what he is doing is wrong, and is using the cover of darkness to go through with it. It also relates to the lyric "darkest of your days" - it is one of her darkest days, finding out her boyfriend is cheating on her. When she opens the door she "sheds light on the issue" and then goes back downstairs, shocked at what she saw.
She goes into an emotional rage, smashing a red vase with daisys in it (destroying her love, romance, emotion, innocence [with the daisys]) and in sync with the lyrics "way up high" she throws something at the mantlepiece (quite high up), and then smashes the TV and other stuff, and with the lyrics "down low" throws cds and other music related stuff on the ground. She is essentially destroying the musical side, the creative and non-logical (right side of the brain) part which is also used to love. Further, she uses a guitar to smash a mirror, breaking through the false reflection that she had of everything that it reflected, mainly the house and her surroundings, and herself (for loving him), all a facade. She can 'see clearly now', and is not looking through a false reflection of her life. Finds a photo of her and boyfriend together, uses it to knock some fruit (symbol of vitality) off the table, and then throws it on the ground and smashes it with her foot.
Shot are shown of her is crying and thinking, tattoo bandage on. This means that she got a new tattoo!!
She is now seen with a White top (she's changed) - more peaceful and divine, understanding, showing a new beginning. New tattoo of a flower (not committed to a guy, showing the new, fresh start). New house with a white picket fence, showing how things are more 'perfect' now. She is with guy saw at tattoo place. The ex is in a car, watching, brooding. Probably regretting doing it.
Have I made a mistake? Have I left something out? Do you disagree? What is your opinion? Share your thoughts here!!
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