Analysis of Chosen Music Video – “We Can’t Stop” – Miley Cyrus

During the music video there are a number of breaks from the narrative to give the artist (Miley Cyrus) a chance to sing. The narrative of the video is a party, so a few times in the video it will cut away from the party and have Miley Cyrus on her own singing.

Motifs Within the Video

The main set for the music video is of a party. This is a common motif within music videos as many other videos have scenes of partying and dancing etc.

Motifs Within the Video

Within the music video there are numerous scenes of sexual objectification. Sexual objectification is a very common motif within music videos.

Motifs Within the Video

This is an example of sexual objectification within the video. This scene shows Miley Cyrus laying on a bed in a provocative position. She is also wearing tight and revealing clothing.

It’s our party we can do what we wantIt’s our party we can say what we wantIt’s our party we can love who we wantWe can kiss who we wantWe can see who we want (2x)

How do the Lyrics inform the narrative?

This is the chorus for the song. The chorus is about partying, which informs the narrative as the narrative is all about partying and having fun. The narrative for the video is about having an all night party, which is also what the lyrics are about.

‘Trying to get a line in the bathroom.’

This Lyric refers to taking cocaine, which is a common occurrence within music videos. Taking drugs is also a stereotype of teenagers parties. This lyric is a controversial one as drugs are seen as a taboo. The image below is a scene in the video just after the lyric above was sung , this can be seen as Miley Cyrus being under the Influence of cocaine, her kissing a doll can also be seen as controversial as it is a sexual action with an inanimate object

How Do The Lyrics Inform The Narrative?

It’s our party we can do what we want It’s our party we can say what we want It’s our party we can love who we want We can kiss who we want We can see who we want (2x) Red cups and sweaty bodies everywhere Hands in the air like we don’t care Cause we came to have so much fun now Bet somebody here might get some now If you’re not ready to go home Can I get a hell no Cause we gonna go all night Till we see the sunlight alright So la da di da di, we like to party Dancing with Miley Doing whatever we want This is our house This is our rules And we can’t stop And we won’t stop Can’t you see it’s we who own the night Can’t you see it we who bout’ that life And we can’t stop And we won’t stop We run things, Things don’t run we We don't take nothing from nobody

It’s our party we can do what we want It’s our party we can say what we want It’s our party we can love who we want We can kiss who we want We can see who we want To my home girls here with the big butt Shaking it like we at a strip club Remember only God can judge ya Forget the haters cause somebody loves ya And everyone in line in the bathroom Trying to get a line in the bathroom We all so turned up here Getting turned up, yeah, yeah So la da di da di, we like to party Dancing with Miley Doing whatever we want This is our house This is our rules And we can’t stop And we won’t stop Can’t you see it’s we who own the night Can’t you see it we who bout’ that life And we can’t stop And we won’t stop We run things Things don’t run we We don't take nothing from nobody

It’s our party we can do what we want It’s our party we can say what we want It’s our party we can love who we want We can kiss who we want We can see who we want It’s our party we can do what we want to It’s our house we can love who we want to It’s our song we can sing if we want to It’s my mouth I can say what I want to Yea, Yea, Yeah And we can’t stop And we won’t stop Can’t you see it’s we who own the night Can’t you see it we who bout’ that life And we can’t stop And we won’t stop We run things Things don’t run we We don't take nothing from nobody Yea, Yea, Yea

Lyrics