Single - Devised Unit (CP) - Research (Chasing Pavements) - 20/12/15

On the final day of term, 17/12/15, we were told our stimulus for our devised unit in Single! Our stimulus was the song, "Chasing Pavements" by Adele! We're allowed to use the title of the song, the song itself, the lyrics, the music video and the themes that are presented by the song and its music video. I decided that I would do some research over Christmas which will help my group for when we come back.

I feel this song is about a crush and the person wants to take things further but isn't sure whether or not to tell their crush how they feel. This is how I got this idea:

I've made up my mind

Don't need to think it over,

If I'm wrong I am right,

Don't need to look no further

This ain't lust

I know this is love but, (1)

If I tell the world,

I'll never say enough,

Cause it was not said to you

And that's exactly what I need to do,

If I'm in love with you, (2)

(Chorus)

Should I give up,

Or should I just keep chasing pavements

Even if it leads nowhere

Or would it be a waste?

Even if I knew my place should I leave it there?

Should I give up

Or should I just keep chasing pavements

Even if it leads nowhere (3)

I'd build myself up,

And fly around in circles

Waiting as my heart drops,

And my back begins to tingle

Finally could this be it or (4)

(Chorus x3)

(1) The song is about a woman who hasn't confessed her feelings to someone. She is definitely in love with him. She knows what she wants, and she's ready to go for it

(2) It doesn't matter who knows about her feelings. There's only one person who absolutely needs to know, and that is the man himself. Otherwise, how will he know that she's in love with him?

(3) So should she stay in the background/as a friend? Or should she go for it? Follow the pavement and take a chance.. even if in the end, she doesn't get what she wanted. Is the greater risk in never trying? She knows to him, her place is as his friend, but she wants to take things further.

(4) She gets so high on the possibility of a relationship, but she comes back to reality when she realises they're still just friends. But the slightest hint of him pleases her and one day she'll help him realise they should be together.

I then started to explore the themes of the song in order to take a broader view on the story within! The themes I thought of from the title and the song itself are:

• Love
• Need
• Confession
• Lack of shame
• Friend-zone
• Eternity
• Hope
• Relationship
• Pain
• Sorrow
• Waiting
• Depression
• Assured
• Gaining confidence

I then searched for interviews with Adele to find out why she wrote the song! Adele explained to the Sun newspaper January 18, 2008 that, "Chasing Pavements," is about splitting up with her ex and having her heart broken for the first time. Adele said:

"That song is about should I give up or should I just keep trying to run after you when there's nothing there? I was only with him for four months..."

"And then I met my ex-boyfriend and it was great to begin with and then it was really shitty. And then I wrote about ten songs in about five weeks. I love him still and I got an album out of him. I used him more than he used me."