Real Men are Rock Star

By  Colin Garvin

At the start of the music video, "Someday" by The Strokes, three men sitting outside a bar. One wears a cut off shirt; two of them sit in chairs smoking cigarettes. Cigarettes and alcohol are a recurring theme in the video. The rock star life is the way of life for these indie rockers. It appears to be the common thread that unites the men in the video. In the video a bar is filled with hearty, young men, living the stereotypical lifestyle that many believe to be appropriate for them. My uncle Darren, who drinks beer every night shortly after returning home from work, is a family man, but he needs to be in a different state of mind to be happy. He uses alcohol to alter his mood. On the other hand, I see my dad who comes home from work and rides his bike with his son. He is elevated by exercise and fellowship. They both are good to their families, but one does not make alcohol one of his priorities. Who is the real man, the bike rider or the beer drinker? Which is more masculine? That is the question that many boys run through their minds every day. According to the video the real man is the person who is happy because he uses substances, cigarettes and alcohol.

Being a man is being able to support your family, being respectable, having a level head and contributing to society. In the video, the band is being portrayed as partiers, smiling when they have a cigarette in their mouth and a beer in their hand. However, the part they do not show is where they don’t have their cigarettes and are stressed out and agitated or the negative effects caused by alcohol. People do not enjoy being around others who have unpredictable personalities meaning if they are not drinking or smoking they are not content, they need substances to elevate their moods. A man who can have fun without use of substances is more predictable and stable. He is the person who can think correctly and have an intellectual conversation. Also, he or she will be able to wake up the next morning bright and early to start the day with a clear head

There are also glimpses of women in the video; the first glimpse is 16 seconds into the video, one of the members of the band and what looks like his girlfriend are picking a song from the jukebox. A boyfriend and a girlfriend should do things together, like pick a song. Shortly after there is a quick glimpse of another woman sitting in the background, but the beers are more evident covering the girl in the scene and then right after this there is another scene that shows two women having their own conversations in the background because the guys are not giving them any attention. 32 seconds into the video two of the band members are playing pinball and decorated on the pinball machine is a picture of a sexy mermaid, which displays what men fantasize about and what to look at and play with while they are partying. 43 seconds into the video there is a big cardboard cutout that shows a sexy woman posing, which portrays again, that this is what the men what next to them while drinking their beer. But then there is a women that is not being shoved in the background, the boyfriend and the girlfriend that were shown earlier in the video picking a song together, in this scene there having a conversation and only them are shown, these two look more happy then the girls that are not the center of attention.

The atmosphere the lead singer puts himself in is a carefree setting, where his friends are similar in personality, making it easier for him to be himself. As evident by the multitude camera shots of him are supported by those who are modeling his behavior and style. But life is not about what is easier; it is about the hard choices that we are faced with. The things that are most important are the things people need to work hard for, such as a good education and productive job. At 23 seconds into the video, is a scene where they look at each other and see that what they are doing is what the people across from them are doing, so it makes them happy to smoke their cigarette or drink their beer.

The video portrays a carefree lifestyle in which socializing is the main focus not hard work, not education and not responsibility. The chorus of the song tells of the lead singer’s lack in depth, and his need to mature and realize the need for meaning to his life, which he has not found in alcohol and cigarettes nor in the bar scene. He has this girl who wants to stay with him even though they are not right for each other. In the final verse is tells of him wanting to move on, possibly to contribute to society. The very last line is where he realizes all of this and decides not to waste another day. Drinking is wasting days; he needs to start doing something productive to make him a mature man. Being a man is able to move on with your life and to find things that will make you a better person.