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Carolina Mull

Prof. Johnson

English 1201

June 28 2020

“Gives You Hell” by The American Rejects Music Video Analysis

“When you see my face, hope it gives you hell”. This quote from the song “Gives you

Hell” by The All American Rejects sets the tone and already reveals what kind of message this

song has to offer, one of hate and or a dislike for whoever the artists directed their song towards.

Although there is only one song used in two different music videos, the videos create different

claims because of their differences in video production. "Gives You Hell", written by The All

American Rejects, has two separate music videos, one about the rivalry between two versions of

one's self, how they can come to terms and eventually find common ground, and the other about

a band that has to put on a music video for their song, giving off a careless and uninterested

attitude towards it.

The first version of the music videos for The All American Rejects’ song tells the story of

a pair of neighbors, both complete opposites of each other, with vastly different lifestyles that

clash with one another. The music video titled “Gives You Hell (Full Narrative Version)” gives

the viewer a story to follow as the song “Gives You Hell” plays along with the narrative. One of

the characters has a clean house and a kept yard, getting up early in the morning, and eating

breakfast with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, his next-door neighbor has a multicolored house, wakes

up late in the evening, and plays loud music throughout this yard with his friends and girlfriend.

These two lifestyles oppose each other when the one wakes up the other through various ways to

get on the other’s nerves. It is made clear throughout the music video that these two do not like
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each other and do not cope well as neighbors. But somehow at the end of the video, the two

ignore their differences and start to see eye to eye even as they live polar opposite lives. At the

end of the video, the two realize they are not as different as they thought and become friends,

showing the message of the music video that opposites can become friends and that they can live

harmoniously together while being very opposite from each other. The artists and producers

involved in the making of this first version share this message of an unlikely friendship for an

audience of more mature age, and an interest in their rock style music, or an interest in any genre

of music, since The All American Rejects’ song, is a classic in the music industry. In this

version, the producers also use Pathos to appeal their message to their audience that although the

two characters were polar opposites and very different in their lifestyles, they can still see eye to

eye and get along.

The artists in the second version give off a very unbothered and uninterested attitude,

checking their watches and talking to each other while rolling their eyes. The second music video

titled, “Gives You Hell (Performance Version)” shows a very different view than the first. The

music video plays as the band, The All American Rejects, perform their song in a small room. As

they sing and play their instruments, they seem to not want to record the video, showing the

viewer that they think the idea of a music video is pointless and a waste of time for them. They

appear to be making fun of the music industry for wanting them to release the music video. The

audience meant for this second version could be similar to that of the first versions audience, and

as well as with the use of Pathos in the video.

While the two music videos have very different themes and production styles, they both

give out and reveal a message for the viewer to interpret. The song “Gives You Hell” by The All

American Rejects shows a kind of hatred or dislike for something in itself. For the first music
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video, the hatred is about a person, for the second it is about the music industry and their need

for the music video. Both versions use Pathos to connect with their wide variety of audiences.

Their use of Pathos is shown in the lyrics and in the acting of the characters in the two different

music video versions. The band’s use of the appeal shows the viewer the revenge type of attitude

they want to show, hoping that whoever the song is directed to, a person, or the music industry,

is given hell when they see their faces.

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Works Cited

All American Rejects. “Gives You Hell” (Full Narrative Version).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxUATkpMQ8A.

All American Rejects. “Gives You Hell” (Performance Version).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6APxbBYnoo.