Not Quite "Just Another Girl"

On November 11, 2013, the Killers released Direct Hits, an album comprised of their greatest hits in honor of their ten year anniversary. While the album is predominately a celebration of their most successful songs, two new singles were produced for the album; Shot at the Night and Just another Girl. The music video for Just another Girl captures the sentimental essence of the album by paying homage to the band’s career up until the album’s release. The video utilizes semiotics, specifically symbols, to depict the band’s noteworthy career.

The video opens with a shot of a marquee letter “K” which is quickly illuminated. Blurry scenes from a select number of the band’s previous music videos begin to appear on screen, spliced together with close-ups of a person’s walking feet. The camera then pans up to reveal a woman, who begins to lip sync the song. Throughout the video, the woman walks through a production set, where she frequently stops to shoot different music videos and make wardrobe changes. At the end of the video, she releases confetti which rains down throughout the set. The final scene of the video mirrors the first, as the marquee “K” darkens.

The initial blurry scenes are included in order to enhance the meaning of the media product. Throughout the video, symbols reference some of the band’s previous music videos for other songs included on the Direct Hits album. If audiences are not familiar with previous works of the Killers, they will not comprehend the video’s purpose; to celebrate the band’s career.

The video first utilizes symbols in its costumes. Throughout the video, the actress wears clothing inspired by the outfits lead singer Brandon Flowers has worn in previous videos. When she first appears, the woman wears a black suit jacket adorned with feathers. The jacket is nearly identical to the one worn by Flowers in the band’s music video for their single Human from the earlier stages of their career.

An additional outfit, which includes a black vest and blue bow tie, is a reference to the music video When You were Young. The video depicts the failing relationship of a married couple and also includes scenes of the band performing in a bar. The same formal attire Flowers wore in the video is worn by the woman in Just another Girl. She even dons a mustache, an additional symbol, which Flowers’ had at the time When You were Young was originally shot.

The costumes and the mustache symbolize the band's lead singer. The continual references to Flowers’ outfits and physical appearances from different music videos highlight the band's evolution and the changes they experienced in the first ten years of their career.

The woman herself is also a complex symbol. On a basic level, she symbolizes Brendan Flowers, since she assumes his previous roles within the music video. However, she also symbolizes the subject of the song; a woman whom Flowers' can't seem to forget despite the encouragement from his friends. According to Flowers, the song is  a narrative, which is reflected in the story-like plot of its video.

The depiction of Flowers as a woman suggests that the woman whom the song is written about has remained to be a significant part of his identity throughout the band's career. Although the band undergoes many changes throughout the video, Flowers is continually depicted by the same actress. Her constant role in the music video signals that Flowers' feelings have never changed. She not only symbolizes the lead singer, but also his enduring feelings.

Finally, the marquee letter "K" carries symbolic meaning. While many symbols in the video symbolize Brendan Flowers, the marquee letter symbolizes the band as a whole. The letter is a reference to the band's name, the Killers. However, it can also symbolize the band's evolution.

The music videos for Just another Girl and Human both begin and end with the same shots of the marquee letter. In a 2009 interview, Flowers revealed that Human was the band's biggest worldwide hit. The single strengthened the band's global presence in the music industry, which was a significant moment in their overall career. Therefore, the marquee letter symbolizes the music video for Human and the success it brought the band. 

The symbols in Just another Girl play a crucial role in the music video. The symbolism of the band’s previous works highlights their impressive career while simultaneously conveying a nostalgic tone. The music video celebrates the Killers’ history, mirroring the purpose of their Direct Hits album.