

A father is an irreplaceable figure in our lives. This is demonstrated in the music video “Hey Brother” by Avicii. The music video portrays a young boy who sees his father as a brother. This is shown when there are numerous memories that frame the father as being the young boy’s brother. By doing this, the music video exemplifies the significance of a father in a child’s life.

The text of the music video asks the audience to further their understanding of relationships with loved ones. Additionally, the video evokes the thought of what it would be like to live without a father. The video was created for an audience who has not experienced the suffering of losing a loved one. Therefore, by the end of the video, the audience understands the loneliness and pain experienced without a loved one near. The music video also evokes sympathy for the child who lost his father. The artist of the music video has a clear perception of the pain of losing a loved one.

The music video is designed as a reflection of the young boy’s childhood. The scenes are shown as various memory anecdotes. In this way, the video displays how the boy saw his father, which creates a strong sense of nostalgia. Furthermore, this emphasizes the significance of the father. Equally important, the lyrics of the song tie into the strong family bond demonstrated in the music. For example, the lyric “Oh, if the sky comes falling down for you, / There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do” supports the importance of family (lines 3-4). This lyric describes the strong support and devotion for a family member. Another important lyric is “What if I'm far from home? / Oh, brother, I will hear you call,” which shows the strong bond between the child and his father (lines 9-10). The child was so close with his father that he could count on his father’s support no matter the circumstance. 

Within the music video there are many different symbols used to convey the significance of a father. The symbols in the music video are shown as specific memories containing the boy and his father. The music video contains repeating photographs of the boy’s father as a soldier in several different war scenes. This hints to the audience the fact that the child’s father may have died while serving, which led to the child feeling very isolated and distressed. Another example that points to the father’s military service is the coins that the father and son crush on the railroad tracks, which end up transforming into the pins on another soldier’s uniform. This memory also allows the audience to see that the father spent a lot of his free time with his son. Furthermore, the celebration of what appears to be the Fourth of July once again points towards the father’s military service and his death. The scene of a lone firefly represents the boy and many fireflies represent the comfort and guidance the father gave the boy. When the lone firefly is shown with the other fireflies, it represents the abundance of direction that the boy received from his father while he was growing up.

The footage of the music video had a strong focus on the love and affection of the boy and his father. This specific focus allows it to be seen that the boy and his father had a uniquely close bond that could not be recreated when lost. The usage of the vintage filter shows that the memories meant a lot to the child, because they were far in the past, but still remembered and recounted very accurately. The color in the video is very bright when the father is around, which suggests that the child felt euphoric and fulfilled by his father’s presence. However, the color switches to being dark when the boy’s father is not around. This indicates the boy is feeling distraught and has an empty void in his heart without the presence of his father.

Before the video, people would believe that it is easy to live life and be successful without a father. This belief comes from people being successful without the presence of a father. However, that is not the case because the father needs to be around to teach, guide, care, and love the child, as shown in the video. If a father is not around to do these things the child will end up feeling secluded and no knowing his or her path in life. Some may argue that a son and father would have a power imbalance. Nevertheless, the music video proves this untrue when the boy sees his father as brother. 

The importance of a father is paramount in a child’s life. It will determine the child’s emotional stability, which is very important to have when living a normal life. Also, a father will help a child not to make many mistakes in his or her life, because he will be there to advise them on the right action to take. If a father is lost, it will cause a negative ripple effect in the child’s life that is irreversible. The loss of the boy’s father meant even more to him, because his father was also perceived as a brother and a friend. The father’s multiple roles made him very important in the young boy’s life.

