Libera Dreams

I wanted to start a new topic about the music video “If” because I think it deserves its own discussion in the same way that we discussed other videos Libera have released whether or not they were associated with an album.

To start, I fell in love with this song back in December 2020 when it was first performed at SSJS. It's an incredibly tender song performed, excluding the backup parts, solo by a single boy; in this case Daniel. Contrasting the studio recording of the audio used in the music video with the live concert performance from 2020, the tempo is noticeably faster in concert. The slower tempo does not detract from the song but allows it to linger on just a little bit more. This in combination with Daniel's nearly flawless diction adds a different flavor to the song than what was performed live.

While my musical personality does not often make the lyrics a central focus of my appreciation of a song, the words of this one are so incredibly touching that I am profoundly affected by the combination of music and verse. There is something so innocent and childlike in the words about wanting to heal the world; and with just a wave of a hand or the blink of an eye to end the suffering that is so endemic to human nature. This is something that can only touch the heart profoundly I think – or at least for me.

Returning to the video, which is the central point of discussion here, there is a very subtle but existentially themed storyline here; one which becomes more apparent after watching several times. In the video Daniel stumbles upon an old piece of movie film. The film then starts to show a flashback to an even earlier time. His costume suggests a date of something like 1920s to 1940s; and the candlestick telephone in a different scene seems to confirm the flashback is between maybe 1900 and maybe 1920 or 1930. Anyway, that may not have been as well thought out as I'm thinking that it was, but it seems to work all the same I recall a discussion about this song in which it was mentioned that the song was originally written to be associated with the Holocaust and Anne Frank in particular, so that may play some role in the dating.

The song plays out on the piece of cellulose film that Daniel is holding, seemingly symbolizing a flashback of memory to a previous time. It's not entirely clear what that previous time was, but it seems to have been a bittersweet time as at the end of the video Daniel puts the small piece of cellulose carefully into his pocket. However, the rest of the film stock, with some of the singing still going on by Victor, Luca, and Laurence T, is then dramatically swept aside by a broom. This appears to symbolize that these memories are ephemeral and cannot truly live within us the way that we once experienced them. What's more, and not to put too fine a point on it, it seems to imply that such memories die with us and that nothing is permanent.

While the song plays out on the old stock film, the other boys are setting up lighting, furniture , and other things including the giant blocks forming the word “if”. Their union suit costumes and actions further suggest that they are setting up a film studio which could, again, be symbolic for the memory itself that is being relived in a movie-like flashback in Daniel's mind.

In any case, the music is amazing and the music video is exceptional! What do others think about the symbolism in this music video? Do you think I've missed the mark anywhere with my analysis? And most importantly, how does everyone like it?

The headline on Koji's nespaper would date it as 1924. I don't really understand the symbolism of the video, but it seems to fit the song - the performance of which is outstanding. Someone described it as "heartbreakingly beautiful" which seems apt. Certainly brought a tear to my eye.

Fun fact: The If video was filmed in July 2020, one year prior to the recent promo video from the Talbot School.

The song was indeed originally dedicated to Anne Frank, so the events should be from 1940 to 1944. If the headlines of the newspaper doesn't quite match that then I imagine that was what they had on hand at the time. The storyline of the video seems to represent one boy in reflection while others are busy cleaning up the staging area then setting up the "If..." for the final scene. They're going about their business, as is Koji while reading his newspaper, while Daniel sings in wistful reverie. Perhaps there is a message in there, or maybe it's just art for art's sake. I had been expecting the video to have more of a holocaust theme but perhaps the idea was to broaden the meaning of the song.

TullyBascombe wrote: ↑<span title="Sat Sep 11, 2021 4:31 am">2 years ago</span> The song was indeed originally dedicated to Anne Frank, so the events should be from 1940 to 1944. If the headlines of the newspaper doesn't quite match that then I imagine that was what they had on hand at the time. The storyline of the video seems to represent one boy in reflection while others are busy cleaning up the staging area then setting up the "If..." for the final scene. They're going about their business, as is Koji while reading his newspaper, while Daniel sings in wistful reverie. Perhaps there is a message in there, or maybe it's just art for art's sake. I had been expecting the video to have more of a holocaust theme but perhaps the idea was to broaden the meaning of the song.

No actually it works fine if you keep in mind the Holocaust reference. They used to sing together in 1924 (hence the paper Koji is reading), but for me the part of the video when Daniel comes back to the place and finds the piece of movie would be end of the 1940'. It refers to a past that disappeared (and people that died). But I don't think they wanted the video to be so dramatic so there is no direct link or reference to the Holocaust. Like you said, "broaden the meaning of the song". We know it sort of fits the pandemic situation too, and the video is clearly pointing that in my opinion, because they used to wear the dresses and get busy with music in studios and concerts, and then they could not anymore. An other interpretation I have, and probably I thought of it because Daniel is growing so fast, is that this melancholic song could be about boys having great fun as trebles and then their voices break... Daniel remembers the time he used to sing with his friends... It underlines the very great times they have with Libera, and then they have all these memories forever. "If" (the album), has been conceived and recorded during the pandemic, while the boys could not perform on stage much, and it is a way for them to "catch" their memories of their time together, on a CD. The "if" video is quite a good metaphor of the "If" album.

"If" is very different, but I like it a lot, a superb solo. I'm very much behind on what's going on with Libera, so I have a bit of catching up to do. I think I maybe 2 CD's behind as well. Looking forward to their October release.

Welcome back, Paul Good to see you post again and I hope you’re doing well.

Many of the themes I saw in the video have already been described. To me, it gave a more general sense of memories fleeting, though they are captured - a tension between the inevitable passage of time and a wish to hang on to precious moments.

Daniel’s diction and the softer tempo also struck me the first time. It all adds to the calm of this achingly tender song.

One more thing on the video: the themes are played out very subtly and I love the way the light plays through it all. On the mirror, the faces, the roll of film (remember: ‘photography’ literally means ‘writing with light’) - and lastly, Daniel stepping through the door into the bright light again: lots of symbolism there, and as filiarheni pointed out on Twitter, a perfect match to the ‘If’ album cover.

All in all, a really well crafted video, showing a heap of creative sensitivity without showing off.

When I first heard this song on the SJSS concert I immediately fell in love with it. I must say that this slower version is even better! I'm sure it'll be one of favourite "singable" songs BTW Did you notice that comments on their last two videos are available again?

Lux Aeterna wrote: ↑<span title="Sat Sep 11, 2021 9:48 pm">2 years ago</span> When I first heard this song on the SJSS concert I immediately fell in love with it. I must say that this slower version is even better! I'm sure it'll be one of favourite "singable" songs BTW Did you notice that comments on their last two videos are available again?

Yep,the comments section are currently enabled. Another milestone in the group is that they've reached their 400k YouTube subscribers. A big congratulations to all the boys and people at Libera.

Padmachou wrote: ↑<span title="Sat Sep 11, 2021 11:38 am">2 years ago</span>
No actually it works fine if you keep in mind the Holocaust reference. They used to sing together in 1924 (hence the paper Koji is reading), but for me the part of the video when Daniel comes back to the place and finds the piece of movie would be end of the 1940'.

Who used to sing together in 1924?

GlennJalmas wrote: ↑<span title="Sun Sep 12, 2021 1:15 am">2 years ago</span>

Lux Aeterna wrote: ↑<span title="Sat Sep 11, 2021 9:48 pm">2 years ago</span> When I first heard this song on the SJSS concert I immediately fell in love with it. I must say that this slower version is even better! I'm sure it'll be one of favourite "singable" songs BTW Did you notice that comments on their last two videos are available again?

Yep,the comments section are currently enabled. Another milestone in the group is that they've reached their 400k YouTube subscribers. A big congratulations to all the boys and people at Libera.

Oooh! Hopefully they can get even more. Because more subscribers = More views = More money for Libera

This has been released from Libera Japan Official.