A Town Called Hypocrisy Explained

A Town Called Hypocrisy
Cover:lostprophets_a_town_called_hypocrisy.jpg
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:Lostprophets
Album:Liberation Transmission
Recorded:Hawaii, 2006
Studio:The Sound Factory, Hollywood, California and Plantation Mixing and Recording, Maui, Hawaii, US
Genre:
Length:3:39
Producer:Bob Rock
Prev Title:Rooftops
Prev Year:2006
Next Title:Can't Catch Tomorrow
Next Year:2006

"A Town Called Hypocrisy" is the second single taken from Liberation Transmission, the third studio album by the Welsh rock band Lostprophets.

The single was released on 11 September 2006 in the United Kingdom. It peaked at No. 23 in the UK Singles Chart making it the band's seventh UK Top 40 single. It spent only 2 weeks in the Top 40.

Music video

The music video was made available on Kerrang! TV from the 11 August 2006. It depicts frontman Ian Watkins as a children's television presenter on a fictional television show called Town Time and is arguably a response to the accusations of the band's metrosexuality. The video also shows the juxtaposition of attitudes in the band between when they appear during transmission and when they are shown behind the scenes of Town Time. During transmission, it shows the other band members — bar Watkins — dressed as the following (mainly paying homage to the Village People): a toy soldier, a bumbling policeman, a doctor, a builder and a construction worker.

The video, although seemingly based around the things infant children watch (therefore making it seem quite innocent) is filled with sexual references, both very subtle and very obvious. An example of the more subtle references is at the beginning when we see Tender Tim (Watkins) and Mayor Mary ending the 5000th episode of Town Time. Tim replies to Mary's question, "What have we learnt today, Tim?" and Tim replies: "We've learnt about sharing, saying 'please' and oral [he pauses here, before Mary nudges him] hygiene."An example of the more obvious references is the large amounts of drinking and scantily clad women (dressed in all sorts of outfits, ranging from animals to a tooth) performing "kinky," yet childlike, activities on the men in the group behind the scenes.

In several frames of the video, it also paid homage to 'Silhouette Blends', the series of spelling clips by The Electric Company. It is the first video by the band not to feature skaters.

Personnel

Musicians

Release history

CountryDate
United Kingdom11 September 2006
United States

Chart positions

YearChartPeak
2006UK Singles Chart[1] 23
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[2] 2
European Hot 100 Singles71

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A town called hypocrisy | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company . .
  2. Web site: Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart. Official Charts Company. 10 February 2024. 10 February 2024.