Try Honesty
2003 single by Billy Talent
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"Try Honesty" is the debut single by Canadian alternative rock band, Billy Talent, released July 1, 2003 as the lead single from their debut self-titled album via Atlantic Records. The song would go on to be a commercial mainstream success and a break-though hit for the group upon its release. The following year, "Try Honesty" would receive a Juno Award for Single of the Year at the 2004 Juno Awards.[2]
3:56 (radio edit)
| "Try Honesty" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Billy Talent | ||||
| from the album Billy Talent | ||||
| Released | July 1, 2003[1] | |||
| Genre | post-hardcore, punk, alternative rock | |||
| Length | 4:13 3:56 (radio edit) | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Songwriter | Billy Talent | |||
| Producer | Gavin Brown | |||
| Billy Talent singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Try Honesty" on YouTube | ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Promotional US variant cover | ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
"Try Honesty" | ||||
Music video
Directed by Sean Michael Turrell, The music video for Try Honesty, premiered July 23, 2003, features stylized performance footage of the band in what appears to be an abandoned facility (filmed on location at the former Whitby Psychiatric Hospital in Whitby, Ontario).[3]
Intercut throughout the band's performance are sequences which heavily imply the hospital is haunted, due to a series of paranormal occurrences (ie: disembodied shadows, unnatural movement of family portrait, inanimate objects repositioning themselves, a seemingly-possessed toy doll opening its own eyes, etc...).[4]
Midway through the video, a dark cloud descends over the facility during the song's bridge, accompanied by thunder and lightning that mirror the track's rising intensity. The sky clears once the bridge resolves, after which the band (now in the hospital's infirmary) continues to perform, framed against increased supernatural activity. The video concludes with the facility's front doors being blown from their frame as the song ends.[4]
While the video saw moderate airplay on Fuse in the United States, it received heavy rotation in Canada on Muchmusic and would go on to win a Much Music Video Awards for Best Rock Video in 2004.[5][6]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Billy Talent.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Try Honesty" (Radio Edit) | 3:56 |
| 2. | "Try Honesty" (Album Version) | 4:13 |
| Total length: | 8:09 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Try Honesty" (Radio Edit) | 3:56 |
| 2. | "When I Was A Little Girl" | 2:11 |
| 3. | "Beach Balls" (Demo) | 3:50 |
| 4. | "Try Honesty" (Official Music Video) | 4:06 |
| Total length: | 14:03 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Try Honesty" (Radio Edit) | 3:56 |
| 2. | "When I Was A Little Girl" | 2:11 |
| Total length: | 6:07 | |
Personnel
Personnel taken from Billy Talent liner notes.[10]
Billy Talent
- Benjamin Kowalewicz – vocals
- Ian D'Sa – guitar, vocals
- Jonathan Gallant – bass, vocals
- Aaron Solowoniuk – drums
Charts
| Chart (2003–2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[11] | 68 |
| US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[12] | 24 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[13] | 2× Platinum | 160,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||