"Pretty Boy" was released on October 31, 2022, as the lead single for the fourth studio album by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, titled Council Skies . The track represents a shift toward a "restless post-punk energy" influenced by bands like The Cure and Bauhaus. Video Themes and "Cameo" Challenge
The Official Lyric Video for "Pretty Boy" was created by the production company Prehuman. Rather than a standard text-on-screen video, it functions more like a music video, featuring a group of drag queens as they apply makeup and prepare for a performance.
The track features the distinctive "celestial jangle" of former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr , a long-time friend of Gallagher. "Pretty Boy" was released on October 31, 2022,
The song explores themes of unfulfilled desire and identity. Key lyrics include:
Noel himself makes a brief appearance in the video. Rather than a standard text-on-screen video, it functions
Noel Gallagher issued a specific challenge to fans upon the video's release:
: This line is interpreted by some as a Manchester-inflected nudge to stay humble or focused. Key lyrics include: Noel himself makes a brief
A remix by Robert Smith of The Cure was also released, which Smith described as "slowing it down and spacing it out".