Hip to Be Square

In a 2008 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lewis stated he originally wrote the song's lyrics in the third person, "He used to be a renegade...". He referenced the book Bobos in Paradise in describing the song's inspiration, explaining that "Hip to Be Square" was about the "phenomenon where people from the '60s started to drop back in, cut their hair, work out, that kind of crap, but they kept their bohemian tastes. ... bourgeois bohemians." Lewis later modified the lyrics to be in the first person as he believed it would enhance the joke, but stated this had unintentionally led to the interpretation of the song as an "anthem for square people".{{cite magazine|url =https://ew.com/article/2008/08/04/huey-lewis-the/|title =Name That Movie Mondays! (Vol. 7: Special Huey Lewis & the News edition)|first =Mandi|last =Blerly|magazine =Entertainment Weekly|date =August 4, 2008}}

Billboard said that "this bouncy stomp should find a wide constituency identifying with the lyrics."{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=October 18, 1986|accessdate=2022-08-07|page=95|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sSQEAAAAMBAJ|title=Reviews}} Cash Box said that "utilizing the 'Power of Love' formula," it "jumps off to a quick start and drives home the populist message of its title."{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1986/CB-1986-10-18.pdf|date=October 18, 1986|accessdate=2022-08-07|page=9}}

The song is referred to in the novel American Psycho when the main character, Patrick Bateman, provides a lengthy critique of Huey Lewis and the News' career.

The song was then featured in the film adaptation during a scene in which Bateman (played by Christian Bale) gives an abridged version of his critique from the novel to his coworker Paul Allen (Jared Leto) just before attacking him with an axe:

{{quote|"In '87, {{sic}} Huey released this ... Fore!, their most accomplished album. I think their undisputed masterpiece is 'Hip to Be Square,' a song so catchy, most people probably don't listen to the lyrics. But they should, because it's not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it's also a personal statement about the band itself."}}

The song was originally featured on the accompanying soundtrack, but shortly after it was released, the album was pulled from the shelves and the song was removed before being reissued, but a small number had already been sold. Reports erroneously claimed that Lewis had objected to the context in which his song was used in the film and demanded it be removed from the album.{{cite magazine | last = Dansby | first = Andrew | title = Huey Lewis Sparks 'American Psycho' Soundtrack Recall | magazine = Rolling Stone | date = April 11, 2000 | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/hueylewisandthenews/articles/story/5925354/huey_lewis_sparks_american_psycho_soundtrack_recall | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071001091035/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/hueylewisandthenews/articles/story/5925354/huey_lewis_sparks_american_psycho_soundtrack_recall | url-status = dead | archive-date = October 1, 2007 | access-date = July 11, 2007}}{{cite web | last = Zacharek | first = Stephanie | title = American Psycho | work = Salon | date = April 14, 2000 | url = http://archive.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2000/04/14/american_psycho/index.html | access-date = July 11, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090428072920/http://archive.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2000/04/14/american_psycho/index.html | archive-date = April 28, 2009 | url-status = dead }} In reality, the film's production team had paid for the rights to use the song in the film, but overlooked receiving the rights to include it on the soundtrack. When the soundtrack was released with the song on it, Lewis had it withdrawn, as the soundtrack rights had not been secured.{{cite web | last = Quelland | first = Sarah | title = Huey in the News | publisher = metroactive.com | date = April 20, 2000 | url = http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/04.20.00/aural-0016.html | access-date = July 11, 2007}}

In 2013, Lewis himself guest starred in a parody of the scene with "Weird Al" Yankovic for comedy website Funny or Die.{{cite web|url=http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/e3662085fb/american-psycho-with-huey-lewis-and-weird-al|title=American Psycho with Huey Lewis and Weird Al|publisher=Funny or Die|access-date=November 23, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/10/huey_lewis_discusses_killing_w.html|title=Huey Lewis discusses killing Weird Al, his 'American Psycho' boycott and new music for 2015|publisher=mlive|date=October 9, 2014|access-date=November 23, 2018}}

In 2021, metalcore band Ice Nine Kills released "Hip to Be Scared" as the lead single from their album The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood. In addition to the title being a direct reference, the song and video featured an interpolation of the main melody from "Hip to Be Square" during a skit which parodies Bateman's critique of the band.{{Cite web |last=DiVita |first=Joe |title=Ice Nine Kills Debut 'Hip to Be Scared' Feat. Jacoby Shaddix, Announce New Album |url=https://loudwire.com/ice-nine-kills-hip-to-be-scared-video-lyrics-silver-scream-2-album/ |access-date=March 23, 2022 |website=Loudwire |date=July 9, 2021 |language=en}}

The popular children's show Sesame Street created an educational parody of the song called "Hip to Be a Square" and used it during a cartoon portion of the program.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdcHzquaMh8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/TdcHzquaMh8 |archive-date=December 15, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Sesame Street: It's Hip to Be a Square|date=March 19, 2010|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} Lewis said of the parody, "they contacted our publisher about doing it, and we were happy to let 'em. I think it's sweet."[https://web.archive.org/web/20160329005041/http://www.hueylewisandthenews.com/wp/?page_id=1038 Huey Lewis Fan Q&A: November 23, 2015], via archive.org

A cover of the song is featured in the Trolls movie franchise spin-off web series, Trolls: Fun Fair Surprise, performed by James Arnold Taylor as Branch. {{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OAXJ0jhUuU|title=

"Hip To Be Square" by Huey Lewis and the News | TROLLS MUSIC VIDEO | Fun Fair Surprise|date=Oct 5, 2024|via=YouTube}}

;7-inch single

1. "Hip to Be Square"
2. "Some of My Lies Are True" (Remix)

;12-inch single

• Remixed by Shep Pettibone

1. "Hip to Be Square" (Dance remix) – 6:05
2. "Hip to Be Square" (Dub mix) – 5:11

• List of Billboard Mainstream Rock number-one songs of the 1980s

{{reflist|2}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB5YkmjalDg Official music video]

{{Huey Lewis and the News}}

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Category:1986 songs

Category:1986 singles

Category:Huey Lewis and the News songs

Category:Music videos directed by Godley and Creme

Category:Songs written by Huey Lewis

Category:Chrysalis Records singles