Father John Misty Shares "Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)" Video

While celebrating their wedding anniversary, Father John Misty – otherwise known as former Fleet Foxes member Josh Tillman – and his wife, Emma Tillman, directed and filmed a music video for “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)”, a song from Father John Misty’s forthcoming album I Love You, Honeybear. Shot on an iPad, it features scenes of the couple swimming and lounging in bed, along with closeups of mouthwatering pancakes, all filtered through a shimmery lens. Watch it below.

In a fantastical press release for the video, Tillman jokingly revealed that his concept originally entailed a kitten wedding in which he served as chaplain (“It may have even gone viral because kittens”, he notes). Unfortunately, he scrapped that idea because of budgetary restrictions – kitten wranglers are expensive. Here’s his wacky statement in full (emphases Tillman’s):

A few months ago, I had an idea for a music video.  I was going to rent a wedding chapel, get a dozen kittens and stage a kitten wedding, over which I would preside and intercut with performance footage of me lip-syncing the song which you’re hearing today, “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins)”. Sounds great, right?  It may have even gone viral because kittens.  If a video goes viral, that means you’re reaching a wider audience, and you might even get on a chart.  If you get on a chart that means you’re streaming more records, and the more records you’re streaming the more money you supposedly have for hiring kitten wranglers.

Aside from the fact that kitten wranglers are considerably more expensive than you may realize and that said-kitten wranglers all informed me there was no way we were going to be able get the outfits I had mocked up onto said-kittens, there was another extenuating factor involved in the decision to abort this music video concept and ruin the slim likelihood that I might ever get to see the Huffington Post entertainment headline “EX-FLEET FOXES DRUMMER WEDS CATS”.

That reason is that the song actually means a great a deal to me.

It’s got the #4 on it because this iteration Chateau Lobby was the 4th attempt at arranging and producing the song that did not turn out perversely sentimental.  Sentimentality brutalizes emotion.  Much like ironic music videos.         

I don’t care all that much if you like the music video or not.  The label isn’t crazy about it.  Management isn’t crazy about it.  I have been informed I’m basically kissing an MTV “Woodie” award goodbye forever.  I made it on an iPad on my wedding anniversary with the one I love.  We ate pancakes.    

I love you,

Josh.

Read our interview with Father John Misty from earlier this year.

Watch Father John Misty perform “I Love You Honeybear” on Pitchfork.tv’s “City of Music”:

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