Synopsis

The Living End perform "Prisoner of Society" in a stark classroom setting, where the band plays while rebellious students take turns presenting "essays" to their teacher. Instead of conventional schoolwork, the students recite the song's confrontational lyrics, turning the lesson into a noisy declaration of independence. The video's deliberately simple setup matches the track's direct punk energy, contrasting institutional order with youthful defiance and a refusal to accept authority without question.

Factoids & Trivia

• The Australian music video was released in 1998 and runs for approximately four minutes.

• The clip was reportedly made on a budget of only $2,000, making its classroom concept an economical alternative to a more elaborate narrative production.

• The students' "essays" are actually the lyrics to "Prisoner of Society," giving the video's school setting a literal connection to the song's themes of authority, conformity, and rebellion.

• The video was made for the song's Australian campaign. A separate version was later produced for the American release, and both versions were included on the band's 2004 video compilation *From Here on In: The Singles 1997-2004*.

• "Prisoner of Society" originally appeared on the 1997 double A-side release *Second Solution / Prisoner of Society*. The video for "Prisoner of Society" came first, followed by a separate clip for "Second Solution."

• The song became the breakthrough hit associated with The Living End's self-titled debut album. The double A-side release was the highest-selling Australian-made single of the 1990s, while "Prisoner of Society" later reached No. 23 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.