I am seven different kinds of in love with the fact that Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” went to radio today. The song is absolutely killer – the buzz about the song long preceded even the album release – with a raw, stripped sound full of conviction. And while it’s hard if not impossible to ever cite a work of art as totally fresh, “Girl Crush” is lyrically as unique as they come, describing a jealousy with a plot twist at the hook, jealousy to the point of desire. It’s beautifully done, the kind of warped fantasy that’s complexly real and fabricated at the same time, creating an alternate reality that feels just like home. LBT’s harmonies are generally time-stopping, and Karen Fairchild leads the vocal cry with simultaneous strength and weakness, her vocal partners in crime matching the lyrical nuance with a subtle complexity of harmony.
“I want to taste her lips
Yeah, cuz they taste like you
I want to drown myself
In a bottle of her perfume
I want her long blond hair
I want her magic touch
Yeah, cuz maybe then
You’d want me just as much
I’ve got a girl crush”
Not only is it awesome that such a well crafted song is going to radio, it’s especially exciting because it’s not a sure bet – country radio has become increasingly male-dominated, pop-friendly, and thematically bland, none of which “Girl Crush” is a ringer for. Seeing this gain mainstream recognition (Kelly Clarkson recently covered it at one of her shows!) is such a giant sigh of relief.
“Girl Crush” is the second single off LBT’s album Painkiller, written by The Love Junkies (Liz Rose, Lori McKenna, and Hillary Lindsey), and produced by Jay Joyce.
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