Amid the controversy, the non-controversy, the slow climb at radio, and the absolute dominance on the iTunes charts, Little Big Town has delivered the best possible rebuttal: the video for “Girl Crush,” which in its simplicity says exactly what it needed to say: nothing at all.
Directed by Karla and Matthew Welch, the video, shot in black and white, shows the band, side-by-side, performing the song. There isn’t much dancing or sudden motion from the group or the camera – the delivery, like the song itself, is slow and deliberate, and one gets the feeling while watching that it’s a performance bigger than the group. There are no frills; much like songwriters describe being the vessel putting pen to paper for a song greater than them, Little Big Town seem the current through which the song is given life.
The video focuses strictly on the band, the guitar, the disco ball, except for one moment following the second chorus, which briefly reveals a man and a woman cameo’d in a close touch. It feels a little unnecessary, and can’t help but read as a subtle assurance that the song does not “promote a gay agenda.”
For a further “Girl Crush,” check out writers Liz Rose, Hillary Lindsey, and Lori McKenna performing the song at a Country Radio Seminar writers’ round, with a guest appearance from the ladies of LBT themselves.