Girl Crushes Need a Country Song, Too
Maureen McCormick (better known as Marcia Brady) recently admitted to having a bit of a girl crush on Gretchen Wilson on Gone Country. Then CMT.com columnist Hazel Smith was raving about Crystal Gayle's skin, eyes, smile and hair. And Miley Cyrus had some mildly suggestive pictures taken with another girl a few months ago. Is everyone everywhere having these girl crushes, and if so, shouldn't someone write a song about the new trend?
Back in 2006, Willie Nelson released a song called "Cowboys are Secretly, Frequently (Fond of Each Other)." I think it might be the time for another tune about homosexual tendencies. Not a straight-up lesbian love song, but more of an exploration of the crushing craze, because it really has less to do with actual, physical lust and more to do with an infatuation of another girl's mind, body and soul. (Although McCormick's forthcoming book reportedly reveals a girl crush that actually progressed to sexual play with Eve Plumb, who played younger sister Jan Brady.)
I'm not suggesting country music's on the verge of a girl-on-girl kiss a la Madonna and Britney. However, a Jennifer Nettles/Carrie Underwood awards-show kiss would certainly give us something to talk about, wouldn't it? But I do think the phenomenon of girl love doesn't seem to be as taboo as it once was. In the new book, Sexual Fluidity, the author reports that women are more fluid with their emotions when it comes to other women -- that it's not as black and white as it is with men, and that the occasional attraction to women is natural.
Maybe in the conservative world of country radio, the potential lack of spins might be holding songwriters back. But radio has crossed some lines in the sand before, and the timing may be right for a little more flirtation with controversy. Just think of the untouched lyrical territory. Fans always want music they can relate to. And who can't relate to a page out of Marcia Brady's life?
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
OutlawSteph says:
This young woman’s blogs are insulting and inappropriate.
Kim says:
I actually think its good because its true. Women are exactly like this, fluid with emotions. Why shouldnt we have songs about that. Is it any more innapropriate than a song about a one night stand or one about shaking your badonkadonk or drinking so much you dont remember things the next day. If anything insults you about country music, it should be that instead of a two women being drawn together out of friendship or attraction or whatever. No girl crush here, but you go girl!
patouie says:
I totally agree with Outlaw steph!
Ben says:
But aren’t the inappropriate ones McCormick, Smith and Cyrus? They are the ones to put their feelings out in the public, and if that offends you then go hide under a rock. I have plenty of bi-curious friends who would be insulted that you call this “inappropriate.” Girls are hot, and I think its about time that girls are finally admitting that.
Willie’s song was timed well for the Brokeback trend was making everyone talk more openly about the subject.
G-A-Y says:
The only thing inappropriate or insulting about this blog, outlawsteph, is that the writer still has to explain away the need for a gal-gal song in a way that disconnects it from lesbians.
Let’s face the facts: Some women like other women. Many of those women are also fans of country music. The offensive idea is the one that says these womens’ lives need qualifiers before they can be represented!!
B.W. LaRoy says:
That was the last time I will ever read your Blogs. This is my final comment on your Blogs. Bye Bye Big Al, Bye Bye.
Rachel says:
While the Jennifer Nettles/Carrie Underwood Madonna-Brtiney thing you mentioned would certianly be interesting talk, it was very disturbing for me to picture it and believe me, that is one very clear image that I prefer you don’t bring up again.
I Want My Country Back says:
Why dont you lefty hippie liberal weirdos go back to Mtv or VH-1? Leave country music alone. Its bad enough we have to sit through these stupid shows instead of hearing good music. Now you want to ‘flirt with controversy’. What you are talking about is selling out the heart of country music (God, family, hard work, etc) for a cheap thrill in the public eye. You are not country music. You are the popular culture that pops and fizzles and tries to eek any bit of attention you can get from the public. Country music has backbone. It has heart and values. True country fans do not want to see gay in the music that reflects their values. You listen to the Dixie-Chicks. So go hang out with all the other hippie city folk who claim to like country music just to seem ‘diverse’ at VH-1.
westernswinggirl says:
What!! If country starts going this direction, I will quit listening to it!I will listen to my old collection of country greats.Yes, some songs about girl friendships would be great, but with a lesbo twist, no!! What has happened to being friends? Why does everything have to be construed as sexual? I am old fashioned and want friends to be friends, if you look at everyone in a sexual way, then something is wrong with you. Next, incest will be okay. Music has been great this year about true relationships with your spouse, children, older people, people who beat cancer and other terrible situations. The music has been about standing by those you love and giving them respect. Country music is about real life and not everyone is a lebsian or a gay man in the world, regardless of what the entertainment industry tries to protray it. Come on country music, let’s keep some of our conservative morals that is the backbone of true country music.
Don’t Judge Me says:
I think this post is fantastic. Big kudos for someone actually talking about this. I happen to be a lesbian who LOVES country music. I have values, I have morals, and yes, I do go to church every Sunday. I can’t help the way I feel and I don’t think I should be judged for that. God made me this way. As westernswinggirl says…no not everyone is a lesbian or a gay man. BUT…not everyone is straight. Shouldn’t I be able to listen to a song I relate to also? I’m not saying I’m all for the Carrie/Jennifer kiss either. I think flaunting PDA like that in general is tacky…whether you’re straight or gay. But I think writing a song about girl crushes or curiosity or something like that wouldn’t hurt anything. Country music will always be true and real. More and more people are coming out saying they are gay now. This is growing and will continue to grow. So why not write about it? And to I Want My Country Back….I don’t think this is selling out the heart of country music. I work extremely hard. I work as a fulltime Firefighter/Paramedic and work 2 part time jobs as a Paramedic as well. I have a family I love and support. And as I said before, I go to church every Sunday. It’s not a cheap thrill…this is who I am. And there are a lot of other people out there like me. Please don’t judge me because of the person I chose to love.
Firefly says:
Wow, the comments for this blog just remind me how bigoted and closed-minded people in this country (and in Country music) still are. Geeez…”how far we’ve come” turns out to be not at all far enough. The homophobic remarks here make me ashamed to be a country music fan.
hotelmotel says:
Don’t Judge Me - I agree that sexuality is “not a cheap thrill…this is who I am.”
I think the original post by Alison turns sexuality into a “cheap thrill” primarily designed for voyeuristic audiences who want to be “shocked” by a lesbian kiss on a TV awards show.
Such stuff debases human sexuality. I think sexuality, whether heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian, bisexual deserves to be taken a lot more seriously than the original post takes it. The post almost has a “wouldn’t it be cute and funny if some female country singers would make out so we can watch” aspect to it. That, to me, isn’t showing respect toward lesbians, it is turning them into a freak-show amusement park attraction.
OutlawSteph says:
I agree with hotelmotel.
Disagreeing with the message of this blog has nothing to do with being negative against anyone because of their sexuality. I’m offended by anyone who conducts themselves in an explicit manner in public, and it debases real love between two people.
-Stephanie
hotelmotel says:
OutlawSteph — I’m glad someone agrees with my point!
christina says:
I agree with hotelmotel it is almost demoralizing what gays and lesbians have fought and are fighting so hard for ….that is to be taken seriously by society and to make light of it by making it sound cute is wrong and I am sure lesbians and gays would not tell you that it is so cute to have to fight everyday for a little piece of respect and dignity in our society
bigdaddy says:
OMG! Please save us dear lord. The sick are finally infiltrating country music…I’m going home.
Marsha says:
Country along with the world has really changed
And not for the better
Matt says:
Country music is about real life so why exclude lyrics about girl girl crushes, bi-curious or lesbians? Why should country music pretend these real thoughts and relationships don’t exist? Is country music fake? Country music has songs about love and cheating so this is fair game. Considering Taylor Swift had to remove a non-serious lyric about telling people someone is gay just for country radio, we might be a long way off from songs about actual girl girl feelings or relationships getting a lot of airplay. Dixie Chicks don’t need country radio so they should record one and laugh at fools burning records again. I know some great people who hate country music because it’s too conservative with too many songs about the same old same old - rednecks, drinking, home, family, and god, war, and country.
I’m a straight male and I’d love to see a Jennifer Nettles/Carrie Underwood awards-show kiss! That would be HOT and piss off the Bush and Cheney loving morons. LMAO!
Matt says:
Marsha, maybe if country played songs above love, saving our economy and jobs from getting sent to China instead of “we’re gonna kick your asses in this (overpriced, ill-conceived) war” it would help the world change for the better.
I Want My Country Back says:
matt, you live in a fairy tale. its not your fault, alot of america does. that lovey-dovey everything is peachy attitude is only possible because those boys are fighting and dying to preserve our way of life. someone has to do it. you would die in the real world. your enemies would exploit your weak nature, kill you and take your wife and posessions. lucky for you, these crazy warmongers like bush wont let that happen. they want to flush em out on their turf. that way you can sit on your computer and complain about how much the war costs without the power goin out or gunfire outside your door. tell the truth… you like the dixie chicks dont you? bigdaddy is right. this ‘new country’ aint nothin but a buncha damn whiny ass weirdos.
Wake Up says:
Get over it Big Daddy. You are home. Your country is gay, straight and everything in between. The knuckle draggers who want to go back to 1956 are doomed. Change is the only constant.
Tanya says:
Jennifer Nettles is awesome whether you people like it or not
iekzabodt reqfil says:
gcbhr jxsdqpkc wdbap ckpdgv fvktc swulrh gdhzoim
YouLosers says:
Wow…. just wow… I do agree that having a lesbian kiss on television just for the sake of shocking audiences is extremely stupid, I am depressed by reading most of these comments..
Lots of people in America are gay. Get over it. And just because your not gay doesnt make you any better than them. My two closest friends are gay and they work hard, go to church, and live according to American values… but once people find out that they are lesbian, they are dismissed as being sluts or nonhuman and immoral. Homophobia is as bad as racism…
I think that country music could be a little more open minded and tolerant of alternative lifestyles
Closed minds should come with closed mouths… end of story.