Here's the latest video from Team ObamaGirl: "I Like A Boy," a rockin', hooky song celebrating the troops, done in conjunction with IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America). Barely Political founder Ben Relles joined with IAVA founder (and HuffPost contributor) Paul Rieckhoff to make an upbeat, non-partisan video expressing support for the troops — and featuring actual soldiers, plus army wives and girlfriends singing to their loved ones. Also featured: The usual bevy of bikini-clad babes, garbed fetchingly (and skimpily) in camo; the words "Be my Sugar-Bagh-Daddy" may or may not be featured. Watch it here:
Despite a launch after last week's zone-flooding focus on the war — the Petraeus Report, the surge, Bush's speech, the MoveOn ad — this project has been in the works for weeks, with singer Leah Kaufmann's single cut in mid-August, followed by recruiting soldiers for their star turns and shooting the video (braving rain and bugs — in bikinis! — on a paintball field in Staten Island), adding a hip-hop break from "This Is Why I'm Hot" rapper Mims — taking this new single into the mainstream — and intercutting footage of soldiers' wives and girlfriends singing to pictures of their men. That's the part that takes the video into the poignant.
Agenda? None, really, other than to support the troops and IAVA — though all of Obama Girl, Giuliani Girl and Romney Girls make an appearance. Obama Girl, aka Amber Lee Ettinger, is more willing this time to declare her allegiance off camera: Her personal support is rooted in her own father, who served 23 years in the military and shipped off to Vietnam when he was 18.
Founder and Team OG mastermind Relles says he loves all his songs equally, but he really loves this one, because of the special guests. "I've gotten such a great response today from all of [the army wives and girlfriends], saying they passed it around to their families," said Relles. "Both the soldiers and the army wives expressed that, when so much of the war is somber, it was great to be part of something that was upbeat and fun."
Interactive alert: In addition to this version, BarelyPolitical has put out the call for viewers to upload their own video message to the troops some mash-up action, and next week will be re-mixing the video to incorporate those submissions.
ETP has had the song for a few weeks — embargoed on the blog but not on our iPod, where it's enjoyed frequent rotation as one of the most fun, catchiest tunes we've become obsessed with since "Since U Been Gone" inspired us to trash our ex-boyfriend's apartment. It has all the ingredients to become a mainstream radio hit, plus the added firepower of the Mims hook — but Relles says it depends on whether radio stations classify it as as a "political song." Barely political, however, might just be another story.
Program note: Clips from the video debuted on CNN's "American Morning" today at 8:45 am (John Roberts! Just like the old days, eh?) and the full video debuted on BarelyPolitical.com and on ETP and the Huffington Post shortly thereafter. Proceeds from sale of "I Like A Boy" (available on iTunes) go to IAVA. "I Like A Boy" music by Leah Kaufmann and Rick Friedrich, lyrics by Leah Kaufmann, Rick Friedrich and Ben Relles.