Faith Hill – American Heart

Say what you will about country music, but these guys respect their people. With just one click — hear this, Kpop? ONE click — I found every bit of detail I needed about this song and music video.

American Heart, which is the second single from Faith Hill’s upcoming 2013 studio album Illusion (since Fireflies in 2005) but the first to have a music video, was co-written by Jonathan Singleton and Jim Beavers and produced by Byron Gallimore (who’s worked with Hill’s husband, Tim McGraw) alongside Hill.

I, of course, am not the demographic for American Heart — since… you know, I’m not American. I’m not even country music’s demographic, so I have no idea how they got to me. They just did. I like to listen to country music. To me, however, American Heart feels like a run of the mill country song… with a perfectly timed music video release. Come on! Tell me Warner didn’t release this thinking about the aftermath of the election? Of course, this isn’t going to be working for the core of the Democratic party, who are probably into indie folk rock or something, but it will play to the core of the Republican party.

The most interesting detail, however, is how graciously varied the music video is. Directed by Trey Fanjoy, who seems to be like some sort of King Midas of the country music video industry, the video starts out with what seems to be a “Kids React” video asking them what it is to have an American heart. It then shows a beautifully lit and nearly flawless Faith Hill in a dashing two-piece suit alongside 10-year-old TJ Jones, as they begin to dance.

It’s warm and fuzzy, a song elevated by a music video and Faith Hill’s voice.

I wouldn’t mind sacrificing Faith Hill’s pretty face with the fancy American bokeh for a straight up shot of them dancing. Maybe that way they could be included in some future list of Dancing Music Videos [1].