From Girls to Goddesses; Maroon 5's Hit Gets An OWA Makeover

The official start of summer has just barely passed us all by, and with the sanctioned changing of the seasons comes a familiar tradition in these hotter months -- an assortment of top 40 radio hits will be competing for the title of the song of the summer. More than a few potential titleholders could be mentioned, but a very realistic contender is “Girls Like You” by pop rock royalty and Grammy hoarders Maroon 5.

The third single from the band’s November 2017 release Red Pill Blues dropped on June 5, leaving fans to decide if they liked the original version or a remix featuring Bronx rapper Cardi B better. The first single from Red Pill Blues, the loopy, melodic pop hit “What Lovers Do” featuring TDE poster girl SZA, was a certified hit, and it looks as if “Girls Like You” -- becoming the band's fourteenth top ten single with its number 4 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 -- is sure to follow suit.

From the second the video for “Girls Like You” dropped, it seems that Maroon 5’s fans were in love with the fact that it showcased a dazzling array of beautiful, talented women, who remained the focus for much of the production. Everyone from Jennifer Lopez to Ellen DeGeneres to Mary J. Blige to Gal Gadot get screentime, and that’s only scratching the surface of the girls who get showcased. Lip syncing and dancing along to the music in the world’s most carefree manner, the pretty ladies did almost enough to make us all think that Adam and Company couldn’t have picked a better line-up of women for the video.

Emphasis on “almost”.

Something of a follow-up to the all-OWA version of Drake’s “Nice For What”, the women of OWA are giving “Girls Like You” the Omega treatment. Know and understand something for certain, though -- you don’t know any girls like these.

(Author's Note: The lyrics posted are the ones from the original album version, not the remix featuring Cardi B. The video posted is meant to give a visual approximation of what's going on, so...fast forward? Pretend she's not there, I guess? Have fun and use your imagination!)

(As the shot fades in, the camera is focusing on a close-up of the hands of James Valentine, the band’s lead guitarist. After a couple of moments, he turns and walks away from the camera, which promptly pans over to focus on Adam Levine. It’s at this point that the entirety of the set can be seen. The other members of the band -- Valentine, drummer Matt Flynn, keyboardist PJ Morton, bassist Mickey Madden, and multi-instrumentalist Sam Farrar -- are all donning Omega Wrestling Alliance logo shirts, standing in the background in a circular formation around the slightly raised circular platform upon with Adam stands as he eases into the first verse. The camera continues panning around the room in a circular motion, showing that Adam is standing on the stage alone.)

[Verse 1] “Spent 24 hours, I need more hours with you You spent the weekend getting even, ooh We spent the late nights making things right between us.”

(At this point, the camera is still focused on Adam, zooming in closely and it still looks like he’s standing on the platform by himself.)

[Pre-Chorus] “But now it's all good, babe Roll that Backwood, babe And play me close.” [Chorus] “'Cause girls like you run 'round with guys like me 'Til sun down when I come through”

(Now, the camera begins to move again, panning back around in a circular motion to show Aria Jaxon standing back-to-back with Adam lip syncing the lyrics.)

“I need a girl like you, yeah yeah Girls like you love fun, and yeah, me too What I want when I come through”

(After a few revolutions around the room, when the camera swings around this time, Aria’s no longer standing behind Adam. Now, Tarah Nova is the one lip syncing along to the song.)

“I need a girl like you, yeah yeah” [Post-Chorus] “Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah I need a girl like you, yeah yeah”

(A few more trips around the circular set, and when the camera can see behind Adam once more, Azumi Goto is lip syncing as Adam sings.)

“Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah I need a girl like you”

(After the camera passes by the collective of Adam and Azumi a few times, when the camera is expected to pan back to Adam, it’s revealed that he’s not on the platform now. Now, both of the Sugar Girls, Savannah Sunshine and Jessica Rose, occupy the platform, lip syncing the lyrics to the incoming second verse.) [Verse 2] “I spent last night on the last flight to you Took a whole day up tryna get way up, ooh We spent the daylight tryna make things right between us” [Pre-Chorus] “But now it's all good, babe”

(Another sweep around the set, and Megan Harper is lip syncing the lyrics now. As the camera pans behind her, it can be seen that HENDRIX is standing back-to-back with her. The two of them take turns lip syncing the words as the camera pans around them both.)

“Roll that Backwood, babe And play me close” [Chorus] “'Cause girls like you run 'round with guys like me 'Til sun down when I come through”

(Now, as the camera swings back around to the front, Goddesses’ commissioner Viola DeMarco is front and center, lip syncing along to the song. As the camera pans around her to the back, Julianna DeMarco is doing the same.)

“I need a girl like you, yeah yeah Girls like you love fun, and yeah, me too What I want when I come through I need a girl like you, yeah yeah”

(As the post-chorus kicks in, the camera starts panning around in a circular sweep again, showing Sweet Roxy and Mia Marie Vega standing right behind Adam and lip syncing the lyrics.) [Post-Chorus] “Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah I need a girl like you, yeah yeah”

(As the drawn-out post-chorus kicks in, the camera swings around to show that the platform is fuller now, with Cori Simmons, Ashley Walker, Gia Cervantes, Elle Halen, and Carmen Rossi standing upon it.)

“Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah I need a girl like you, yeah yeah I need a girl like you, yeah yeah”

(The biggest grouping of girls so far is all smiles as the camera pans around all of them to show them lip syncing to the song.)

“I need a girl like you” [Bridge] (As the bridge begins, the camera is stationary once more as it pans back around to the front, where Adam once again stands alone on the platform, singing alone.)

“Maybe it's 6:45 Maybe I'm barely alive Maybe you've taken my shit for the last time, yeah Maybe I know that I'm drunk Maybe I know you're the one Maybe you're thinking it's better if you drive” [Chorus]

(As the chorus kicks in again, the camera starts panning around in a circular sweep again, showing Dulce Torres standing back-to-back with Adam and lip syncing the lyrics.)

“'Cause girls like you run 'round with guys like me 'Til sun down when I come through I need a girl like you, yeah”

(On the most recent trip around, once the camera pans behind Adam, it can now be seen that Diantha Moreau is standing behind Adam now, lip syncing with a slight grin on her face.)

“'Cause girls like you run 'round with guys like me 'Til sun down when I come through I need a girl like you, yeah yeah”

(A few more revolutions, and as Adam continues to sing, the camera pans behind him to show that TyAnna Jupiter has now taken up residence on the podium to lip sync.)

“Girls like you love fun, and yeah, me too What I want when I come through I need a girl like you, yeah yeah”

(Another sweep around the circular set, and now Natasha Night is lip syncing behind Adam on the platform.) [Post-Chorus] “Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah I need a girl like you, yeah yeah”

(As the camera pans around the room again, all of the Goddesses are standing in a giant circle around Adam, forming sort of an inner ring within the circle formed by his band members. He remains on the platform singing by himself.) “Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah I need a girl like you.”

(The camera swings around for the final time as the song begins to fade out. Now, everyone else is gone, and the camera focuses solely on Adam on the platform. As the camera pans out, it shows his wife, Behati Prinsloo, standing back to back with him holding their daughter Gio Grace. He turns around to embrace them both as the video ends.)