It seems impossible to get value without loading product model. If you take a look at file app/code/core/Mage/Eav/Model/Entity/Attribute/Frontend/Abstract.php you'll see the method
public function getValue(Varien_Object $object)
{
$value = $object->getData($this->getAttribute()->getAttributeCode());
if (in_array($this->getConfigField('input'), array('select','boolean'))) {
$valueOption = $this->getOption($value);
if (!$valueOption) {
$opt = new Mage_Eav_Model_Entity_Attribute_Source_Boolean();
if ($options = $opt->getAllOptions()) {
foreach ($options as $option) {
if ($option['value'] == $value) {
$valueOption = $option['label'];
}
}
}
}
$value = $valueOption;
}
elseif ($this->getConfigField('input')=='multiselect') {
$value = $this->getOption($value);
if (is_array($value)) {
$value = implode(', ', $value);
}
}
return $value;
}
As you can see this method requires loaded object to get data from it (3rd line).
SELECT value FROM eav_attribute_option_value WHERE option_id IN (
SELECT option_id FROM eav_attribute_option WHERE FIND_IN_SET(
option_id,
(SELECT value FROM catalog_product_entity_varchar WHERE
entity_id = '$product_id' AND
attribute_id = (SELECT attribute_id FROM eav_attribute WHERE
attribute_code='$attribute_code')
)
) > 0) AND
store_id='$store_id';
You would have to get the value from the correct table based on the attribute's backend_type (field in eav_attribute) though so it takes at least 1 additional query.
Please see Daniel Kocherga's answer, as it'll work for you in most cases.
In addition to that method to get the attribute's value, you may sometimes want to get the label of a select or multiselect. In that case, I have created this method which I store in a helper class:
/**
* @param int $entityId
* @param int|string|array $attribute atrribute's ids or codes
* @param null|int|Mage_Core_Model_Store $store
*
* @return bool|null|string
* @throws Mage_Core_Exception
*/
public function getAttributeRawLabel($entityId, $attribute, $store=null) {
if (!$store) {
$store = Mage::app()->getStore();
}
$value = (string)Mage::getResourceModel('catalog/product')->getAttributeRawValue($entityId, $attribute, $store);
if (!empty($value)) {
return Mage::getModel('catalog/product')->getResource()->getAttribute($attribute)->getSource()->getOptionText($value);
}
return null;
}