Analysis Same Love

Title: Same Love
Medium: Song

Composer: Macklemore features vocals by Mary Lambert. Year: 2012

Publisher: Ryan Lewis

Analysis:

This song is written and sung by Macklemore and has featured vocals by Mary Lambert. Macklemore’s real name is Ben Haggerty. Macklemore’s Uncle is gay and he had wanted to write a song about gay rights and homophobia within the hip-hop community and the world.

Macklemore was fuelled by the issue of marriage equality and the flagrant use of ‘gay’ as a derogative term in the hip-hop industry, and the world. He would also use and say ‘that’s gay’ himself because it is so embedded in our culture. It was not until he was caught out saying it by friends that he realised that he had to stop. He wanted to make an impact on his fellow musicians, rappers and hip-hop artists and express his concerns for the use of words such as ‘faggot’ and ‘that’s gay’ as just another lyric.

The song ‘Same Love’ has lyrics that hopefully makes people second guess their language. Macklemore’s positive stance against marriage equality, homosexuality and the queer population has gained an overwhelming acceptance. He is the first male mainstream hip-hop artist who has rapped positively about homosexuality. More and more pro-gay artist are coming out in support of the gay community. Proving that popular culture can turn the tide of peoples use of derogative comments, opinions and challenge our ways of thinking in regards to our gay community.

He says ‘he simply enjoys writing songs that get people thinking’. Many of the lyrics in the song ‘Same Love’ have made me stop and think about what they really mean. I have Uncles, Aunties, cousins and friends who are gay so my choice of words are often corrected by my parent and peers. But nothing is more powerful then the words in a song that is of pop culture and because I believe it’s accurate for a generation more accepting, tolerant and knowledgeable of homosexuality.

Its human rights for everybody, there is no difference! Live on and be yourself. These lyrics from the song, stayed in my mind when I wrote this assessment because I believe it should be how we should all live, as we are all equal.

Macklemore says “I write songs that challenge myself, they challenge listeners, they might be controversial to some people, songs that push the boundaries of what a rap song sounds like or the subject matter that might be in a rap song.” Being young and influenced by pop culture, I relate to his point of pushing the boundaries as I would always want to be able to grow, learn and challenge myself to become a better person in my community.