Song Review: Same Love ft. Mary Lambert - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Title: Same Love ft. Mary Lambert
Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Album: The Heist
Release Date: October 9th, 2012
Record Label: Self! (That's really impressive)
iTunes

"Same Love"
(with Ryan Lewis)
(feat. Mary Lambert)

When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay,
'Cause I could draw, my uncle was, and I kept my room straight.
I told my mom, tears rushing down my face
She's like "Ben you've loved girls since before pre-k, trippin' "
Yeah, I guess she had a point, didn't she?
Bunch of stereotypes all in my head.
I remember doing the math like, "Yeah, I'm good at little league"
A preconceived idea of what it all meant
For those that liked the same sex
Had the characteristics
The right wing conservatives think it's a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made rewiring of a predisposition
Playing God, aw nah here we go
America the brave still fears what we don't know
And God loves all his children, is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago
I don't know

And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

If I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the YouTube comments lately?
"Man, that's gay" gets dropped on the daily
We become so numb to what we're saying
A culture founded from oppression
Yet we don't have acceptance for 'em
Call each other faggots behind the keys of a message board
A word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it
Gay is synonymous with the lesser
It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
Gender to skin color, the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins
It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
Live on and be yourself
When I was at church they taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service those words aren't anointed
That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned
When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same, but that's not important
No freedom till we're equal, damn right I support it

(I don't know)

And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

We press play, don't press pause
Progress, march on
With the veil over our eyes
We turn our back on the cause
Till the day that my uncles can be united by law
When kids are walking 'round the hallway plagued by pain in their heart
A world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are
And a certificate on paper isn't gonna solve it all
But it's a damn good place to start
No law is gonna change us
We have to change us
Whatever God you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it's all the same love
About time that we raised up... sex

And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love
My love
My love
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm
She keeps me warm

Love is patient
Love is kind
Love is patient
Love is kind
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
(not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind
(I'm not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
Love is kind

Honestly, this song is WAY overplayed on the radio. And yes, it happens, I understand. What's wrong is the meaning is lost because what's replaced is people going "ugh, not this again". It's irritating and makes the beautiful song lose its meaning. Remember that time they played Payphone over and OVER again? Don't tell me you didn't hate it at one point.

But aside from that, it's a beautiful song. It's told from someone who is gay's perspective. It talks about how it's so scary to come out because you're afraid people are going to hate you. Also, if you are Christian and believe in Jesus, you're afraid you'll be judged because Christians (among others) believe that to be gay is to sin. 

My favorite message in this is that "no matter what God you believe in, we come from the same one." My religion believes in this idea so it was so inspiring to see Macklemore use this in his song. If you think about it, people are KILLING each other over religion when all we need to do is sit down, let go of our prejudices and talk things over.

I feel like Macklemore is such a strong person. And not even just that, he's got perspective. It isn't just a "don't hate on gay" song. It's got more. It's got feelings and how people who are straight can CONNECT with people who are gay.