In-Class Writing: Song Analysis

Music is indispensable to me. When I’m depressed or stressed out, music makes me feel better and encourages me. Music is a part of my life.

 

Same Love feat. Mary Lambert by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

“Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis is one of my favorite songs through my life.

This song is a part of the their album, The Heist. This song is about love, same-sex love. In 2012 when the album was released, same-sex marriage is legalized in WA.

 

As you may know (I didn’t know before coming this collage though), Macklemore  graduated from this college. He’s one of my favorite artists. His songs’ lyrics are direct and remind in my heart. While listening to his songs, sometime I imagine that he was taking same education as I’m doing here. Same campus, same classroom, used to have deep discussion with classmates, study at the library, eat at the greenery, take 41 and 48 buses… these fragments of educational environment where I am right now might affect his music.

This song is about LGBTQ, same-sex love. Although he is not gay, the listeners can see how much he supports these people as this college does.

 

“America the brave still fears what we don’t know”

This is same to Japan where I’m from. Japan is also afraid of it. In Japan, same-sex marriage is not recognized. Sexual minorities are still ignored.

 

“When everyone else is more comfortable remaining voiceless rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen” “Strip away the fear, underneath it’s all the same love. About time that we raised up!”

Many LGBTQ people are remaining voiceless and can’t be theirselves. Everyone wants to be free, accepted and loved. On Valentine’s day, 2019, 13 LGBTQ couples filed lawsuit in push for equal marriage against the government. This is a first legal challenge in Japan. They are not demanding anything special. They just want a chance to stand at the starting line in their lives as others have.

Minority people in Japan finally raised up toward the ideal society. As a person who believes love, I’d like to support.

 

However,  I felt that some parts of the lyrics are little bit aggressive.

“That holy water that you soak in has been poisoned”

These lyrics alienate others such as christians. So, some people may not prefer this song. To me, everyone has different beliefs. That’s natural. I don’t think that everyone can have same belief or idea toward the ideal society. I hope that everyone can have conversations about our society with respect.

 

To me, it doesn’t matter if people love same-sex. I believe that love is love as this song shows. And, I hope everyone can be themselves and equal in the common society.

 

 

Lyrics:

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?
A bunch of stereotypes all in my head
I remember doing the math like, “Yeah, I’m good at little league.”
A pre-conceived idea of what it all meant
For those that like 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 pre-disposition
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

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’ve become so numb to what we’re sayin’
Our 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 ’til we’re equal, damn right I support it

And I can’t change, even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love, my love, my love
She keeps me warm

We press play, don’t press pause: progress, march on!
With a veil over our eyes, we turn our back on the cause
‘Til the day that my uncles can be united by law
Kids are walking ’round the hallway
Plagued by a 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’s 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!

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

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 (not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient (not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind (not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient (not crying on Sundays)
Love is kind (not crying on Sundays)
Love is patient
Love is kind