“Same Love”
Popular Music and Social Change in the Present: “Same Love”
Gay marriage has become a popular topic in the U.S government and in the news. With states like New York and California legalizing same-sex marriage, there have been public demonstrations both for and against the new legislation. Though in the past many songs have addressed social issues like war, injustice, or poverty, there have not been many songs addressing gay marriage because it is such a new topic. For a while, some states allowed civil unions between same sex couples, but only in recent years has same-sex marriage become an option. Gay Americans and supporters have rallied for marriage equality in America for decades. The song “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis addresses both the ideas that being gay is not a choice and that there should be marriage equality in the United States.
“Same Love” gained a lot of attention following the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, where it won the award for Best Video with a Social Message. According to Angermiller (2013) Macklemore told reporters backstage at the awards that winning the award “is much bigger than just the musicIt’s about equality.” In another interview, as reported by Duke and Sutton (2013), Macklemore explained that the song was intended to begin conversations that might bring about more understanding about homosexuality and marriage equality.
Not only did the song’s video win an award at the popular MTV awards show, but the song was performed live in collaboration with Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. Though Macklemore has recently released many popular singles, he chose to perform “Same Love” because he felt it was a song that needed to be heard (Lowder 2013). The performance had a powerful effect on the audience, both live and those watching it on television from their homes.
The song also gained attention when it was released in 2012, prior to the Video Music Awards. Teachers who wanted to raise social awareness in their students were being suspended for playing the song and video in their classrooms. In her report on a Michigan teacher who was supended, Guccini (2012) wrote “For those who by chance haven’t had the pleasure of hearing it, it’s one of the most moving songs about equality to be released this year, and for sure, the gentlest, sweetest hip-hop tribute to gays I’ve ever heard. In other words, its potential to impact youth ranges from significant to extraordinary.”
Macklemore appeared on The Ellen Show in 2012 to perform “Same Love.” The host of the popular talk show, Ellen DeGeneres, has been publicly homosexual for many years. She described the song as she announced the performance by saying “No other artist in hip hop history have ever taken a stand defending marriage equality the way they have," (Nova, 2012). Ellen is a well-known gay woman and her support of the song is important to popular culture.
Many people oppose gay marriage, while others feel that any two consenting adults should have the right to get married if they want to. The song “Same Love” does an excellent job of raising social awareness about the issue by explaining that being gay is not a choice. Mary Lambert’s haunting voice singing “I can’t change/even if I tried/even if I wanted to” resonates with many people. Though there will always be people opposed to same-sex marriage, this song is a step in the right direction for marriage equality.
Works Cited
Angermiller, M.A. (2013). MTV VMAs: Macklemore 'Welled Up' During 'Same Love' Victory. Retrieved from http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/earshot/mtv-vmas-macklemore welled-up-614576
Duke, A., & Sutton, J. (2013). Teacher suspended for showing class Macklemore's 'Same Love' video. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/12/showbiz/same-love-teacher suspended/
Guccini, J. (2012). A mess in Michigan: Macklemore’s “Same Love” gets a teacher suspended. Retrieved from http://www.afterellen.com/a-mess-in-michigan-macklemores-same-love gets-a-teacher-suspended/12/2012/
Lowder, J.B. (2013). Macklemore’s “Same Love” Is the Only VMA Performance Worth Remembering. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2013/08/26/_same_love_macklemore_s_mtv_vma performance_deserves_more_attention_than.html
Nova, F.M. (2012). Macklemore and Ryan Lewis "Same Love" live on Ellen. Retrieved from http://www.novafm.com.au/video/macklemore-and-ryan-lewis-same-love-live-ellen
