It’s no secret that Macklemore’s, Ryan Lewis’ and Mary Lambert’s song “Same Love” is about LGBTQ+ rights, specifically advocating for the legalization of same-sex marriage. There are songs that are overtly linked to this one, and ones that are linked by similar content and messages.

One lineage that is made obvious is that of “Same Love” and Mary Lambert’s  “She keeps me warm” that were released in the same year, 2013. Lambert wrote the chorus for “Same Love,” and decided to take that chorus and build off of it, with Macklemore’s and Ryan Lewis’ blessings, to get her solo song.

These two songs differ in the fact that “Same Love” is written in the point of view of a straight man who is an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, and “She keeps me warm” is a love song from one woman to another. The identical chorus provides an obvious lineage, as does the repetition of the line, “I’m not crying on Sundays” that refers to the Catholic Church and their intolerance of homosexuality.

We don’t see a lot of love songs that are overtly homosexual, so “She keeps me warm” is unique in that respect.

There is another lineage in terms of content, i.e. the support of the LGBTQ+ community.

“I’m coming out” by Diana Ross, “Born this way” by Lady Gaga, and “Same Love” by Mary Lambert, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have a lineage in the fact that they are all about being yourself, specifically in terms of sexuality. I didn’t know this, but Ross’ famous song from 1980 is about coming out of the closet. The lyrics “The time has come for me / To break out of the shell / I have to shout / That I’m coming out” encourage the LGBTQ+ community to show who they are.

Lady Gaga had a similar sentiment in 2011 when she released “Born this way.” The lyrics are obvious in their meaning – “No matter gay, straight, or bi / Lesbian transgendered life / I’m on the right track baby.” She gives a shout out to people of different races and nationalities as well, but the LGBTQ+ community took this song and ran with it. Gaga asserts that God makes no mistakes, and therefore these people should be accepted.

This is followed by “Same Love” by Lambert, Macklemore and Lewis in 2013 that asserts that love is love and people who are homosexual should have the opportunity to marry.

These lineages help me to understand “Same Love” because they point out what this community is looking for – to be accepted, and after that, equality. A gay love song, a coming out anthem, and an equality anthem, like these songs I mentioned are, are all rolled up into “Same Love.” They further emphasize what “Same Love” means.