Trespassing Album Track #12: Outlaws Of Love

I hesitate to say this because my heart is so happy and upbeat now but...I am not a big fan of Outlaws of Love on the album. I LOVE it acoustic, and especially at St. Agathe, but the tenderness is gone for me on the album. It almost comes across as soothing to me when it should be raw. I am really disappointed since I thought this song was so powerful.

Album > Q-Snowcase > Ste Agathe for me.

OUTLAWS OF LOVE by Adam Lambert


Outlaws of Love: the sound

Many critics, reviewers and fans have rightfully predicted that this haunting ballad will become an anthem for the LGBT community. Hopefully, other communities/ people will realize its broad message and find comfort or inspiration in it as well. There hasn't been a single review which didn't praise Outlaws of Love; even the ones who sneered at the 'dark' side of Trespassing and generally disliked its confessional ballads were very positive towards it.

Please, those of you who still haven't found a place in your heart for this song, take a look at this beautiful vocal analysis of OOL, written by Angelina Kalahari, a lyric soprano opera singer. It will take your breath away. Here is a piece of it. I find these words very true and close to my heart:

I feel this song will change the way non-fans perceive Adam Lambert – not only the over-the-top, make-up wearing, campy, sexy singer with the great voice, they must now learn to appreciate, too, the serious artist, as his fans has known him to be, from the beginning.

And thirdly, this song is a departure from anything Adam has sung before, and shows how far he has come in his artistic development and song-writing skills. This song is truly a piece of art.

Here is the link: soundbath.wordpress.com/2011/09/15/adam-lambert%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Coutlaws-of-love%E2%80%9D/


Outlaws of Love: the words


The lyrics of the song are simple, clear in their message and universal in their meaning. Adam himself has referenced Romeo and Juliet, Thelma and Louise, Johnny and June... as outlaws of love and he was right: take any real or fictional couple who met obstacles on their love's journey and OOL could be their song.

But, there are a few lyrics which particularly strike me as the most powerful and pregnant with meaning:

Hey, tears all fall the same
we all feel the rain
we can’t change

Although the song can be universal from the viewpoint of love and emotions, this outcry for equality makes it even more timeless: the division of mankind is as present today as it has always been. Jew/ Christian, black/ white, gay/ straight, Northern/ Southern, poor/ rich... you name it... these divisions have started wars and taken lives. Some battles have been fought and won, but some have not... the one for which Adam is such a strong spokesman is still ongoing. The social relevance and importance of this battle is enormous and Adam fights it in the best way he can: with his music and lyrics and voice.

Back to the lyrics: this is not the first time Adam has drawn from literature for inspiration and reference. The outlined lyrics are just his way to portray this idea of equality, the fact that we're all the same.

This is how Shakespeare did it in 'The Merchant of Venice', where he conveyed the same idea through the mouth of Shylock, the Jew:

I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?

The same idea. The same concept. The strong urge that Adam feels as a gay man to say that he is no different from the straight people just because he loves another human being who happens to be a man. His sexuality is not the reason which should set him apart from other people: his intelligence, talent and kind heart are and do. It is very disturbing to know that this wonderful person feels like he is being discriminated against. ( Which he is).


The similarity to 'The Merchant of Venice' does not end there. There are not such references in OOL, but, as it is a song about LGBT community, I have to point out that the play also alludes to the corporeal conundrum that weaves through Shakespeare's “transvestite” comedies where boy actors playing women cross-dress as men in dazzling doubles acts that offer up a spectrum of flexible sex-gender identities, confounding the body's “truth.”

Also, 'The Merchant of Venice' is a homoerotic play, but the homoerotic implications are conveyed rather indirectly, with special attention placed on Antonio's character and his loving friendship with Bassanio.

I don't know if Adam had this famous Shylock's speech in mind when he wrote the lyrics of OOL, but I want to believe he did. And I want to tell him that he fights his battles elegantly, smartly and intelligently. There is no doubt in my heart or mind that Adam is playing a major role in this ongoing struggle for equality and that he will end up being a winner in the end.

AleksandraKv, who are you really? Such brilliant, thoughtful, insightful commentary. You give me goosebumps up and down my arms when I read your words.