“Love Race” by Machine Gun Kelly (ft. Kellin Quinn)

by Amanda London · Published April 30, 2021 · Updated April 30, 2021

These days it’s standard for singles to reference “God”, “the devil” or other types of popular religious symbolism. What these figures represent tends to be reflective of the track they are being featured on. And in this case we would argue, all lyrics considered, that they are mentioned primarily for shock effect.

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Machine Gun Kelly's Love Race at Lyrics.org.

That is to say that, even in this day and age, it’s not common to hear someone make a statement such as these two opposing entities “kissing in the bleachers”.

But again, in terms of what they actually symbolize, we would argue that within the context of this song God is symbolic of the woman, i.e. the addressee and the devil, of course, Machine Gun Kelly himself.

And what that aforementioned kissing sequence alludes is the two of them, the primary vocalist and addressee, being in a romantic relationship. And their contrasting personalities, with she being good and him being bad, is why in the second verse he is doubtful their relationship will last.

But doubts and all, he’s not going to give up. And fundamentally he is advising her to adopt a similar disposition.

“Love Race”

But apparently the relationship has its issues nonetheless. These are not expounded upon. But we get that impression from what the title entails.

What MGK means by “love race” is himself “run(ning) to get back to” the addressee. And judging by the pre-chorus, it seems that at the moment he may be in a position where, much to his dismay, she is shunning him.

So it’s like the lyrics of this song aren’t linear. The verses are set in past moments when the vocalist and addressee were together, and things for the most part were going good. But as for the choruses, sentimentally they are more in the present, post-breakup. And fundamentally, what the vocalist is expressing is a desire to get back with the addressee.

Facts about “Love Race”

This is a song which MGK surprisingly dropped on 29 April 2021, as in he teased its arrival only a day prior.

This track was co-written and co-produced by Travis Barker. He and MGK possess an extensive collaboration history, despite having only been working together for about a year now.

And officially it would seem their team-up history begin with the 2020 single “I Think I’m Okay” featuring Yungblud, which was in fact a hit.

There are quite a few other co-writers of this song. In addition to Barker, Machine Gun Kelly and Kellin Quinn we also have the following:

Matthew Thiessen
Geoff Warburton
Jeff Peters
Jared Gutstadt

And it was also Gutstadt, whose primary profession is actually listed as being an entrepreneur (from Canada), who also co-produced the song with Barker.

MGK and Travis Barker

MGK is an artist who started off more as a rapper but in more recent times has been transitioning into rock music. Either way he’s been successful throughout. For instance, his last album, “Tickets to My Downfall” (2020), is classified as being under the punk-pop genre. But it has been his most-successful to date, topping the Billboard 200 and reaching number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.

Meanwhile his first full-length, 2012’s “Lace Up”, is actually a hip-hop album. With that project itself making it into the top 5 of the Billboard 200, it still helped establish MGK as a musician. Perhaps we even can say it paved the way for him to eventually become the punk rocker.

And back then, as with now, the label he’s been operating under is Bad Boy Records, which itself started off as an inner-city hip-hop/R&B company.

Meanwhile Travis Barker is from a popular rock band known as Blink-182. And we can say that yes, he has helped his fair share of rappers embrace the rock end of the musical spectrum.

In fact amongst the hip-hop artists he has collaborated with throughout the years we have Ty Dolla $ign, Hopsin, Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross and many others.

Furthermore, Barker, outside of his participation with Blink-182, is someone whom we would describe as a prolific collaborator, as he seems to be all over the place these days.

And non-hip-hop artists he has also worked with include Robin Thicke, James Arthur and Steve Aoki.

Who is Kellin Quinn?

Meanwhile Kellin Quinn may not be as much of a household name. But his band, Orlando-based Sleeping with Sirens, still managed to drop six studio albums during the 2010s alone. And their 2013 joint, “Feel”, made it as high as number 3 on the Billboard 200.