“Love Don’t Need A Reason” is a song written by Michael Callen, Peter Allen and Marsha Malamet.
It was first performed by Peter at AIDS Walk New York in 1987; Mike sang it at virtually every such event in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco until his death in December, 1993. He also performed the tune at dozens of other mass gatherings, including the 1993 March on Washington and several Names Project Quilt events, as well as on various network-television shows. Michael, Peter and Marsha all recorded the tune.
It’s on Mike’s debut album, Purple Heart; Peter’s version is on Making Every Moment Count, and Marsha’s version appears on the compilation A Love Worth Fighting For.
Listen to a chorus
View the lyrics
“Love Don’t Need A Reason” has also been recorded by a number of other artists:
- Barbara Cook, Live From London
- Tom Postilio, What Matters Most
- Christine Andreas, Love Is Good
- Holly Near, Edge
- The Boy From Oz, Original (Broadway) Cast Recording featuring Hugh Jackman
- The Boy From Oz, Australian Cast Recording
- Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, Singing Free
- London Gay Men’s Chorus, From The Ritz To The Anchor & Crown
- Minnesota Gay Men’s Chorus, Sing Out!
- New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, Love Lives On
- Seattle Men’s Chorus, The Pink Album
- Turtle Creek Chorale, Family
- Loretta Holloway, Quietly
- Lynn Manuell, Return To Love
- Brenda Cochrane, Native New Yorker
- Robert Leuze, Songs Of Our Lives
- Bill McKinley, Everything Possible
- Donald Cant, Passionate
- David Harris, Till the Night is Gone
- Marieann Meringolo, Imagine…If We Only Have Love
- Kevin Spirtas, Night and Days
- Norman Lasiter, Trust the Wind
- Scott Robertson, Just One More Song
- Jerry Scott, By Special Request
- Jon Arterton and James Mack, Legally Married…and the Sky Didn’t Fall