Music Quotes | Beyond Motive 54/61

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Music Quotes

"Whether you listen to a piece of music, or a poem, or look at a picture or a jug, or a piece of sculpture, what matters about it is not what it has in common with others of its kind, but what is singularly its own."

"Whether you listen to a piece of music, or a poem, or look at a picture or a jug, or a piece of sculpture, what matters about it is not what it has in common with others of its kind, but what is singularly its own."

Basil Bunting, British Poet

Music, Sculpture

27

"It isn't reasonable to expect that everyone in the world is a country music fan. Not yet, anyway."

"It isn't reasonable to expect that everyone in the world is a country music fan. Not yet, anyway."

Charley Pride, American Athlete

Music, Country, Countrymusic, World

27

"People dance and we have a lot of music and... this might be the closet I get for a while."

"People dance and we have a lot of music and... this might be the closet I get for a while."

Cameron Crowe, American Director

Music, People, Dance

26

"The Austin music scene is the reason why so many of them moved here."

"The Austin music scene is the reason why so many of them moved here."

Bob Livingston, American Politician

26

"If it helped you get your music off the ground, I'm glad you done it."

"If it helped you get your music off the ground, I'm glad you done it."

Carl Perkins, American Musician

26

"What is nice about country music today is that most artists are not trying to do something everybody else is doing. They really are trying to develop their own uniqueness."

"What is nice about country music today is that most artists are not trying to do something everybody else is doing. They really are trying to develop their own uniqueness."

Bryan White, American Musician

Music, Artists, Country, Country music

26

"The music industry is saying, This is the format, and if you'll fit into this format, you can be on radio, and if radio will play you, MTV will expose you, and MTV will expose you, we'll sell records."

"The music industry is saying, This is the format, and if you'll fit into this format, you can be on radio, and if radio will play you, MTV will expose you, and MTV will expose you, we'll sell records."

Nikki Sixx, American Musician

Music, Play, Saying, Will

26

"I think there is great interest amongst the younger people in this music. I think that there is a lot of them that are looking for interesting situations and music that is stimulating."

"I think there is great interest amongst the younger people in this music. I think that there is a lot of them that are looking for interesting situations and music that is stimulating."

Dave Holland, American Musician

Music, People, Interest

26

"Apparently, there's this whole set of disgruntled people but obviously it's not my intention to offend anyone by changing the style of music that I've done."

"Apparently, there's this whole set of disgruntled people but obviously it's not my intention to offend anyone by changing the style of music that I've done."

Jonny Lang, American Musician

Music, People, Intention, Style

26

"I think that what is important is that the music be honest and direct and that it is relevant to today. I think music needs to be of its time and speak to that time."

"I think that what is important is that the music be honest and direct and that it is relevant to today. I think music needs to be of its time and speak to that time."

Dave Holland, American Musician

Music, Time, Needs, Today

26

"Musicians own music because music owns them."

"Musicians own music because music owns them."

Virgil Thomson, American Composer

Music, Musicians

26

"There were bars that began to have acoustic musicians play, it was 1970: Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, America, The Eagles, all that kind of stuff was popular. It was very easy for me to just kind of move in and be noticed."

"There were bars that began to have acoustic musicians play, it was 1970: Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, America, The Eagles, all that kind of stuff was popular. It was very easy for me to just kind of move in and be noticed."

Shawn Colvin, American Artist

Music, America, Eagles, Musicians, Play

26

"I've always said it took me 20 years to find out how to write a song in 20 minutes."

"I've always said it took me 20 years to find out how to write a song in 20 minutes."

Bart Howard, American Composer

Music, Song, Years

26

"Music is a form of prayer."

"Music is a form of prayer."

Toru Takemitsu, Japanese Composer

26

"The whole rise of new adult contemporary music and smooth jazz was a nice surprise."

"The whole rise of new adult contemporary music and smooth jazz was a nice surprise."

Kenny G, American Musician

26

"For music, unlike a $500 software program, people are paying a buck or two a song, and it's those dollars and pennies that have to add up to pay for not just the cost of that song, but the investment in the next song."

"For music, unlike a $500 software program, people are paying a buck or two a song, and it's those dollars and pennies that have to add up to pay for not just the cost of that song, but the investment in the next song."

Hilary Rosen, American Businessman

Music, People, Investment, Software

26

"Burn down the discoHang the blessed D.J.Because the music that they constantly playIt says nothing to me about my life"

"Burn down the discoHang the blessed D.J.Because the music that they constantly playIt says nothing to me about my life"

Morrissey, British Singer

Music, Rebellion, Expression, Freedom

26

"It is never easy for anyone to have success in music."

"It is never easy for anyone to have success in music."

Billy Sheehan, American Musician

26

"My music is all about an idealistic human personality. I have 19th-century ideals."

"My music is all about an idealistic human personality. I have 19th-century ideals."

Gordon Getty, American Businessman

Music, Ideals, Personality

26

"Either your understanding of the meaning of music is there from the beginning or it is not."

"Either your understanding of the meaning of music is there from the beginning or it is not."

Gordon Getty, American Businessman

Music, Beginning, Meaning, Understanding

26

"I think if I were over there in America, protest music would be more important. But I'm not going."

"I think if I were over there in America, protest music would be more important. But I'm not going."

Nina Simone, American Musician

Music, America, Protest

26

"I don't think there's ever been any music quite like what we came up with."

"I don't think there's ever been any music quite like what we came up with."

Bonnie Raitt, American Musician

26

"When I was on the ice, in the lights, with the music and the motion, there was a certain kind of flirtation that gave great energy and expressiveness to my performance."

"When I was on the ice, in the lights, with the music and the motion, there was a certain kind of flirtation that gave great energy and expressiveness to my performance."

Peggy Fleming, American Athlete

Music, Performance, Energy, Flirtation

26

"A protracted legislative fight will not move us closer to where the music industry wants to be - delivering music to fans through a variety of different, innovative Web sites."

"A protracted legislative fight will not move us closer to where the music industry wants to be - delivering music to fans through a variety of different, innovative Web sites."

Hilary Rosen, American Businessman

Music, Fans, Fight, Variety

26

"The British may not know much about music, but they certainly loves the noise it makes."

"The British may not know much about music, but they certainly loves the noise it makes."

Richard Baker, American Politician

26

"I didn't say much; my head was still ringing with the music, and I didn't want it to fade. I kept thinking back to it, the way that Will's friend had been so lost in what he was playing. I hadn't realized that music could unlock things in you, could transport you to somewhere even the composer hadn't predicted. It left an imprint in the air around you, as if you carried its remnants with you when you went."

"I didn't say much; my head was still ringing with the music, and I didn't want it to fade. I kept thinking back to it, the way that Will's friend had been so lost in what he was playing. I hadn't realized that music could unlock things in you, could transport you to somewhere even the composer hadn't predicted. It left an imprint in the air around you, as if you carried its remnants with you when you went."

Jojo Moyes, British Novelist

Music, Emotion, Inspirational, Creativity

26

"I don't wanta do any Blues or any sad songs."

"I don't wanta do any Blues or any sad songs."

Bob Livingston, American Politician

26

"Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist."

"Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist."

Gilbert K. Chesterton, English Writer

26

"Punk is not really a style of music. It was more like a state of mind."

"Punk is not really a style of music. It was more like a state of mind."

Mike Watt, American Musician

Music, Mind, Punk, State

26

"Treating your audience like thieves is absurd. Anyone who chooses to listen to our music becomes a collaborator."

"Treating your audience like thieves is absurd. Anyone who chooses to listen to our music becomes a collaborator."

Jeff Tweedy, American Musician

26

"Music at times is more like perfume than mathematics."

"Music at times is more like perfume than mathematics."

Gabriel Marcel, French Philosopher

Music, Mathematics

26

"If you met my dad, I think a lot of things would be put to rest. Because my pops is a pretty silly guy. But, Coldcut, they're based in the U.K. I'm a big fan of jazz music, so American music has had a big influence on what I listen to."

"If you met my dad, I think a lot of things would be put to rest. Because my pops is a pretty silly guy. But, Coldcut, they're based in the U.K. I'm a big fan of jazz music, so American music has had a big influence on what I listen to."

Eric San, Canadian Musician

Music, Dad, American, Influence

26

"Music has always gotten me through life, particularly honest, real music."

"Music has always gotten me through life, particularly honest, real music."

Lisa Marie Presley, American Musician

25

"If you look deep enough you will see music; the heart of nature being everywhere music."

"If you look deep enough you will see music; the heart of nature being everywhere music."

Thomas Carlyle, Scottish Philosopher

Music, Nature, Heart, Being

25

"Music, when soft voices die Vibrates in the memory."

"Music, when soft voices die Vibrates in the memory."

Percy Bysshe Shelley, English Poet

25

"Now the big question is if you are going to go to all the trouble of setting an opera and making all that music and so on, there's got to be some aspect that you can do in an opera that really makes it worth while."

"Now the big question is if you are going to go to all the trouble of setting an opera and making all that music and so on, there's got to be some aspect that you can do in an opera that really makes it worth while."

William Bolcom, American Composer

Music, Now, Opera, Question

25

"Both parents were very encouraging - especially my father. My father thought the sun rose and set with me. Neither one had a musical background or any musical talent. They liked classical music, but neither could carry a tune."

"Both parents were very encouraging - especially my father. My father thought the sun rose and set with me. Neither one had a musical background or any musical talent. They liked classical music, but neither could carry a tune."

Gordon Getty, American Businessman

Music, Father, Talent, Thought

25

"I used the music kind of as therapy, and it's just amazing that I feel so free after doing that. I feel like I had it trapped inside of me and now I feel free. So it's been a very good therapy session for me as well."

"I used the music kind of as therapy, and it's just amazing that I feel so free after doing that. I feel like I had it trapped inside of me and now I feel free. So it's been a very good therapy session for me as well."

Vanilla Ice, American Musician

Music, Now, Therapy

25

"A composer knows that music is written by human beings for human beings and that music is a continuation of life, not something separated from it."

"A composer knows that music is written by human beings for human beings and that music is a continuation of life, not something separated from it."

Hanns Eisler, German Composer

25

"I played, like, a year of piano until I learned the Pink Panther theme. That was my goal. Once I was good enough, I quit. Now my music has to have some rock."

"I played, like, a year of piano until I learned the Pink Panther theme. That was my goal. Once I was good enough, I quit. Now my music has to have some rock."

Jack Black, American Actor

Music, Goal, Now

25

"I am not facing the problem of emigration. I want my music to be acknowledged here first of all, in this country: after that, we shall see - perhaps the question will than become urgent."

"I am not facing the problem of emigration. I want my music to be acknowledged here first of all, in this country: after that, we shall see - perhaps the question will than become urgent."

Alfred Schnittke, Russian Composer

Music, First, Question, Want

25

"Basically we just created our own label, but again we just did it to document our own music and create our own thing, so the major labels were just always out of our picture, we're not interested."

"Basically we just created our own label, but again we just did it to document our own music and create our own thing, so the major labels were just always out of our picture, we're not interested."

Ian MacKaye, American Musician

25

"I do not think that music keeps evolving. It evolved through Bach; since then, in my humble opinion, all the innovations added nothing."

"I do not think that music keeps evolving. It evolved through Bach; since then, in my humble opinion, all the innovations added nothing."

Gordon Getty, American Businessman

Music, Nothing, Opinion

25

"I think the world is ready for some rock 'n' roll. Some real time guys that play their own instruments, write their own songs, and sing the music and have a good time doing it."

"I think the world is ready for some rock 'n' roll. Some real time guys that play their own instruments, write their own songs, and sing the music and have a good time doing it."

Vince Neil, American Musician

Music, Time, Play, Songs

25

"The music stuff has been very difficult. It's got to be right, and even then, it better be on key."

"The music stuff has been very difficult. It's got to be right, and even then, it better be on key."

Michael Winslow, American Actor

Music, Key, Right

25

"What I am looking for... is an immobile movement, something which would be the equivalent of what is called the eloquence of silence, or what St. John of the Cross, I think it was, described with the term 'mute music'."

"What I am looking for... is an immobile movement, something which would be the equivalent of what is called the eloquence of silence, or what St. John of the Cross, I think it was, described with the term 'mute music'."

Joan Miro, Spanish Artist

Music, Eloquence, Silence

25

"For that reason you can't write with music playing, and anyone who says he can is either writing badly, or not listening to the music, or lying. You need to hear what you're writing, and for that you need silence."

"For that reason you can't write with music playing, and anyone who says he can is either writing badly, or not listening to the music, or lying. You need to hear what you're writing, and for that you need silence."

Philip Pullman, British Writer

Music, Listening, Lying, Reason

25

"We all have such common ways to identify with each other, and I think when you approach music in that organic way, it's almost indescribable how it connects human to human and heart to heart."

"We all have such common ways to identify with each other, and I think when you approach music in that organic way, it's almost indescribable how it connects human to human and heart to heart."

Debby Boone, American Actress

25

"Women's music is underrepresented."

"Women's music is underrepresented."

Beth Anderson, American Composer

25

"Music is more powerful than reason in the soul. That is also why Plato made music the very first step in his long educational curriculum: good music was to create the harmony of soul that would be a ripe field for the higher harmony of reason to take root in later. And that is also why he said that the decay of the ideal state would begin with a decay in music. In fact, one of your obscure modern scholars has shown that social and political revolutions have usually been preceded by musical revolutions, and why another sage said, 'Let me write the songs of a nation and I care not who writes its laws."

"Music is more powerful than reason in the soul. That is also why Plato made music the very first step in his long educational curriculum: good music was to create the harmony of soul that would be a ripe field for the higher harmony of reason to take root in later. And that is also why he said that the decay of the ideal state would begin with a decay in music. In fact, one of your obscure modern scholars has shown that social and political revolutions have usually been preceded by musical revolutions, and why another sage said, 'Let me write the songs of a nation and I care not who writes its laws."

Peter Kreeft, American Philosopher

Music, Power, Soul, Reason

25

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