Quotes by Musician | Beyond Motive

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Quotes by Musician

"The world rolls round forever like a mill; it grinds out death and life and good and ill; it has no purpose, heart or mind or will."

"The world rolls round forever like a mill; it grinds out death and life and good and ill; it has no purpose, heart or mind or will."

James Thomson, Scottish Musician

Death, Life, Heart, Purpose

177

"My dad spent his whole life getting into fights for telling what he believed to be the truth. Basically it comes from my dad-and he's screaming right-wing, so there you are."

"My dad spent his whole life getting into fights for telling what he believed to be the truth. Basically it comes from my dad-and he's screaming right-wing, so there you are."

Thom Yorke, English Musician

Father, Dad, Life, Truth, Right

162

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present."

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present."

Babatunde Olatunji, Nigerian Musician

History, Mystery, Present, Today

124

"I'm a black American, I am proud of my race. I am proud of who I am. I have a lot of pride and dignity."

"I'm a black American, I am proud of my race. I am proud of who I am. I have a lot of pride and dignity."

Michael Jackson, American Musician

American, Dignity, Pride, Race

117

"When people start dancing, they dance like they don't know they are doing it."

"When people start dancing, they dance like they don't know they are doing it."

Nusrat F. A. Khan, Pakistani Musician

People, Dance, Dancing

111

"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got."

"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got."

Janis Joplin, American Musician

105

"The biggest problem in South Africa is that we have a disrupted timeline. Historically, politically, spiritually, economically, in people's minds, in people's heads."

"The biggest problem in South Africa is that we have a disrupted timeline. Historically, politically, spiritually, economically, in people's minds, in people's heads."

Abdullah Ibrahim, South African Musician

98

"For this album I was determined to do it my way. Take my time. I'm gonna win, lose or draw on my own."

"For this album I was determined to do it my way. Take my time. I'm gonna win, lose or draw on my own."

Pras Michel, Haitian Musician

98

"I do believe that most men live lives of quiet desperation. For despair, optimism is the only practical solution. Hope is practical. Because eliminate that and it's pretty scary. Hope at least gives you the option of living."

"I do believe that most men live lives of quiet desperation. For despair, optimism is the only practical solution. Hope is practical. Because eliminate that and it's pretty scary. Hope at least gives you the option of living."

Harry Nilsson, American Musician

Men, Hope, Optimism, Despair

93

"I mean the flesh, never fade! The flesh never leave the creation, see, because with that divine spirit the flesh cannot fade. If the spirit is weak then the flesh fade, seen?"

"I mean the flesh, never fade! The flesh never leave the creation, see, because with that divine spirit the flesh cannot fade. If the spirit is weak then the flesh fade, seen?"

Peter Tosh, Jamaican Musician

Creation, Spirit

92

"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time."

"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time."

James Taylor, American Musician

92

"The good times of today, are the sad thoughts of tomorrow."

"The good times of today, are the sad thoughts of tomorrow."

Bob Marley, Jamaican Musician

Thought, Thoughts, Today, Tomorrow

89

"Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny."

"Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny."

Bob Marley, Jamaican Musician

Destiny, Man, Right

88

"Art is why I get up in the morning but my definition ends there. You know I don't think its fair that I'm living for something I can't even define."

"Art is why I get up in the morning but my definition ends there. You know I don't think its fair that I'm living for something I can't even define."

Ani DiFranco, American Musician

86

"I am a raging alcoholic and a raging addict and I didn't want to see my kids do the same thing."

"I am a raging alcoholic and a raging addict and I didn't want to see my kids do the same thing."

Ozzy Osbourne, English Musician

83

"I always imagine later on these songs I could've played with a band, but it never worked out that way."

"I always imagine later on these songs I could've played with a band, but it never worked out that way."

Nuno Bettencourt, Portuguese Musician

83

"My lyrics come from my experiences growing up in life, trying to find out and express who I am. That's basically it. I'm not trying to be a prophet or anything like that. I'm just reflecting on life."

"My lyrics come from my experiences growing up in life, trying to find out and express who I am. That's basically it. I'm not trying to be a prophet or anything like that. I'm just reflecting on life."

Sean Paul, Jamaican Musician

Life, Growing up, Trying

82

"My favorite moment of the whole thing was when John Belushi suggested that I get a hold of all the blues records I could so I could research the music."

"My favorite moment of the whole thing was when John Belushi suggested that I get a hold of all the blues records I could so I could research the music."

Steve Cropper, American Musician

Music, Favorite, Research

81

"Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don't give up the fight."

"Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don't give up the fight."

Bob Marley, Jamaican Musician

80

"Applause should be an emotional response to the music, rather than a regulated social duty."

"Applause should be an emotional response to the music, rather than a regulated social duty."

Emanuel Ax, Ukrainian Musician

Music, Applause, Duty

79

"I've chosen my wedding ring large and heavy to continue forever. But exactly because of that all the time that Dave and I have an argument I feel it like handcuffs, and on anger time I throw it in a basket. Poor Dave, he bought me three wedding rings already!"

"I've chosen my wedding ring large and heavy to continue forever. But exactly because of that all the time that Dave and I have an argument I feel it like handcuffs, and on anger time I throw it in a basket. Poor Dave, he bought me three wedding rings already!"

Carmen Miranda, Portuguese Musician

Anger, Time, Wedding, Argument

78

"A really strong woman accepts the war she went through and is ennobled by her scars."

"A really strong woman accepts the war she went through and is ennobled by her scars."

Carly Simon, American Musician

78

"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."

"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind."

Lionel Hampton, American Musician

Gratitude, Heart, Memory, Mind

76

"Musicians don't retire; they stop when there's no more music in them."

"Musicians don't retire; they stop when there's no more music in them."

Louis Armstrong, American Musician

Music, Musicians

76

"People in the record business would say, Well, Pras, you know, you haven't been out in a while, maybe you should get today's hottest producer or rapper to do something."

"People in the record business would say, Well, Pras, you know, you haven't been out in a while, maybe you should get today's hottest producer or rapper to do something."

Pras Michel, Haitian Musician

Business, People, Today

76

"Dancehall is just like hip-hop in that it doesn't always talk about bling; it talks about conscious issues."

"Dancehall is just like hip-hop in that it doesn't always talk about bling; it talks about conscious issues."

Sean Paul, Jamaican Musician

75

"I don't really think in terms of obstacles. My biggest obstacle is always myself."

"I don't really think in terms of obstacles. My biggest obstacle is always myself."

Steve Earle, American Musician

75

"It doesn't bother me to talk about my private life, it doesn't bother me to talk about anything. My life is like a glass of water, transparent."

"It doesn't bother me to talk about my private life, it doesn't bother me to talk about anything. My life is like a glass of water, transparent."

Shakira, Colombian Musician

Life, Talk, Water

74

"I am not reggae, I am me. I am bigger than the limits that are put on me. It all has to do with the individual journey."

"I am not reggae, I am me. I am bigger than the limits that are put on me. It all has to do with the individual journey."

Ziggy Marley, Jamaican Musician

Journey, Limits

74

"The duty of youth is to challenge corruption."

"The duty of youth is to challenge corruption."

Kurt Cobain, American Musician

Challenge, Corruption, Duty, Youth

74

"I think it's wrong the way they criminalize herb. There are many more uses than just smoking. Beneficial to mankind."

"I think it's wrong the way they criminalize herb. There are many more uses than just smoking. Beneficial to mankind."

Ziggy Marley, Jamaican Musician

Mankind, Smoking, Wrong

73

"On the fortieth day after his death, we held the ceremony, and I performed for the very first time."

"On the fortieth day after his death, we held the ceremony, and I performed for the very first time."

Nusrat F. A. Khan, Pakistani Musician

Time, Death, Ceremony, Day

72

"One thing that really appeals to me is this idea of music being a living thing that has an evolution that, in a way, enables the artist to sell a process rather than a piece of product."

"One thing that really appeals to me is this idea of music being a living thing that has an evolution that, in a way, enables the artist to sell a process rather than a piece of product."

Peter Gabriel, English Musician

Music, Idea, Artist, Being

72

"America is still mostly xenophobic and racist. That's the nature of America, I think."

"America is still mostly xenophobic and racist. That's the nature of America, I think."

Jerry Garcia, American Musician

Nature, America

72

"Every band had their own distinctive sound, but it was pretty much dancing music and rhythmic music with a tremendous emphasis on copying the Cuban models."

"Every band had their own distinctive sound, but it was pretty much dancing music and rhythmic music with a tremendous emphasis on copying the Cuban models."

Ruben Blades, Panamanian Musician

Music, Dancing, Pretty, Sound

72

"I have a daughter, she's twenty years old."

"I have a daughter, she's twenty years old."

Nusrat F. A. Khan, Pakistani Musician

Daughter, Old, Years

71

"It's easy. You draw a red line on the ground, right? Then you wait for a chicken to come along. When he arrives, he puts his beak right on the line and he's hypnotized!"

"It's easy. You draw a red line on the ground, right? Then you wait for a chicken to come along. When he arrives, he puts his beak right on the line and he's hypnotized!"

Joey Santiago, Filipino Musician

71

"The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice."

"The guitar is a small orchestra. It is polyphonic. Every string is a different color, a different voice."

Andres Segovia, Spanish Musician

71

"The most important thing is that it's much more fun to play in a band than to be in an audience in a club. That's the main thing I think, that you can do it."

"The most important thing is that it's much more fun to play in a band than to be in an audience in a club. That's the main thing I think, that you can do it."

Ikue Mori, Japanese Musician

70

"In his day, the audience was well aware of the music, of the classical beat."

"In his day, the audience was well aware of the music, of the classical beat."

Nusrat F. A. Khan, Pakistani Musician

70

"It is very much the theme of our President, President Thabo Mbeki, whose passion is for Africa to work together, and for Africans to get up and do things for us. We are trying as women to do things for ourselves."

"It is very much the theme of our President, President Thabo Mbeki, whose passion is for Africa to work together, and for Africans to get up and do things for us. We are trying as women to do things for ourselves."

Miriam Makeba, South African Musician

Woman, Women, Work, Passion, President

69

"Imitation is the highest form of flattery, but clones kind of get it wrong because we are promoting individuality and being proud of being yourself."

"Imitation is the highest form of flattery, but clones kind of get it wrong because we are promoting individuality and being proud of being yourself."

Brian Molko, Belgian Musician

Being, Flattery, Imitation, Individuality

69

"Having a baby is one of the most wonderful things in your life, as well as the hardest thing in your life."

"Having a baby is one of the most wonderful things in your life, as well as the hardest thing in your life."

Nuno Bettencourt, Portuguese Musician

69

"My father was a carpenter, a very good carpenter. He also worked for the Jones boys. They were not family members, we weren't related at all. They started the policy racket in Chicago, and they had the five and dime store."

"My father was a carpenter, a very good carpenter. He also worked for the Jones boys. They were not family members, we weren't related at all. They started the policy racket in Chicago, and they had the five and dime store."

Quincy Jones, American Musician

Family, Father, Policy, Boys

69

"It's not always been a happy marriage. I guess I wanted a quick fix."

"It's not always been a happy marriage. I guess I wanted a quick fix."

David Byrne, Scottish Musician

Marriage, Quick

68

"My intention when I came into this industry was to be a musician, not necessarily a recording artist, just a musician in general. And that's the reason I went to college and got my degree, which has been great for me. It's helped me a lot with my career."

"My intention when I came into this industry was to be a musician, not necessarily a recording artist, just a musician in general. And that's the reason I went to college and got my degree, which has been great for me. It's helped me a lot with my career."

Jon Secada, Cuban Musician

Artist, Career, College, Intention

68

"It is wonderful to see how happy all my friends in the LA Philharmonic are in their new home."

"It is wonderful to see how happy all my friends in the LA Philharmonic are in their new home."

Emanuel Ax, Ukrainian Musician

67

"I don't like the American media - particularly Fox."

"I don't like the American media - particularly Fox."

Neil Young, Canadian Musician

American, Media

67

"It's been crazy trying to tour with a baby. But it's actually working out okay."

"It's been crazy trying to tour with a baby. But it's actually working out okay."

Caroline Corr, Irish Musician

67

"I mean, if you turn on the radio, love is 90 percent of the music."

"I mean, if you turn on the radio, love is 90 percent of the music."

Enrique Iglesias, Spanish Musician

65

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