Home / Quotes / Quote by Paul Simon

Quote by Paul Simon

“It's very helpful to start with something that's true. If you start with something that's false, you're always covering your tracks. Something simple and true, that has a lot of possibilities, is a nice way to begin.”

Quote by Paul Simon

Author

Paul Simon, born on October 13, 1941, is a renowned American musician and songwriter. His musical career began in the 1960s with the art rock band Simon & Garfunkel, during which he wrote many classic songs, such as 'Sound of Silence' and 'The Sound of Silence'. Simon's musical style blends folk, rock, and world music elements, and his works have had a profound impact in the music industry. more

You May Also Like

“Everybody wants to write a hit song, but in Nashville people want to write the best song, which was my original intention as a singer/songwriter.”

People Want Writing Song Originals Intention Singers Songwriting Songwriters Singer Songwriters Nashville

Author:Melissa Manchester

“Doing 20 minutes of stretching, light weights and floor exercises three times a week takes the same amount of time as a long coffee break - and eating a tuna fish salad, sardines on toast or scrambled eggs is surely preferable to a Big Mac or KFC.”

Long Bigs Light Three Break Week Minutes Amount Exercise Eating Weight Fishes Coffee Eggs Three Times Salad Stretching Toasts Macs Tuna Scrambled Eggs Sardines Big Mac Kfc Coffee Break Tuna Fish

Author:Joan Collins

“What I took back, because of my exposure to the Jewish music of the 30s and the 40s in my upbringing with my father, was that kind of theatrical songwriting. It was always a part of my character. This desire to make people laugh...Songwriting is best. It's the hardest-finest-tightest. It also requires the most discipline.”

People Kind Character Desire Father Laughing Discipline Hardest Songwriting Finest Exposure Upbringing Making People Laugh Theatrical

Author:Pete Townshend

“I don't have the same restrictions that other people do because I never painted myself into a corner. I've always done things that didn't necessarily fit the form. I've never felt limited in that respect in terms of songwriting.”

People Done Form Felt Term Fit Corners Songwriting Restriction

Author:Todd Rundgren

“I can't draw. But I can draw with sound. That's the most useful thing I learned in terms of what my craft is... The arrangements were mine. They were little lines and stuff that I had written myself... And I was locked into this idea that vocals didn't count, melodies didn't count, songwriting craftsmanship didn't count. The only thing that counted was high arching guitar solos...”

Littles I Can Ideas Stuff Sound Term Lines Written Mines Draws Guitar Crafts Melody Songwriting Locked Arrangements Solo Vocal Craftsmanship Useful Things Guitar Solos

Author:Linda Ronstadt

“For years I walked around with the phrase "Green River" because I had seen that on a soda fountain drink when I was probably 8 or 9 years old, and I went, 'Gee, I like that.' Another one was "Lodi", which I thought sounded really cool. I got this cheap little empty plastic notebook at my local drugstore, and bought a little slab of filler paper and the very first title I wrote in it was "Proud Mary". I had no idea what that title meant.”

Years Firsts Littles Ideas Proud Drink Paper Rivers Empty Green Locals No Idea Titles Phrases Songwriting Plastic Mary Fountain Notebook Really Cool Soda Slabs Fillers

Author:John Fogerty

“You don't think it was because a white man wrote it, a black man wrote it, a green man wrote it. What-doesn't make a difference!”

Thinking Men Black Differences White Green Making A Difference Songwriting White Man

Author:Cab Calloway

“I'm a songwriter first...In my career I have never felt that my being a woman was an obstacle or an advantage. I guess I've been oblivious...Sensitive, humbug. Everybody thinks I'm sensitive...There is a downside to having one of the biggest-selling albums ever.”

Thinking Firsts Felt Careers Advantage Albums Obstacles Selling Sensitive Songwriting Songwriters Being A Woman Oblivious Humbug

Author:Carole King

“All the songs that were written for that album are just all our first sophomore songs. So they're all from real life. Very sweet and very innocent.”

Firsts Real Song Written Sweet Albums Real Life Innocent Songwriting Sophomore Very Sweet

Author:Ann Wilson

“I just tried to come up with some honest songs. What I was writing about was real plain stuff that I wasn't sure was going to be interesting to other people. But I guess it was...I've never had any discipline whatsoever. I just wait on a song like I was waiting for lightning to strike. And eventually-usually sometime around 3 in the morning-I'll have a good idea. By the time the sun comes up, hopefully, I'll have a decent song.”

People Writing Ideas Real Song Stuff Waiting Interesting Morning Sun Honest Discipline Come Up Strikes Hopefully Decent Songwriting Good Ideas Lightning Songwriters Writing Songs

Author:John Prine