“My favorite period is when we lived in the land of the three-minute song. The Motown thing - I thought they were genius in knowing that's as much as a listener can take.” SongThreeKnowingLandMinutesGeniusPeriodsMy FavoriteListenersMotown Author:Meshell Ndegeocello
“I've always loved doing covers. Some artists don't like covers. Some listeners don't like covers. But I love them. It gives you a new perspective production-wise. It's easier for me, if I'm starting a new record, I like to produce a few songs that aren't mine just so it frees me up not to worry about it so much.” IfsGivingArtistSongWorryRecordsWiseProduceMinesPerspectiveEasierStartingProductionsListenersNew Perspective Author:Greg Laswell
“I think in some ways, it can do a listener a disservice to explain a song. I think I'd rather leave a little room for people to put themselves in it.” PeopleThinkingWayLittlesSongCan DoRoomsListenersDisservice Author:St. Vincent
“When you're sequencing a record, you want the listener to stick with it from beginning to end, and in order to do that, you really have to map out the journey from the first song to the last.” WantFirstsEndsLastsSongOrderRecordsJourneySticksMapsListenersSequencing Author:Dave Grohl
“What always attracted me to [Bob] Dylan, and what has sustained me as a Dylan listener, or has always continued to surprise me, is his voice, the way he sings, the way he wraps his voice around certain words, the way he backs off from melodic moments, the way he moves forward to grab something in a song that, were anybody else performing it, they would have no idea it was even there.” WayIdeasMomentsMovingCertainSongVoiceSurpriseMoving ForwardNo IdeaPerformingBobListenersDylanWrapsSurprise Me Author:Greil Marcus
“I regard singing pretty much like acting. Each song is like playing a different role. I get very involved with my material. I feel a responsibility for the emotion it brings out in the listener.” FeelsDifferentSongActingEmotionResponsibilityRolesMaterialsInvolvedSingingRegardJazzListeners Author:Peggy Lee
“As a white male in America, I have privilege. As a white male who happens to be an artist with a fan base, I have a platform to spread awareness about that privilege. However, songs about race and privilege are very difficult to A) write and B) dissect as a listener. They're heavy.” WritingHappensAmericaArtistSongDifficultWhiteRaceFansAwarenessMalesPrivilegeHeavySpreadPlatformsListeners Author:Macklemore
“I am a composer first and foremost, and have always believed that being able to write memorable melodies is what sets musicians apart. My songs bring images to the listener's mind. The object is to transport my listeners to another place, some place sacred and spiritual that will make them glad they took the ride.” WritingMindFirstsAbleSpiritualSongObjectsMusicianSacredGladMemorableMelodyComposerListenersAlways BelieveTransport Author:Bradley Joseph
“Knowledge is still power -- but today you've got to make sure you know more about your listener than their favorite song.” KnowsStillsTodaySongListenersFavorite Song Author:Bob Walker
“Here's some free advice; like the folkies of yore, you need to be not just a writer of songs, you need to be a lover of songs, a listener of songs and a collector of songs. If you hear a song in a club that knocks you out or you hear an old recording of a great song you never knew existed, it does not diminish you to record it; it actually exalts you because you have brought a great song from obscurity to the ear of the public.” IfsNeedsWritingDoeSongRecordsAdviceLoversEarsClubsSongwritingListenersDiminishObscurityCollectorsFree Advice Author:Michael Kosser
“Most songs have bridges in them, to distract listeners from the main verses of a song so they don't get bored. My songs don't have a lot of bridges because lyric poetry never had them.” SongBridgesBoredVersesListenersLyric Poetry Author:Bob Dylan