--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I start writing songs and it turns…" description: "\"When I start writing songs and it turns into an overly belabored intellectual process, I just throw it out.\" — Alanis Morissette" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/alanis-morissette-1074_intellectual_when-i-start-writing-songs-and-it-turns_3167617.jpg" --- # When I start writing songs and it turns into an overly… ![“When I start writing songs and it turns into an overly belabored intellectual process, I just throw it out.” quote by Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/alanis-morissette-1074_intellectual_when-i-start-writing-songs-and-it-turns_3167617.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/alanis-morissette-1074_intellectual_when-i-start-writing-songs-and-it-turns_3167617.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5d/alanis-morissette-1074_intellectual_when-i-start-writing-songs-and-it-turns_3167617.jpg) > “When I start writing songs and it turns into an overly belabored intellectual process, I just throw it out.” [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overthinking music leads to loss of authenticity; discard over‑polished work. **In simple terms:** Don't over‑think; keep it raw. Key Takeaway Trust intuition, discard excess. Themes creativity authenticity process Mood reflective determined Type advice creative When to use this quote - songwriting sessions - creative blocks - studio recordings Key Concepts artistic integrity overanalysis Questions to Reflect On - Do you value rawness over perfection? - How can you balance polish and spontaneity? A Different Perspective May discard valuable ideas if too hasty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Intellectual Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual-process-1656549/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Start Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-writing/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Turns Overly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns-overly-5753015/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-songs/) ## Related quotes > […the designer must be able to see - make a concentrated effort to absorb the essence of the project. Seeing is a very difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-hadley/the-designer-must-be-able-to-see-make-a-concentrated-effort-to-absorb/) [Albert Hadley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-hadley/) > [A mind truly cultivated never feels that the intellectual process is complete until it can reproduce in some media the thing which it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-tarbell/a-mind-truly-cultivated-never-feels-that-the-intellectual-process-is/) [Ida Tarbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-tarbell/) > [The intellectual process must be stirred. A feeling for knowledge for its own sake must be engendered. Learning will then be an exciting adventure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-sumner-miller/the-intellectual-process-must-be-stirred-a-feeling-for-knowledge-for/) [Julius Sumner Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-sumner-miller/) > [I don't go through a torturous intellectual process to decide what to direct. I know what I want to direct the second I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-don-t-go-through-a-torturous-intellectual-process-to-decide-what-to/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [From the business point of view—not to overstate it—intellectual property is dead; long live intellectual process. Long live service; long live performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-dyson/from-the-business-point-of-view-not-to-overstate-it-intellectual/) [Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) > [Acting is not an intellectual process for me. It comes from my heart. It's this strange netherworld of osmosis where I simply become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/acting-is-not-an-intellectual-process-for-me-it-comes-from-my-heart/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) > [“Even the simple act which we describe as 'seeing someone we know' is, to some extent, an intellectual process. We pack the physical outline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/even-the-simple-act-which-we-describe-as-seeing-someone-we-know-is-to/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [For me photography is not an intellectual process. It is a visual one… Whether we like it or not, we are involved in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-riboud/for-me-photography-is-not-an-intellectual-process-it-is-a-visual-one/) [Marc Riboud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-riboud/) > [The sooner you start writing songs, the sooner you'll get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-capaldi/the-sooner-you-start-writing-songs-the-sooner-you-ll-get-better/) [Lewis Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-capaldi/) > [I think that once you start writing songs, you start developing a library of ideas that you can go and take from, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-think-that-once-you-start-writing-songs-you-start-developing-a/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [My other advice is to start writing songs and singing right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-harrison/my-other-advice-is-to-start-writing-songs-and-singing-right-away/) [Jerry Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-harrison/) > [I remember when I was 10-years old I was at that proverbial fork in the road and I was acting as much as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-remember-when-i-was-10-years-old-i-was-at-that-proverbial-fork-in/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [My brother says that I was writing songs about fate while he was off playing soccer. Now I tell him he's 33 and being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/my-brother-says-that-i-was-writing-songs-about-fate-while-he-was-off/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Literature is at once the cause and the effect of social progress. It deepens our natural sensibilities, and strengthens by exercise our intellectual capacities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/literature-is-at-once-the-cause-and-the-effect-of-social-progress-it/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [“Human history’s the most funny and yet the most tragic discovery will be the discovery of the religious people that all religions are man-made!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/human-history-s-the-most-funny-and-yet-the-most-tragic-discovery-will/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) ## More by Alanis Morissette > [It's when someone has an agenda of their own for the record that it doesn't work for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/it-s-when-someone-has-an-agenda-of-their-own-for-the-record-that-it/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [If someone hates or loves something, then right on. I can't rob them of that. I'm not going to try and change their mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/if-someone-hates-or-loves-something-then-right-on-i-can-t-rob-them-of/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [I didn't have high self-esteem when I was a teen-ager, as I think most teen-agers don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-didn-t-have-high-self-esteem-when-i-was-a-teen-ager-as-i-think-most/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [I sabotage myself for fear of what my bigness could do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-sabotage-myself-for-fear-of-what-my-bigness-could-do/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [I was taught from a young age that I had to serve, so that turned into me thinking I had to save the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-was-taught-from-a-young-age-that-i-had-to-serve-so-that-turned-into/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Peace of mind for five minutes, that's what I crave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/peace-of-mind-for-five-minutes-that-s-what-i-crave/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Don't be surprised if I Love you for aLL that you are, I couLdn't heLp it, it's aLL your fauLt..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/don-t-be-surprised-if-i-love-you-for-all-that-you-are-i-couldn-t-help/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [My main objective with every album is to capture a moment in time, which usually makes the whole process very relaxing. I only discover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/my-main-objective-with-every-album-is-to-capture-a-moment-in-time/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you When you think everything's okay and everything's going right And life has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/well-life-has-a-funny-way-of-sneaking-up-on-you-when-you-think/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [I don't like it when my lips steal the show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-don-t-like-it-when-my-lips-steal-the-show/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [For four to six months at a time, I would barely eat. I lived on a diet of Melba toast, carrots, and black coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/for-four-to-six-months-at-a-time-i-would-barely-eat-i-lived-on-a-diet/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [I salute you for your courage, and I applaud your perseverance, and I embrace you for your faith in the face of adversarial forces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-salute-you-for-your-courage-and-i-applaud-your-perseverance-and-i/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Freedom lies at the heart of my willingness to lose everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/freedom-lies-at-the-heart-of-my-willingness-to-lose-everything/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [I would never judge someone's intrigue with the spoils of fame, because I went through that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-would-never-judge-someone-s-intrigue-with-the-spoils-of-fame/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [In 1995, I was thrust into the role of reluctant, flag-waving feminist and emotionally-focused artist/advocate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/in-1995-i-was-thrust-into-the-role-of-reluctant-flag-waving-feminist/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) [Explore all 297 Alanis Morissette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) ## More Intellectual quotes > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Love isn't intellectual - it's visceral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-mcgillis/love-isn-t-intellectual-it-s-visceral/) [Kelly McGillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-mcgillis/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Laughter is one of the great beacons in life because we don't refract it by gunning it through our intellectual prism. What makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/laughter-is-one-of-the-great-beacons-in-life-because-we-don-t-refract/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [Unfortunately, moral beauty in art - like physical beauty in a person - is extremely perishable. It is nowhere so durable as artistic or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/unfortunately-moral-beauty-in-art-like-physical-beauty-in-a-person-is/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [ \[Our understanding is\] not intellectual, but instinctive. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/our-understanding-is-not-intellectual-but-instinctive/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [It only takes a day to change someone from an anti-intellectual to an intellectual by persuading him that he might be one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/it-only-takes-a-day-to-change-someone-from-an-anti-intellectual-to-an/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [Our guiding principle was that design is neither an intellectual nor a material affair, but simply an integral part of the stuff of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gropius/our-guiding-principle-was-that-design-is-neither-an-intellectual-nor/) [Walter Gropius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gropius/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [This film business, perhaps more so in America than in Europe, has always been about young sexuality. 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