--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's like you don't know you're making a…" description: "\"It's like you don't know you're making a record unless you're half-killing yourself.\" — Andrew Bird" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/andrew-bird-4041_half_it-s-like-you-don-t-know-you-re-making-a_1364164.png" --- # It's like you don't know you're making a record unless… ![“It's like you don't know you're making a record unless you're half-killing yourself.” quote by Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/andrew-bird-4041_half_it-s-like-you-don-t-know-you-re-making-a_1364164.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/andrew-bird-4041_half_it-s-like-you-don-t-know-you-re-making-a_1364164.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fa/andrew-bird-4041_half_it-s-like-you-don-t-know-you-re-making-a_1364164.png) > “It's like you don't know you're making a record unless you're half-killing yourself.” [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating music feels like a personal record only when you push yourself to the edge. **In simple terms:** Music feels real when you push limits. Key Takeaway Push yourself for authentic art. Themes creativity self‑discipline artistic integrity Mood intense reflective Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - studio recording - live concerts - songwriting sessions Key Concepts performance pressure personal sacrifice authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance effort and enjoyment? - What limits are healthy? A Different Perspective Risk of burnout can diminish joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Killing yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-yourself/) ## Related quotes > [I don't really feel like you're making a record unless you pay attention to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-don-t-really-feel-like-you-re-making-a-record-unless-you-pay/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [No matter how brilliantly an idea is stated, we will not really be moved unless we have already half thought of it ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/no-matter-how-brilliantly-an-idea-is-stated-we-will-not-really-be/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [I don't want to record anything unless it can be great and genuinely interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/i-don-t-want-to-record-anything-unless-it-can-be-great-and-genuinely/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I can't leave the studio until everything is as it should be. And I can't put a record out unless I am completely happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-jenkins/i-can-t-leave-the-studio-until-everything-is-as-it-should-be-and-i/) [Katherine Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-jenkins/) > [Everyone that I work with is a friend. I won't make a record with anyone unless we kick it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/everyone-that-i-work-with-is-a-friend-i-won-t-make-a-record-with/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [I don't like to disappear between records. I like to play shows while I'm making the record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-don-t-like-to-disappear-between-records-i-like-to-play-shows-while/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [Unless you're living in your truth, you're slowly killing yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-king/unless-you-re-living-in-your-truth-you-re-slowly-killing-yourself/) [Deborah King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-king/) > [So he was deserted. The whole world was clamouring: Kill yourself, kill yourself, for our sakes. But why should he kill himself for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/so-he-was-deserted-the-whole-world-was-clamouring-kill-yourself-kill/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The idea of retiring is like killing yourself. It's almost like Hari Kari. I intend to live to a 100 and go down in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/the-idea-of-retiring-is-like-killing-yourself-it-s-almost-like-hari/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [It goes Christmas, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day. Is that fair to anyone who's alone? These are all days you gotta be with someone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kightlinger/it-goes-christmas-new-year-s-eve-valentine-s-day-is-that-fair-to/) [Laura Kightlinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kightlinger/) > [You're killing yourself with cynicism. Your idols got taken away from you one by one and now you have nothing to give your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-re-killing-yourself-with-cynicism-your-idols-got-taken-away-from/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [There's a tendency for young musicians - I certainly was guilty of this - of wanting to know what they sound like, before making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/there-s-a-tendency-for-young-musicians-i-certainly-was-guilty-of-this/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [We never sit down before we start making a record and talk about this new sonic palette that we are going to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/we-never-sit-down-before-we-start-making-a-record-and-talk-about-this/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [If we were truly in the studio making a record, it would have been more time consuming, and certainly I would have been more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-dayne/if-we-were-truly-in-the-studio-making-a-record-it-would-have-been/) [Taylor Dayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-dayne/) > [It takes a little more time to get into the role, but not very much more. In making a record you don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/it-takes-a-little-more-time-to-get-into-the-role-but-not-very-much/) [Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/) ## More by Andrew Bird > [I've always felt that dark lyrics with dark music is pretty useless. Maybe that's a strong statement - not useless, but for me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-ve-always-felt-that-dark-lyrics-with-dark-music-is-pretty-useless/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I don't write poetry and then strum some chords and then fit the words on top of the chords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-don-t-write-poetry-and-then-strum-some-chords-and-then-fit-the/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [There's kind of this unequaled thrill of playing a half-finished song, it's kind of sense of slight embarrassment; like you're blushing. I like doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/there-s-kind-of-this-unequaled-thrill-of-playing-a-half-finished-song/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I think when I was pretty young I got really into the tone of my instrument and I remember just playing one note for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-think-when-i-was-pretty-young-i-got-really-into-the-tone-of-my/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [The anti-aging advert that I would like to see is a baby covered in cream saying, 'Aah, I've used too much'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/the-anti-aging-advert-that-i-would-like-to-see-is-a-baby-covered-in/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I'm just trying to get my body in shape so that I can handle it. It's a very physically demanding thing. I've been doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-m-just-trying-to-get-my-body-in-shape-so-that-i-can-handle-it-it-s/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [The way I work, I'm not a confessional singer-songwriter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/the-way-i-work-i-m-not-a-confessional-singer-songwriter/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [Since I first picked up the violin, I've been very interested in tone and texture: I would have very visceral reactions to the texture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/since-i-first-picked-up-the-violin-i-ve-been-very-interested-in-tone/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [The problem is, when you're working with orchestras, you only get the orchestra for about two hours before the performance to pull it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/the-problem-is-when-you-re-working-with-orchestras-you-only-get-the/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I think I'm still a little too intense for my own good sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-think-i-m-still-a-little-too-intense-for-my-own-good-sometimes/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I have the barn, it's just kind of like a studio. Almost all artists have la studio to work in, and that's really what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-have-the-barn-it-s-just-kind-of-like-a-studio-almost-all-artists/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [There's always a tension between wanting to write a really concise, instant gratification type song that gets under your skin the first time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/there-s-always-a-tension-between-wanting-to-write-a-really-concise/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [Sometimes I just think we're not meant to fly halfway around the world in a day. That some kind of mutation is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/sometimes-i-just-think-we-re-not-meant-to-fly-halfway-around-the/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I write a lot more when I'm happy, because you're hopeful, you're motivated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-write-a-lot-more-when-i-m-happy-because-you-re-hopeful-you-re/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I've done my share of busking, and it's fun until it isn't. There are musicians in the subways that will make you cry, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-ve-done-my-share-of-busking-and-it-s-fun-until-it-isn-t-there-are/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) [Explore all 117 Andrew Bird quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) ## More Half quotes > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) Hubert Laws > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. 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Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-the-effect-of-her-being-on-those-around-her-was-incalculably/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [The wisdom of our actions in the first three years of peace will determine the course of world history for half a century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-wallace/the-wisdom-of-our-actions-in-the-first-three-years-of-peace-will/) [Henry A. Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-wallace/) > [The thing about living alone is that it gives you a lot of time to think. 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