--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd rather people interpret the songs and…" description: "\"I'd rather people interpret the songs and get whatever they can out of them instead of thinking about me crying in a room with a guitar.\" — Angel Olsen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/angel-olsen-15631_cry_i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-an_1582735.jpg" --- # I'd rather people interpret the songs and get whatever… ![“I'd rather people interpret the songs and get whatever they can out of them instead of thinking about me crying in a room with a guitar.” quote by Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/angel-olsen-15631_cry_i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-an_1582735.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/angel-olsen-15631_cry_i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-an_1582735.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/angel-olsen-15631_cry_i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-an_1582735.jpg) > “I'd rather people interpret the songs and get whatever they can out of them instead of thinking about me crying in a room with a guitar.” [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist prefers listeners to find their own meanings in songs rather than focusing on her personal emotions. **In simple terms:** Let listeners interpret songs. Key Takeaway Prioritize audience interpretation. Themes art interpretation privacy empathy Mood introspective thoughtful Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - live performances - personal storytelling - listener engagement Key Concepts subjective meaning artist-audience relationship emotional expression Questions to Reflect On - What does personal interpretation reveal about the listener? - How does artist privacy shape music reception? A Different Perspective Listeners may project their own biases, missing intended nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Crying Room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crying-room-395069/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Interpret Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interpret-songs-4115413/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Room Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/room-guitar-3143036/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs Instead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs-instead-3168120/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Crying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-crying-4772000/) ## Related quotes > [“There weren't any tear tracks on her cheeks, but I remember thinking she was crying anyway, right there in front of me, in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dooley/there-weren-t-any-tear-tracks-on-her-cheeks-but-i-remember-thinking/) [Sarah Dooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dooley/) > [We have always adapted ourselves to the songs instead of vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-hanson/we-have-always-adapted-ourselves-to-the-songs-instead-of-vice-versa/) [Isaac Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-hanson/) > [I wish all teenagers can filter through songs instead of turning to drugs and alcohol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-wish-all-teenagers-can-filter-through-songs-instead-of-turning-to/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [So, once I get writing I really try and put five to eight hours a day in my room with a guitar to really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catie-curtis/so-once-i-get-writing-i-really-try-and-put-five-to-eight-hours-a-day/) [Catie Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catie-curtis/) > [I enjoy the song writing process more than anything. It's what I like the most, just sitting in my room with guitar or at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-fanning/i-enjoy-the-song-writing-process-more-than-anything-it-s-what-i-like/) [Bernard Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-fanning/) > [I wanted the songs to be themselves, instead of worrying about all this crazy slickster production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-cabrera/i-wanted-the-songs-to-be-themselves-instead-of-worrying-about-all/) [Ryan Cabrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-cabrera/) > [It's rare for me to sit in a room with my guitar and feel like I can't stop playing, because it just sounds so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrianne-lenker/it-s-rare-for-me-to-sit-in-a-room-with-my-guitar-and-feel-like-i-can/) [Adrianne Lenker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrianne-lenker/) > [It is jazz music that called me to be a musician and I have always sang the songs that moved me the most. Singers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/it-is-jazz-music-that-called-me-to-be-a-musician-and-i-have-always-2/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [Singers, like Frank Sinatra and myself, we interpret the songs that we like. Not unlike a Shakespearean actor that goes back to the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/singers-like-frank-sinatra-and-myself-we-interpret-the-songs-that-we/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [I long ago learned that you can't expect people to interpret the songs in the way they had meant for you, as the writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-long-ago-learned-that-you-can-t-expect-people-to-interpret-the/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I do love to interpret songs in American Sign Language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-berdy/i-do-love-to-interpret-songs-in-american-sign-language/) [Sean Berdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-berdy/) > [“But as soon as I walked through the door, my happy feelings evaporated so quickly, I practically heard the pop. “Oh, man,” I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/but-as-soon-as-i-walked-through-the-door-my-happy-feelings-evaporated/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [That moment when you burst out crying on your room and you realize that no one knows how unhappy you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-moment-when-you-burst-out-crying-on-your-room-and-you-realize/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to leave the world as I entered it: naked and crying in a room full of strangers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/i-want-to-leave-the-world-as-i-entered-it-naked-and-crying-in-a-room/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [That moment when you burst out crying alone in your room. And you realize that no one truly knows how unhappy you are. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-moment-when-you-burst-out-crying-alone-in-your-room-and-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Angel Olsen > [In a lot of senses, things are definitely changing in my life, and with what's going on around me. But I still feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/in-a-lot-of-senses-things-are-definitely-changing-in-my-life-and-with/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [I just want to scream: "I'm being honest, I swear!" Maybe it's embarrassing, but I don't care anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-just-want-to-scream-i-m-being-honest-i-swear-maybe-it-s/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [I've been writing a lot of songs in twos, songs that are like twins in my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-ve-been-writing-a-lot-of-songs-in-twos-songs-that-are-like-twins-in/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [People should know each other because they want to, because they have things in common.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/people-should-know-each-other-because-they-want-to-because-they-have/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [I enjoy singing the songs a certain way, but I don't even know how the writing even began. To me, it's work that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-enjoy-singing-the-songs-a-certain-way-but-i-don-t-even-know-how-the/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [I learned how to be more theatrical and have more fun, and to take a song and sing it over and over again in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-learned-how-to-be-more-theatrical-and-have-more-fun-and-to-take-a/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [I don't know what folk music means anymore, because the meaning of that just keeps changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-don-t-know-what-folk-music-means-anymore-because-the-meaning-of/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [A lot of people ask me if I'm OK. I'm capable of crazy - a lot of people are - but I'm OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/a-lot-of-people-ask-me-if-i-m-ok-i-m-capable-of-crazy-a-lot-of-people/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [I sometimes write as if I were talking to myself, or to a mirror, or to someone for the last time. There's this element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-sometimes-write-as-if-i-were-talking-to-myself-or-to-a-mirror-or-to/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [It's very important to enjoy time alone with yourself and just existing, because existence is kind of cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/it-s-very-important-to-enjoy-time-alone-with-yourself-and-just/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [My first ever tour of my music was in the Netherlands. I didn't really have a grace period to grow or anything; people just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/my-first-ever-tour-of-my-music-was-in-the-netherlands-i-didn-t-really/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [I'm sure that the meaning of the songs that I've written will change for me over the years, the same way that I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-m-sure-that-the-meaning-of-the-songs-that-i-ve-written-will-change/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [Different cultures have different audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/different-cultures-have-different-audiences/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [I wasn't an only child, but I was the youngest, and no one else in my family played music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-wasn-t-an-only-child-but-i-was-the-youngest-and-no-one-else-in-my/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [The family that raised me are awesome people and they are my mother and my father and my brother and my sister. I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/the-family-that-raised-me-are-awesome-people-and-they-are-my-mother/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) [Explore all 42 Angel Olsen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) ## More Cry quotes > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [And then theres always the crying and the weeping that we hear-children, women, even men. And these images and these sounds are always with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/and-then-theres-always-the-crying-and-the-weeping-that-we-hear/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [My idea for 'BoneMan's Daughters' came from the loss of my own daughter when she left home to live with a monster at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/my-idea-for-boneman-s-daughters-came-from-the-loss-of-my-own-daughter/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood and was raised by a man who did not emote, ever... I always cry at movies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/i-grew-up-in-a-blue-collar-neighborhood-and-was-raised-by-a-man-who/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. If I see a student or house staff cry, I take great faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-ve-never-bought-this-idea-of-taking-a-therapeutic-distance-if-i-see/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [I cry at the end of every book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/i-cry-at-the-end-of-every-book/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [ The most important thing I learned \[...\] was that when a person dies he only appears to die. He is still very much alive… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-extence/the-most-important-thing-i-learned-was-that-when-a-person-dies-he/) [Gavin Extence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-extence/) > [I would have done anything for him. Maybe that was my sickness. We made love in nothing places and turned the lights off. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-would-have-done-anything-for-him-maybe-that-was-my-sickness-we-made/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [It is easy to speak words of love, or to meditate lovingly upon those people with whom you are in harmony. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ponder/it-is-easy-to-speak-words-of-love-or-to-meditate-lovingly-upon-those/) [Catherine Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ponder/) > [I had rather be a Kitten, and cry mew, Than one of these same Meeter Ballad-mongers: I had rather heare a Brazen Candlestick turn'd,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-had-rather-be-a-kitten-and-cry-mew-than-one-of-these-same-meeter/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 4,998 Cry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd rather people interpret the songs and get whatever they can out of them instead of thinking about me crying in a room with a guitar.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Angel Olsen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-and-get-whatever-they-can-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-and-get-whatever-they-can-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/angel-olsen-15631_cry_i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-an_1582735.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/angel-olsen-15631_cry_i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-an_1582735.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/angel-olsen-15631_cry_i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-an_1582735.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'd rather people interpret the songs and get whatever they can out of them instead of thinking about me…” — Angel Olsen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Angel Olsen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'd rather people interpret the songs...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-and-get-whatever-they-can-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-d-rather-people-interpret-the-songs-and-get-whatever-they-can-out/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```