--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's very hard to teach someone how to…" description: "\"It's very hard to teach someone how to write a song if to begin with there's no creative crop to harvest.\" — Barry Mann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barry-mann-21185_creative_it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-w_3111567.png" --- # It's very hard to teach someone how to write a song if to… ![“It's very hard to teach someone how to write a song if to begin with there's no creative crop to harvest.” quote by Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barry-mann-21185_creative_it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-w_3111567.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barry-mann-21185_creative_it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-w_3111567.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barry-mann-21185_creative_it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-w_3111567.png) > “It's very hard to teach someone how to write a song if to begin with there's no creative crop to harvest.” [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a song requires creative material; without ideas, the process stalls. **In simple terms:** Songs need seed ideas to grow. Key Takeaway Cultivate inspiration before writing. Themes creativity songwriting inspiration Mood inspired determined Type artistic educational When to use this quote - brainstorming sessions - journaling - collaborative jams - listening to diverse music Key Concepts artistic process idea generation motivation Questions to Reflect On - What sparks your musical ideas? - How can you nurture a creative mindset? A Different Perspective Creative blocks can persist despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Crops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crops/) [Harvest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harvest/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [It's hard for me to teach and write my own work at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-king/it-s-hard-for-me-to-teach-and-write-my-own-work-at-the-same-time/) [Owen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-king/) > [After six or seven performances of any song, you begin to perform it rather than feel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-nash/after-six-or-seven-performances-of-any-song-you-begin-to-perform-it/) [Graham Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-nash/) > [In order to be creative, you have to know how to prepare to be creative…A lot of habitually creative people have preparation rituals linked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/in-order-to-be-creative-you-have-to-know-how-to-prepare-to-be/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [The preliminaries were out of the way, the creative process was about to begin. The creative process, that mystic life force, that splurge out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/the-preliminaries-were-out-of-the-way-the-creative-process-was-about/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [When we are struck at without a reason, we should strike back again very hard; I am sure we should - so hard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/when-we-are-struck-at-without-a-reason-we-should-strike-back-again/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [It's hard to teach passionately about something that you don't have a passion for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/it-s-hard-to-teach-passionately-about-something-that-you-don-t-have-a/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [To do is hard, but to teach is still harder. Do not teach only to teach. Teach to improve the pupil. To be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-k-s-iyengar/to-do-is-hard-but-to-teach-is-still-harder-do-not-teach-only-to-teach/) [B.K.S. Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-k-s-iyengar/) > [It is hard to teach an old dog tricks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-camden/it-is-hard-to-teach-an-old-dog-tricks/) [William Camden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-camden/) > [“I don't think science is hard to teach because humans aren't ready for it, or because it arose only through a fluke, or because,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/i-don-t-think-science-is-hard-to-teach-because-humans-aren-t-ready/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [It's just very hard to teach a class of students about what has happened in the Global Financial Crisis, how we ended up there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-m-taylor/it-s-just-very-hard-to-teach-a-class-of-students-about-what-has/) [Alan M. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-m-taylor/) > [Hard it is to teach the old horse to amble anew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/hard-it-is-to-teach-the-old-horse-to-amble-anew/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [“It is hard to teach an old dog to sit, as well as it is difficult to teach an old Laplandian rafter to swim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arto-paasilinna/it-is-hard-to-teach-an-old-dog-to-sit-as-well-as-it-is-difficult-to/) [Arto Paasilinna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arto-paasilinna/) > [If I waited for inspiration every time I sat down to write a song I probably would be a plumber today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/if-i-waited-for-inspiration-every-time-i-sat-down-to-write-a-song-i/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [“Read, so as to know; speak, so as to teach; write, so as to think!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/read-so-as-to-know-speak-so-as-to-teach-write-so-as-to-think/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“It's difficult to teach how to write novels, but teaching swimming is just as hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/it-s-difficult-to-teach-how-to-write-novels-but-teaching-swimming-is/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) ## More by Barry Mann > [You've got to really be able to accept the rejection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/you-ve-got-to-really-be-able-to-accept-the-rejection/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [If I waited for inspiration every time I sat down to write a song I probably would be a plumber today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/if-i-waited-for-inspiration-every-time-i-sat-down-to-write-a-song-i/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [I looked through our catalog year by year, and I saw that there were pockets of time when we wrote some terrific songs. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/i-looked-through-our-catalog-year-by-year-and-i-saw-that-there-were/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [Probably most successful songwriters have an innate songwriting ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/probably-most-successful-songwriters-have-an-innate-songwriting/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [The real danger of writing a great song when you're on something is that it might get you thinking that the only way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/the-real-danger-of-writing-a-great-song-when-you-re-on-something-is/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [I also used to work in the Catskill Mountains as a bus boy, and I performed in talent shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/i-also-used-to-work-in-the-catskill-mountains-as-a-bus-boy-and-i/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [It's amazing how a competitive nature can turn a negative into something positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/it-s-amazing-how-a-competitive-nature-can-turn-a-negative-into/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [It's very important, at least for me and for Cynthia, to get outside input.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/it-s-very-important-at-least-for-me-and-for-cynthia-to-get-outside/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [I think if one wants to be in a continual state of insanity one should stay married to that writing partner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/i-think-if-one-wants-to-be-in-a-continual-state-of-insanity-one/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [I know at the beginning of our careers, my wife and I were gut wrenchingly competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/i-know-at-the-beginning-of-our-careers-my-wife-and-i-were-gut/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [We've written something like 900 songs in all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/we-ve-written-something-like-900-songs-in-all/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [You have to be very brave in that first writing session.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/you-have-to-be-very-brave-in-that-first-writing-session/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [I get a different kind of lyric from someone else that might make me go in a different musical direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/i-get-a-different-kind-of-lyric-from-someone-else-that-might-make-me/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [I quit college. I was studying architecture for about a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/i-quit-college-i-was-studying-architecture-for-about-a-year/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [We became the songs we wrote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/we-became-the-songs-we-wrote/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) [Explore all 29 Barry Mann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's very hard to teach someone how to write a song if to begin with there's no creative crop to harvest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry Mann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-write-a-song-if-to-begin-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-write-a-song-if-to-begin-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barry-mann-21185_creative_it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-w_3111567.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barry-mann-21185_creative_it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-w_3111567.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barry-mann-21185_creative_it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-w_3111567.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's very hard to teach someone how to write a song if to begin with there's no creative crop to harvest.” — Barry Mann", "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": "Barry Mann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's very hard to teach someone...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-write-a-song-if-to-begin-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/it-s-very-hard-to-teach-someone-how-to-write-a-song-if-to-begin-with/#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 } } ] } ```