--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rather than writing about my experiences…" description: "\"Rather than writing about my experiences with other people, 'Ugly Cherries' is the first song I've ever written about myself. It's a confrontation: an ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/ben-hopkins-18342_cherries_rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences_2493321.jpg" --- # Rather than writing about my experiences with other… ![“Rather than writing about my experiences with other people, 'Ugly Cherries' is the first song I've ever written about myself. It's a confrontation: an attempt to unpack my own queerness with humor and self care.” quote by Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/ben-hopkins-18342_cherries_rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences_2493321.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/ben-hopkins-18342_cherries_rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences_2493321.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/ben-hopkins-18342_cherries_rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences_2493321.jpg) > “Rather than writing about my experiences with other people, 'Ugly Cherries' is the first song I've ever written about myself. It's a confrontation: an attempt to unpack my own queerness with humor and self care.” [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The song is a personal, humorous, and caring exploration of the artist’s queer identity. **In simple terms:** He humorously explores his queer self. Key Takeaway Use humor and self‑care to unpack identity. Themes identity humor self‑care queerness Mood playful intimate Type musical personal When to use this quote - music therapy - pride events - creative workshops Key Concepts LGBTQ+ expression songwriting personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - How does humor aid self‑acceptance? - What role does self‑care play in identity work? A Different Perspective Humor may mask deeper struggles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cherries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cherries/) [Cherries Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cherries-song-986250/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Queerness Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queerness-humor-986252/) [Self care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-care/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/) [Ugly Cherries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly-cherries-986251/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Except for the scale of the operation, there was nothing unusual about Hitler's massacre of the Jews. Genocide's an old tradition, as human as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/except-for-the-scale-of-the-operation-there-was-nothing-unusual-about/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“If you have ever opened a can of worms, boxed yourself into a corner, ended up in hot water, or found yourself in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryrose-wood/if-you-have-ever-opened-a-can-of-worms-boxed-yourself-into-a-corner/) [Maryrose Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryrose-wood/) > [The saying "the cherry on top" is only a good metaphor if the person listening or reading actually likes cherries on top of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-jones/the-saying-the-cherry-on-top-is-only-a-good-metaphor-if-the-person/) [Christopher Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-jones/) > [It is neither just the religious, the spiritual, the power-hungry, the evil, the ignorant, the corrupt, the Christian, the Muslim, the Hindu, the Buddhist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-neither-just-the-religious-the-spiritual-the-power-hungry-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Americans have begun to understand that trouble does not start somewhere on the other side of town. It seems to originate inside the absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/americans-have-begun-to-understand-that-trouble-does-not-start/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [When wine drinkers tell me they taste notes of cherries, tobacco and rose petals, usually all I can detect is a whole lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/when-wine-drinkers-tell-me-they-taste-notes-of-cherries-tobacco-and/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show Thy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-helena-goddess-nymph-perfect-divine-to-what-my-love-shall-i-compare/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Science is not there for you to cherry pick ... You can decide whether or not to believe in it but that doesn’t change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-is-not-there-for-you-to-cherry-pick-you-can-decide-whether-or/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I want to do to you what spring does with the cherry trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/i-want-to-do-to-you-what-spring-does-with-the-cherry-trees/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [Cherry Money Baby is fabulous in every sense of the word! It’s earthy and smart and moving, laugh-out-loud funny, surprising, inventive, suspenseful, and —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wynne-jones/cherry-money-baby-is-fabulous-in-every-sense-of-the-word-it-s-earthy/) [Tim Wynne-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wynne-jones/) > [Well, he had two stabs at the cherry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-green/well-he-had-two-stabs-at-the-cherry/) [Alan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-green/) > [I have told you of the Spaniard who always put on his spectacles when about to eat cherries, that they might look bigger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-southey/i-have-told-you-of-the-spaniard-who-always-put-on-his-spectacles-when/) [Robert Southey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-southey/) > [It isn't called TV money for nothing. There was a time where I paid my rent by doing theater for years, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/it-isn-t-called-tv-money-for-nothing-there-was-a-time-where-i-paid-my/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [Bright reds - scarlet, pillar-box red, crimson or cherry - are very cheerful and youthful. There is certainly a red for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/bright-reds-scarlet-pillar-box-red-crimson-or-cherry-are-very/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > [I really liked the design aesthetic of the mid-century modern for furniture and the early '60s stuff for the clothes. But then, personally, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-reed/i-really-liked-the-design-aesthetic-of-the-mid-century-modern-for/) [Adam Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-reed/) ## More by Ben Hopkins > [I'm in a car so much on tour that I often just ask my friends to DJ and ask them what they like. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-m-in-a-car-so-much-on-tour-that-i-often-just-ask-my-friends-to-dj/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [I think that our work and our music stands on its own without this knowledge about our identity around it. But I also think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-think-that-our-work-and-our-music-stands-on-its-own-without-this/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [I want to say that our shows are safer-spaces shows. Don't push anyone or affect anyone's space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-want-to-say-that-our-shows-are-safer-spaces-shows-don-t-push-anyone/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [When fringe groups gather, there is power in that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/when-fringe-groups-gather-there-is-power-in-that/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [People who pigeonhole us for our queerness are not people I'm interested in knowing. They're so boring. How dare you be so boring? Grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/people-who-pigeonhole-us-for-our-queerness-are-not-people-i-m/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [There is power in organization. There is power in a community. People have always wanted to destroy communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/there-is-power-in-organization-there-is-power-in-a-community-people/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [What we do is provide a suggestion. We say, 'We're queer. We're going to do this; we're going to open up the space to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/what-we-do-is-provide-a-suggestion-we-say-we-re-queer-we-re-going-to/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [The most radical thing about our lives is getting to be in a visibly filled-out queer crowd every night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/the-most-radical-thing-about-our-lives-is-getting-to-be-in-a-visibly/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [I'd say, at the end of the day, you know, from a songwriting practice standpoint, you write songs to make yourself feel something true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-d-say-at-the-end-of-the-day-you-know-from-a-songwriting-practice/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [When I started playing music, I was more of a character. Now I'm just me with a cool outfit on. I'm more comfortable being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/when-i-started-playing-music-i-was-more-of-a-character-now-i-m-just/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [Ben Hopkins is a very nervous, neurotic kind of person who is afraid of not being liked by people all the time. But, Monster-Me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/ben-hopkins-is-a-very-nervous-neurotic-kind-of-person-who-is-afraid/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [I feel like with PWR BTTM, Liv and I tried to create something that was kind and cared about the people who come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-feel-like-with-pwr-bttm-liv-and-i-tried-to-create-something-that/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [When you're a queer person put in the spotlight, you're supposed to have all the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/when-you-re-a-queer-person-put-in-the-spotlight-you-re-supposed-to/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [I think that when you're queer, you grow up with these kinds of men who might have made you feel small because of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-think-that-when-you-re-queer-you-grow-up-with-these-kinds-of-men/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [I think the earnestness of what we're saying and what other bands like us are totally saying - or other queer bands - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-think-the-earnestness-of-what-we-re-saying-and-what-other-bands/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) [Explore all 35 Ben Hopkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) ## More Cherries quotes > [Except for the scale of the operation, there was nothing unusual about Hitler's massacre of the Jews. Genocide's an old tradition, as human as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/except-for-the-scale-of-the-operation-there-was-nothing-unusual-about/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Bright reds - scarlet, pillar-box red, crimson or cherry - are very cheerful and youthful. There is certainly a red for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/bright-reds-scarlet-pillar-box-red-crimson-or-cherry-are-very/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > [It isn't called TV money for nothing. There was a time where I paid my rent by doing theater for years, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/it-isn-t-called-tv-money-for-nothing-there-was-a-time-where-i-paid-my/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [I have told you of the Spaniard who always put on his spectacles when about to eat cherries, that they might look bigger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-southey/i-have-told-you-of-the-spaniard-who-always-put-on-his-spectacles-when/) [Robert Southey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-southey/) > [Well, he had two stabs at the cherry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-green/well-he-had-two-stabs-at-the-cherry/) [Alan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-green/) > [Cherry Money Baby is fabulous in every sense of the word! It’s earthy and smart and moving, laugh-out-loud funny, surprising, inventive, suspenseful, and —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wynne-jones/cherry-money-baby-is-fabulous-in-every-sense-of-the-word-it-s-earthy/) [Tim Wynne-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wynne-jones/) > [I want to do to you what spring does with the cherry trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/i-want-to-do-to-you-what-spring-does-with-the-cherry-trees/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [Science is not there for you to cherry pick ... You can decide whether or not to believe in it but that doesn’t change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-is-not-there-for-you-to-cherry-pick-you-can-decide-whether-or/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show Thy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-helena-goddess-nymph-perfect-divine-to-what-my-love-shall-i-compare/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When wine drinkers tell me they taste notes of cherries, tobacco and rose petals, usually all I can detect is a whole lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-stein/when-wine-drinkers-tell-me-they-taste-notes-of-cherries-tobacco-and/) [Joel Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-stein/) > [Americans have begun to understand that trouble does not start somewhere on the other side of town. It seems to originate inside the absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/americans-have-begun-to-understand-that-trouble-does-not-start/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [It is neither just the religious, the spiritual, the power-hungry, the evil, the ignorant, the corrupt, the Christian, the Muslim, the Hindu, the Buddhist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-is-neither-just-the-religious-the-spiritual-the-power-hungry-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The saying "the cherry on top" is only a good metaphor if the person listening or reading actually likes cherries on top of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-jones/the-saying-the-cherry-on-top-is-only-a-good-metaphor-if-the-person/) [Christopher Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-jones/) > [“If you have ever opened a can of worms, boxed yourself into a corner, ended up in hot water, or found yourself in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryrose-wood/if-you-have-ever-opened-a-can-of-worms-boxed-yourself-into-a-corner/) [Maryrose Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryrose-wood/) > [I really liked the design aesthetic of the mid-century modern for furniture and the early '60s stuff for the clothes. But then, personally, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-reed/i-really-liked-the-design-aesthetic-of-the-mid-century-modern-for/) [Adam Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-reed/) [Browse all 252 Cherries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cherries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rather than writing about my experiences with other people, 'Ugly Cherries' is the first song I've ever written about myself. It's a confrontation: an attempt to unpack my own queerness with humor and self care.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Hopkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences-with-other-people-ugly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cherries" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences-with-other-people-ugly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/ben-hopkins-18342_cherries_rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences_2493321.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/ben-hopkins-18342_cherries_rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences_2493321.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c47/ben-hopkins-18342_cherries_rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences_2493321.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Rather than writing about my experiences with other people, 'Ugly Cherries' is the first song I've ever…” — Ben Hopkins", "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": "Ben Hopkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Rather than writing about my experiences...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences-with-other-people-ugly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/rather-than-writing-about-my-experiences-with-other-people-ugly/#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 } } ] } ```