--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started writing music in a French way…" description: "\"I started writing music in a French way: more focused on lyrics than melody.\" — Benjamin Clementine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/benjamin-clementine-5044_lyrics_i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way_528954.jpg" --- # I started writing music in a French way: more focused on… ![“I started writing music in a French way: more focused on lyrics than melody.” quote by Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/benjamin-clementine-5044_lyrics_i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way_528954.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/benjamin-clementine-5044_lyrics_i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way_528954.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/benjamin-clementine-5044_lyrics_i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way_528954.jpg) > “I started writing music in a French way: more focused on lyrics than melody.” [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes lyric storytelling over melodic focus, adopting a French artistic style. **In simple terms:** Prioritizes words over tune. Key Takeaway Focus on lyrical depth. Themes songwriting culture expression Mood introspective creative Type artistic musical When to use this quote - album creation - poetry workshops - songwriting retreats Key Concepts French chanson lyricism Questions to Reflect On - How does lyric focus shape listener connection? - Can melody and lyric balance be achieved? A Different Perspective May limit melodic appeal for some listeners. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrics/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-music/) ## Related quotes > [“Closing my eyes, I then focused in on the lyrics. I couldn't help thinking how much the song meant to me because of Maddie.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-ashley/closing-my-eyes-i-then-focused-in-on-the-lyrics-i-couldn-t-help/) [Katie Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-ashley/) > [There is rap music in all my films. In 'La Vie des Morts,' there is rap music too. It's because I'm French, and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnaud-desplechin/there-is-rap-music-in-all-my-films-in-la-vie-des-morts-there-is-rap/) [Arnaud Desplechin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnaud-desplechin/) > [“In his entirely personal experience of them, English was jazz music, German was classical music, French was ecclesiastical music, and Spanish was from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/in-his-entirely-personal-experience-of-them-english-was-jazz-music/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [In a novel, the biggest symbiosis exists between plot and character. In a song, it would be the lyrics and the melody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-michaels/in-a-novel-the-biggest-symbiosis-exists-between-plot-and-character-in/) [Jesse Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-michaels/) > [I think you can do a lot with lyrics and melody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-sudol/i-think-you-can-do-a-lot-with-lyrics-and-melody/) [Alison Sudol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-sudol/) > [I'm not the kind of guy who walks around with a notebook writing lyrics. For me, melody and song structure come first and foremost.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-brothers/i-m-not-the-kind-of-guy-who-walks-around-with-a-notebook-writing/) Cary Brothers > [A good idea for lyrics and a melody to expand on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-waller/a-good-idea-for-lyrics-and-a-melody-to-expand-on/) Gordon Waller > [I think if you enjoy writing lyrics, sometimes melody is something that kind of hinders your flow, so sometimes writing without melody and just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-rowsell/i-think-if-you-enjoy-writing-lyrics-sometimes-melody-is-something/) [Ellie Rowsell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-rowsell/) > [ \[The lyrics and melody\] usually come a little simultaneously, but I would say the lyrics are first; usually I have the idea for a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/the-lyrics-and-melody-usually-come-a-little-simultaneously-but-i/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I came up with the lyrics and the melody for 'good 4 u' one morning in the shower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-rodrigo/i-came-up-with-the-lyrics-and-the-melody-for-good-4-u-one-morning-in/) [Olivia Rodrigo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-rodrigo/) > [“Even the second time around, the lyrics and melody reached through my ears, bypassed my brain, and went straight to my heart, where they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-smith-ready/even-the-second-time-around-the-lyrics-and-melody-reached-through-my/) [Jeri Smith-Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-smith-ready/) > [I started writing music in a season of my life where people were telling me I wasn't defined by mistakes, and God really loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-started-writing-music-in-a-season-of-my-life-where-people-were/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [Initially, I started writing music because I wanted to express my thoughts and get what was going on in my head out to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yungblud/initially-i-started-writing-music-because-i-wanted-to-express-my/) [Yungblud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yungblud/) > [I started writing songs for youth theater and stuff, and so it's really writing music for the stage that started me out, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-started-writing-songs-for-youth-theater-and-stuff-and-so-it-s/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [I started writing music around 20 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-d/i-started-writing-music-around-20-years-old/) J.I.D ## More by Benjamin Clementine > [Life is life. You have to learn how to forgive people and how to gain forgiveness for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/life-is-life-you-have-to-learn-how-to-forgive-people-and-how-to-gain/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I think it is all about creating characters, mixing them up with the stars and the light-years, and coming back to Earth, because we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-think-it-is-all-about-creating-characters-mixing-them-up-with-the/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I was very rebellious, but my family was strict Christians - they would ask us, "What's the shortest verse in the Bible?" and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-was-very-rebellious-but-my-family-was-strict-christians-they-would/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [Where you're from shapes you, but you can actually do whatever you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/where-you-re-from-shapes-you-but-you-can-actually-do-whatever-you-want/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I know that New York is big - there are huge buildings - but, in fact, it's quite small and contained... I like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-know-that-new-york-is-big-there-are-huge-buildings-but-in-fact-it-s/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [There's a part in every person that has a fake self. We've had this since infancy due to our parents and our upbringing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/there-s-a-part-in-every-person-that-has-a-fake-self-we-ve-had-this/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [The real self is who you are when you're at home, when you're comfortable, and the false self is what you're pretending - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/the-real-self-is-who-you-are-when-you-re-at-home-when-you-re/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [With this sort of career, you need determination. You've got to sacrifice a lot of things: family, friends - not that I had any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/with-this-sort-of-career-you-need-determination-you-ve-got-to/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I do music to tell people my thoughts and opinions about life, emotions, politics, everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-do-music-to-tell-people-my-thoughts-and-opinions-about-life/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [Music isn't a competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/music-isn-t-a-competition/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I dedicate all my time to music. And I'm glad that it's paying off in some ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-dedicate-all-my-time-to-music-and-i-m-glad-that-it-s-paying-off-in/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I wanted to find people who were like me, and I did, in the people I was reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-wanted-to-find-people-who-were-like-me-and-i-did-in-the-people-i/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [In this life, I've learned to be patient. And I'm still learning... Even now, I wish things would go quicker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/in-this-life-i-ve-learned-to-be-patient-and-i-m-still-learning-even/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I never thought I'd say this, but to any child listening, the world is your oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-never-thought-i-d-say-this-but-to-any-child-listening-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I know that New York is big, there are huge buildings, but in fact, it's quite small and contained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-know-that-new-york-is-big-there-are-huge-buildings-but-in-fact-it-s-2/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) [Explore all 104 Benjamin Clementine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) ## More Lyrics quotes > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [The lyrics are constructed as empirically as the music. I don't set out to say anything very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-lyrics-are-constructed-as-empirically-as-the-music-i-don-t-set/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [No matter how many quotes you read, songs lyrics you hear, or how much you write your heart out, sometimes words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-many-quotes-you-read-songs-lyrics-you-hear-or-how-much/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [When you are happy you enjoy music but when you are sad you understand the lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-are-happy-you-enjoy-music-but-when-you-are-sad-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't like lyrics to be overbearing. I like them to say something. But I'm not trying to change the world overnight. Something simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rodgers/i-don-t-like-lyrics-to-be-overbearing-i-like-them-to-say-something/) [Paul Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rodgers/) > [We like to take pop songs that have really cool, complex melodies or lyrics and strip away all that fluff and electronic noise, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinkx-monsoon/we-like-to-take-pop-songs-that-have-really-cool-complex-melodies-or/) [Jinkx Monsoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinkx-monsoon/) > [Nigger Money talks trust me I know what I'm saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/nigger-money-talks-trust-me-i-know-what-i-m-saying/) Trunxbeats > [I love clever lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-love-clever-lyrics/) [Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/) > [“ Lyrics belongs to us ina specific language, but music is universal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abrar-ahmed-chowdhury/lyrics-belongs-to-us-ina-specific-language-but-music-is-universal/) [Abrar Ahmed chowdhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abrar-ahmed-chowdhury/) > [I Lost My Heart My Home Is The Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sleeping-with-sirens/i-lost-my-heart-my-home-is-the-ocean/) [Sleeping With Sirens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sleeping-with-sirens/) > [I find lyrics can come at any time during the day, as can music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/i-find-lyrics-can-come-at-any-time-during-the-day-as-can-music/) [Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/) > [My song is going to need dope lyrics to lure the honeys in!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/my-song-is-going-to-need-dope-lyrics-to-lure-the-honeys-in/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) [Browse all 1,653 Lyrics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started writing music in a French way: more focused on lyrics than melody.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Clementine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way-more-focused-on-lyrics-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Lyrics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way-more-focused-on-lyrics-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/benjamin-clementine-5044_lyrics_i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way_528954.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/benjamin-clementine-5044_lyrics_i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way_528954.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/benjamin-clementine-5044_lyrics_i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way_528954.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I started writing music in a French way: more focused on lyrics than melody.” — Benjamin Clementine", "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": "Benjamin Clementine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I started writing music in a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way-more-focused-on-lyrics-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way-more-focused-on-lyrics-than/#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 } } ] } ```