--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Image is everything, and the voice or the…" description: "\"Image is everything, and the voice or the idea or the song is hardly anything at all. Half the time the person isn't even doing the singing. I'm a bit ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/bette-midler-1976_bits_image-is-everything-and-the-voice-or-the_3149059.jpg" --- # Image is everything, and the voice or the idea or the song… ![“Image is everything, and the voice or the idea or the song is hardly anything at all. Half the time the person isn't even doing the singing. I'm a bit cynical about this [music] business.” quote by Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/bette-midler-1976_bits_image-is-everything-and-the-voice-or-the_3149059.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/bette-midler-1976_bits_image-is-everything-and-the-voice-or-the_3149059.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/387/bette-midler-1976_bits_image-is-everything-and-the-voice-or-the_3149059.jpg) > “Image is everything, and the voice or the idea or the song is hardly anything at all. Half the time the person isn't even doing the singing. I'm a bit cynical about this \[music\] business.” [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker critiques the music industry's focus on image over substance, suggesting that visual branding often outweighs artistic content. **In simple terms:** Image matters more than the music itself. Key Takeaway Consider how visual branding influences your artistic work. Themes image media authenticity commercialism culture Mood cynical critical Type observational commentary When to use this quote - music promotion - artist image - consumer perception Key Concepts branding visual emphasis industry critique Questions to Reflect On - How does visual branding affect audience expectations? - Can substance outweigh image in music? A Different Perspective The statement may ignore the value of strong musical talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bit Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bit-cynical-2634263/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Cynical Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical-music-5645022/) [Doing Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-singing-1016351/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Music business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-business/) [Person Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-isn-1161209/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Hardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-hardly-5645021/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [I've always liked to be a meat and potatoes kind of actor who doesn't believe in any of the highfalutin stuff about acting, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-ve-always-liked-to-be-a-meat-and-potatoes-kind-of-actor-who-doesn-t/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I really ought to try and make a film that's a bit more cynical. 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I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rabbitt/i-ve-been-doing-country-music-for-a-while-and-people-ask-me-what-s-a/) [Eddie Rabbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rabbitt/) > [An album is such a personal thing. It's something I always wanted to do. It's me doing me, singing as me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-aiello/an-album-is-such-a-personal-thing-it-s-something-i-always-wanted-to/) [Danny Aiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-aiello/) > [You're always discovering other things you're capable of doing if you're out their singing. I just try to stay open to learning more things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/you-re-always-discovering-other-things-you-re-capable-of-doing-if-you/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [“In singing the psalms, one is actively committing oneself to following the God-approved life. This is what we are doing singing the psalms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-j-wenham/in-singing-the-psalms-one-is-actively-committing-oneself-to-following/) [Gordon J. Wenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-j-wenham/) > [If you were to hold me to a standard of, 'What are you doing, singing about a scratch-off ticket at your level of success?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/if-you-were-to-hold-me-to-a-standard-of-what-are-you-doing-singing/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [Even though I'm still doing the singing entrances, with promos and backstages, I was being me as a performer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-english/even-though-i-m-still-doing-the-singing-entrances-with-promos-and/) [Aiden English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-english/) > [There is nothing more boring than doing singing exercises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-nothing-more-boring-than-doing-singing-exercises/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's times when I'm cleaning the kitchen, and while I'm doing that, I'm singing and air guitaring with a broom to 'You Should Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/there-s-times-when-i-m-cleaning-the-kitchen-and-while-i-m-doing-that/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [ When I started in this \[music\] business, I had a dream, but it was amorphous, and I had no experience. I just had a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/when-i-started-in-this-music-business-i-had-a-dream-but-it-was/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [“I think I've found someone with who I want to spend my life with and that person...Isn't you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-esquivel/i-think-i-ve-found-someone-with-who-i-want-to-spend-my-life-with-and/) [A. Esquivel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-esquivel/) > [I am a confident person. This isn't something that I've always been, it's something I've worked on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/i-am-a-confident-person-this-isn-t-something-that-i-ve-always-been-it/) [Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/) ## More by Bette Midler > [If I could be granted a wish, I'd shine in your eye like a jewel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/if-i-could-be-granted-a-wish-i-d-shine-in-your-eye-like-a-jewel/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I firmly believe that with the right footwear one can rule the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-firmly-believe-that-with-the-right-footwear-one-can-rule-the-world/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [You can't just have a clean public space - you also have to have people willing to use it, and something that will draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/you-can-t-just-have-a-clean-public-space-you-also-have-to-have-people/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I read neither good nor bad about me. I let it not even in my life, so it has no effect on me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-read-neither-good-nor-bad-about-me-i-let-it-not-even-in-my-life-so/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [ If they \[at the audition\] don't like the way you sound they won't buy you anyway, ripped dress or no ripped dress, ass hanging… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/if-they-at-the-audition-don-t-like-the-way-you-sound-they-won-t-buy/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [The old forms of entertainment are not extinct. Live performances are the pinnacle. If you can something that people want to see live, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/the-old-forms-of-entertainment-are-not-extinct-live-performances-are/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance. It is the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/it-s-the-heart-afraid-of-breaking-that-never-learns-to-dance-it-is/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I made a pact with myself a long time ago: Never watch anything stupider than you. It's helped me a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-made-a-pact-with-myself-a-long-time-ago-never-watch-anything/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [It's the one who won't be taken that cannot seem to give, and the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/it-s-the-one-who-won-t-be-taken-that-cannot-seem-to-give-and-the-soul/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [Culturally, it's very hard to change people's attitudes about public space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/culturally-it-s-very-hard-to-change-people-s-attitudes-about-public/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [As you age, feelings do diminish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/as-you-age-feelings-do-diminish/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I decided years ago not to read stories about myself anymore. Each one is a potential minefield: Whatever it says, you're bound to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-decided-years-ago-not-to-read-stories-about-myself-anymore-each-one/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [Sometimes my brain goes on CD shuffle. You know, you put a bunch of CD's on and hit play and random things come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/sometimes-my-brain-goes-on-cd-shuffle-you-know-you-put-a-bunch-of-cd/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I come from an overly confident place. But I'm overconfident because of feelings of inferiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-come-from-an-overly-confident-place-but-i-m-overconfident-because/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [My idea of superwoman is someone who scrubs her own floors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/my-idea-of-superwoman-is-someone-who-scrubs-her-own-floors/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) [Explore all 193 Bette Midler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) ## More Bits quotes > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I became a bit of a teacher's pet, and it became known in the school by both faculty and students that I really excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-became-a-bit-of-a-teacher-s-pet-and-it-became-known-in-the-school/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. 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This is a bit rich coming from a man who actually married his own mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/he-referred-to-me-as-an-insufferable-puffed-up-prat-this-is-a-bit/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [It won't do you a bit of good to know everything if you don't do anything with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-fitzhugh/it-won-t-do-you-a-bit-of-good-to-know-everything-if-you-don-t-do/) [Louise Fitzhugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-fitzhugh/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ripa/don-t-get-divorced-after-your-first-argument-i-have-a-lot-of-friends/) [Kelly Ripa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ripa/) [Browse all 5,709 Bits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Image is everything, and the voice or the idea or the song is hardly anything at all. Half the time the person isn't even doing the singing. 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