--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think a song that's got something to…" description: "\"I think a song that's got something to say. I'm not much on gimmicks. I never have been because they don't last. But I like a song that tells a story a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-eckstine-22556_gimmicks_i-think-a-song-that-s-got-something-to-s_3154201.png" --- # I think a song that's got something to say. I'm not much… ![“I think a song that's got something to say. I'm not much on gimmicks. I never have been because they don't last. But I like a song that tells a story and has some meat to it, you know, that means something.” quote by Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-eckstine-22556_gimmicks_i-think-a-song-that-s-got-something-to-s_3154201.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-eckstine-22556_gimmicks_i-think-a-song-that-s-got-something-to-s_3154201.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/billy-eckstine-22556_gimmicks_i-think-a-song-that-s-got-something-to-s_3154201.png) > “I think a song that's got something to say. I'm not much on gimmicks. I never have been because they don't last. But I like a song that tells a story and has some meat to it, you know, that means something.” [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Songs should convey meaningful stories and substance, avoiding fleeting gimmicks that lack lasting value. **In simple terms:** Music needs depth and story, not cheap tricks. Key Takeaway Seek songs with narrative and emotional weight. Themes authenticity storytelling substance Mood inspired thoughtful Type critical musical When to use this quote - song selection - playlist curation - music criticism Key Concepts artistic integrity cultural criticism Questions to Reflect On - What song has moved you with its story? - How do you differentiate lasting art from fleeting trends? A Different Perspective Gimmicks may dominate popular charts, reducing depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Last song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-song/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Life is Like a song it tells a story it can be good at times and bad at others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-ball/life-is-like-a-song-it-tells-a-story-it-can-be-good-at-times-and-bad/) Andrea Ball > [Life is like a song it tells a story and it may be good at times and bad at others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-ball/life-is-like-a-song-it-tells-a-story-and-it-may-be-good-at-times-and/) Andrea Ball > [Like, a song could be really tricky and intricate and be really intellectually stimulating, but I don't think that's the song that that I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-wayman/like-a-song-could-be-really-tricky-and-intricate-and-be-really/) [Theresa Wayman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-wayman/) > [I take music so serious, every song I got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-homie-quan/i-take-music-so-serious-every-song-i-got/) [Rich Homie Quan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-homie-quan/) > [My third song I put out, it got a lot of shares on Facebook. I'm like 'OK, they digging it.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glorilla/my-third-song-i-put-out-it-got-a-lot-of-shares-on-facebook-i-m-like/) [GloRilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glorilla/) > [I think every good song tells a story, as ambiguous and vague as it may be. And if you know what a song is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cook/i-think-every-good-song-tells-a-story-as-ambiguous-and-vague-as-it/) [David Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cook/) > [Every song means something. Every song tells one of our stories, or a story together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-marlow/every-song-means-something-every-song-tells-one-of-our-stories-or-a/) [Maddie Marlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-marlow/) > [Whenever I miss you I play guiter on the song Beautiful Girl because this song tells what I exactly want to express :-)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/somen-murtem/whenever-i-miss-you-i-play-guiter-on-the-song-beautiful-girl-because/) Somen Murtem > [With 'Goddess,' I think the song itself tells such a strong story. And for the music video, we really wanted to do something different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/with-goddess-i-think-the-song-itself-tells-such-a-strong-story-and/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) > [If I had my choice, I'd pick a song that tells a story every time. There is a great deal of pleasure in doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaughn-monroe/if-i-had-my-choice-i-d-pick-a-song-that-tells-a-story-every-time/) [Vaughn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaughn-monroe/) > [I always believe that every song tells a story, so the last thing I want to do is edit out like the meat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cook/i-always-believe-that-every-song-tells-a-story-so-the-last-thing-i/) [David Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cook/) > [A good folk song tells you something you already know, in a form you're already familiar with, on terms that were set down long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-means/a-good-folk-song-tells-you-something-you-already-know-in-a-form-you/) [David Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-means/) > [When something is bothering me, I write a song that tells my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-lynn/when-something-is-bothering-me-i-write-a-song-that-tells-my-feelings/) [Loretta Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-lynn/) > [For me, I want to create a environment for the songs to live in. So one song by itself only tells a piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/for-me-i-want-to-create-a-environment-for-the-songs-to-live-in-so-one/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [The song tells me what to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/the-song-tells-me-what-to-play/) [Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/) ## More by Billy Eckstine > [Piano should be the one. Yeah, because that's your basis. Everything is right there in front of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/piano-should-be-the-one-yeah-because-that-s-your-basis-everything-is/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [... Geniuses have a little extra something. There's that little something that you know is a little different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/geniuses-have-a-little-extra-something-there-s-that-little-something/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [I'm not much on gimmicks. I never have been because they don't last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/i-m-not-much-on-gimmicks-i-never-have-been-because-they-don-t-last/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [My youngest daughter sings. She's going to be very good. She's graduated from Music School and she's been working down around and getting her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/my-youngest-daughter-sings-she-s-going-to-be-very-good-she-s/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [When you're playing music, say for instance, you're playing a part of the band and you're looking at your music, your horn is down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/when-you-re-playing-music-say-for-instance-you-re-playing-a-part-of/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [I'm used to hearing myself. My own voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/i-m-used-to-hearing-myself-my-own-voice/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [When you're playing music, say for instance, you're playing a part of the band and you're looking at your music, your horn is down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/when-you-re-playing-music-say-for-instance-you-re-playing-a-part-of-2/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [As a matter of fact they'd blacken us down. I guess there's a reason that according to what the Caucasian wanted us to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/as-a-matter-of-fact-they-d-blacken-us-down-i-guess-there-s-a-reason/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [I was so enamored with the idea of being in show business so everything was bright to me. I mean, I didn't think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/i-was-so-enamored-with-the-idea-of-being-in-show-business-so/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [You can't sing about love unless you know about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/you-can-t-sing-about-love-unless-you-know-about-it/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [I just went to Harvard a little while, because I graduated from Armstrong High School in Washington and then I went up there but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/i-just-went-to-harvard-a-little-while-because-i-graduated-from/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [If you want to be a doctor, a lawyer you must go to college. But if you want to be a musician or such,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/if-you-want-to-be-a-doctor-a-lawyer-you-must-go-to-college-but-if-you/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [My view is that you cannot close your mind and say I don't want to listen to this or that. Because if you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/my-view-is-that-you-cannot-close-your-mind-and-say-i-don-t-want-to/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [Oh, yeah. I know Dizzy. For years he's been my buddy way, way, way back. Dizzy is one of the most astute guys and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/oh-yeah-i-know-dizzy-for-years-he-s-been-my-buddy-way-way-way-back/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [I was still in school at the time and Cab was very popular and everybody was doing Cab Calloway so I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/i-was-still-in-school-at-the-time-and-cab-was-very-popular-and/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) [Explore all 27 Billy Eckstine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) ## More Gimmicks quotes > [I think, honestly, that the word 'indie' is a false gimmick. 'Independent' used to mean a movie that was financed outside corporate Hollywood, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-think-honestly-that-the-word-indie-is-a-false-gimmick-independent/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [I'm not much on gimmicks. I never have been because they don't last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eckstine/i-m-not-much-on-gimmicks-i-never-have-been-because-they-don-t-last/) [Billy Eckstine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eckstine/) > [I want to show my range before I fall into any typecasting. I've turned down a lot of things trying to wait. But at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-garity/i-want-to-show-my-range-before-i-fall-into-any-typecasting-i-ve/) [Troy Garity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-garity/) > [Why do photographers start giving numbers to their prints? It’s absurd. What do you do when the 20th print has been done? Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cartier-bresson/why-do-photographers-start-giving-numbers-to-their-prints-it-s-absurd/) [Henri Cartier-Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cartier-bresson/) > [I am a successful lecturer in physics for popular audiences. The real entertainment gimmick is the excitement, drama and mystery of the subject matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-am-a-successful-lecturer-in-physics-for-popular-audiences-the-real/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The new artists with gimmicks have the most problems staying out here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/the-new-artists-with-gimmicks-have-the-most-problems-staying-out-here/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I don't want any gimmicks. The fact that people think that Whack is a gimmick is so crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tierra-whack/i-don-t-want-any-gimmicks-the-fact-that-people-think-that-whack-is-a/) [Tierra Whack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tierra-whack/) > [ I think it\[3D\] should be used as a new artistic form, not as a gimmick, not to impress you but the existence of an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/i-think-it-3d-should-be-used-as-a-new-artistic-form-not-as-a-gimmick/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [Everybody is designing magic iPhone apps that do things that are really, really beautiful, but a really important thing about magic is that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/everybody-is-designing-magic-iphone-apps-that-do-things-that-are/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I'm not against screens, or new songs, or innovation. I just don't like the gimmicks. I want to know when worship is over that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/i-m-not-against-screens-or-new-songs-or-innovation-i-just-don-t-like/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [I just happen to comprehend the low standards of the majority of the music-buying public, and I don’t care how condescending that sounds, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/i-just-happen-to-comprehend-the-low-standards-of-the-majority-of-the/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [It is fear that makes you believe that you are living and that you will be dead.What we do not want is the fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/u-g-krishnamurti/it-is-fear-that-makes-you-believe-that-you-are-living-and-that-you/) [U.G. Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/u-g-krishnamurti/) > [Gimmicks? I don't have one. I'm not good-looking. Not skinny. Not anything. I just like writing songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-kracker/gimmicks-i-don-t-have-one-i-m-not-good-looking-not-skinny-not/) [Uncle Kracker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-kracker/) > [In terms of getting people to experiment more and take more risk, there are at least three things that immediately come to my mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-kotter/in-terms-of-getting-people-to-experiment-more-and-take-more-risk/) [John P. Kotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-kotter/) > [All ideologies end up killing people. If you separate love from nonviolence you turn nonviolence into an ideology, a gimmick. Structures that are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-goss/all-ideologies-end-up-killing-people-if-you-separate-love-from/) Jean Goss Browse all 133 Gimmicks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think a song that's got something to say. I'm not much on gimmicks. 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