--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't be afraid to write bad songs and…" description: "\"Don't be afraid to write bad songs and then start over and re-evaluate. Songs are like plants, in that you grow them. Some grow really fast, and others..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/corey-harris-90522_care_don-t-be-afraid-to-write-bad-songs-and-t_621943.png" --- # Don't be afraid to write bad songs and then start over and… ![“Don't be afraid to write bad songs and then start over and re-evaluate. Songs are like plants, in that you grow them. Some grow really fast, and others need pruning and care...And, finally, a song needs to move you. If it doesn't move you, it will never move anybody else.” quote by Corey Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/corey-harris-90522_care_don-t-be-afraid-to-write-bad-songs-and-t_621943.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/corey-harris-90522_care_don-t-be-afraid-to-write-bad-songs-and-t_621943.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/367/corey-harris-90522_care_don-t-be-afraid-to-write-bad-songs-and-t_621943.png) > “Don't be afraid to write bad songs and then start over and re-evaluate. Songs are like plants, in that you grow them. Some grow really fast, and others need pruning and care...And, finally, a song needs to move you. If it doesn't move you, it will never move anybody else.” [Corey Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embrace imperfect drafts, then refine and ensure the music emotionally resonates. **In simple terms:** Write, edit, and make songs that move you. Key Takeaway Craft songs that connect emotionally. Themes creativity process evaluation growth emotion Mood reflective inspired Type Care:1 Evaluate:1 Grows:1 Ifs:0 Moving:1 Music:1 Needs:1 Plant:0 Pruning:1 Song:1 Songs:1 Songwriting:1 Starting over:1 Writing:1 Song Needs:1 Bad Songs:1 Songs Start:1 Evaluate Songs:1 When to use this quote - songwriting - personal development - musical production Key Concepts artistic iteration emotional impact musical growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you know when a song truly moves you? - What steps help transform a raw idea into a resonant piece? A Different Perspective Bad drafts can stall progress if not re‑evaluated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-songs-597067/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Evaluate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evaluate/) [Evaluate Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evaluate-songs-5030977/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Pruning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pruning/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-needs-553501/) [Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs/) [Songs Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs-start-689659/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) [Starting over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-over/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [To really be tortured by a song, it needs to be more than just something you don't like or don't get; it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/to-really-be-tortured-by-a-song-it-needs-to-be-more-than-just/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [I'll refer to my music in color, like 'This song needs to be bright red.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-ll-refer-to-my-music-in-color-like-this-song-needs-to-be-bright-red/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I need u like a good song needs a beat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-g/i-need-u-like-a-good-song-needs-a-beat/) [Jeremy G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-g/) > [A song is such a short form ... that 'the slightest flaw seems like a mountain.' And so every song needs to be revised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/a-song-is-such-a-short-form-that-the-slightest-flaw-seems-like-a/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [A great song needs a great film and a great film needs great songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jubin-nautiyal/a-great-song-needs-a-great-film-and-a-great-film-needs-great-songs/) [Jubin Nautiyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jubin-nautiyal/) > [I think that a great song needs the full package. 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I never do have songs when I start up an album. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/all-my-writing-takes-place-during-the-recording-of-the-master-tapes-i/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [Something that really helps when it comes to writing songs is you start to notice how children learn and how we all had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/something-that-really-helps-when-it-comes-to-writing-songs-is-you/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [I think that once you start writing songs, you start developing a library of ideas that you can go and take from, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-think-that-once-you-start-writing-songs-you-start-developing-a/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [You know, it's a pretty mysterious thing still, why you start the songs you start, and the specific flavor of them, the nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-welch/you-know-it-s-a-pretty-mysterious-thing-still-why-you-start-the-songs/) [Gillian Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-welch/) > [A lot of the songs start with an image. 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