--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ironically, when I was playing in my…" description: "\"Ironically, when I was playing in my first band, I would deliberately not write down any lyrics. I have a really good memory and I would just keep them..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/craig-finn-8385_band_ironically-when-i-was-playing-in-my-firs_1921470.png" --- # Ironically, when I was playing in my first band, I would… ![“Ironically, when I was playing in my first band, I would deliberately not write down any lyrics. I have a really good memory and I would just keep them in my head.” quote by Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/craig-finn-8385_band_ironically-when-i-was-playing-in-my-firs_1921470.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/craig-finn-8385_band_ironically-when-i-was-playing-in-my-firs_1921470.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/craig-finn-8385_band_ironically-when-i-was-playing-in-my-firs_1921470.png) > “Ironically, when I was playing in my first band, I would deliberately not write down any lyrics. I have a really good memory and I would just keep them in my head.” [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The songwriter relied on memory rather than written lyrics, trusting his mind to retain them. **In simple terms:** He memorized lyrics instead of writing them down. Key Takeaway Use memory techniques to retain creative ideas. Themes music creativity memory Mood creative introspective Type artistic musical When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - improvisation Key Concepts oral tradition spontaneity cognitive recall Questions to Reflect On - How can artists balance memory and documentation? - What are benefits of spontaneous creation? A Different Perspective Relying solely on memory risks loss of ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-memories/) [Good memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-memory/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If there is poetry in my book about the sea, it is not because I deliberately put it there, but because no one could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-carson/if-there-is-poetry-in-my-book-about-the-sea-it-is-not-because-i/) [Rachel Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-carson/) > [I write lyrics really fast. When it's time to write, I usually put them off until the very end and then when it's time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-temple/i-write-lyrics-really-fast-when-it-s-time-to-write-i-usually-put-them/) [Luke Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-temple/) > [A good memory is one trained to forget the trivial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/a-good-memory-is-one-trained-to-forget-the-trivial/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [I used to believe having a good memory meant being able to remember everything in perfect detail. Now I believe having a good memory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-dermont/i-used-to-believe-having-a-good-memory-meant-being-able-to-remember-2/) [Amber Dermont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-dermont/) > [One must have a good memory to keep the promises one has made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/one-must-have-a-good-memory-to-keep-the-promises-one-has-made/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Memory is the friend of wit, but the treacherous ally of invention; there are many books that owe their success to two things; good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/memory-is-the-friend-of-wit-but-the-treacherous-ally-of-invention/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [If man has one good memory to go by, that may be enough to save him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/if-man-has-one-good-memory-to-go-by-that-may-be-enough-to-save-him/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [I should remember more, and I have a pretty good memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/i-should-remember-more-and-i-have-a-pretty-good-memory/) [Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/) > [There is nothing higher and stronger and more wholesome and useful for life in later years than some good memory, especially a memory connected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/there-is-nothing-higher-and-stronger-and-more-wholesome-and-useful/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [A good forgettery is a happier possession than a good memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrtle-reed/a-good-forgettery-is-a-happier-possession-than-a-good-memory/) [Myrtle Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myrtle-reed/) > [A good memory, which nature has endowed us with, causes things long past to seem present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/a-good-memory-which-nature-has-endowed-us-with-causes-things-long/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [I've always been able to recount things, and I have a really good memory about dialog and what people have said before and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/i-ve-always-been-able-to-recount-things-and-i-have-a-really-good/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [I didn't want it to be one good memory that led to a lot of bad ones. I wanted it to stay what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scott/i-didn-t-want-it-to-be-one-good-memory-that-led-to-a-lot-of-bad-ones/) [Elizabeth Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-scott/) > [I do have a really good memory. I mean, like, I can remember all the phone numbers of everybody on the street I grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/i-do-have-a-really-good-memory-i-mean-like-i-can-remember-all-the/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) > [A good memory and a tongue tied in the middle is a combination which gives immortality to conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-good-memory-and-a-tongue-tied-in-the-middle-is-a-combination-which/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by Craig Finn > [I really like narrative songs, but I wonder if that's a thing for some people. Once they've heard the story, do they really need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/i-really-like-narrative-songs-but-i-wonder-if-that-s-a-thing-for-some/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [I think you want to write a song that's like the songs you are into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/i-think-you-want-to-write-a-song-that-s-like-the-songs-you-are-into/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [I'm not only a songwriter but I'm a massive music fan and I love going to shows. It's different than reading a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/i-m-not-only-a-songwriter-but-i-m-a-massive-music-fan-and-i-love/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [You can think of a number of bands where the first record is by far their biggest record. And that must be hard for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/you-can-think-of-a-number-of-bands-where-the-first-record-is-by-far/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [My style of lyric-writing is very specific and has a lot of details, and I think people react most to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/my-style-of-lyric-writing-is-very-specific-and-has-a-lot-of-details/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [I graduated high school in 1989, and there was no alternative rock radio, and there wasn't really good college radio you could get on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/i-graduated-high-school-in-1989-and-there-was-no-alternative-rock/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [Sometimes people come up and say, "You have this line in this song and it meant a lot to me." You don't always remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/sometimes-people-come-up-and-say-you-have-this-line-in-this-song-and/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [When we started the band, I was really like, "We just want to make a lot of records" - not quite unlike Guided By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/when-we-started-the-band-i-was-really-like-we-just-want-to-make-a-lot/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [I think, Trump ran a very nostalgic campaign. There's an idea of like, to put it bluntly: What if it was like before all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/i-think-trump-ran-a-very-nostalgic-campaign-there-s-an-idea-of-like/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [I'm able to draw outside my own personal experiences. No one wants to hear the song about what I really did today, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/i-m-able-to-draw-outside-my-own-personal-experiences-no-one-wants-to/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [I think making the songs is to put strength in the community in some way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/i-think-making-the-songs-is-to-put-strength-in-the-community-in-some/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [The reality is that the shows kind of disconnect from the songs a little bit. You're playing the songs, but they take on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/the-reality-is-that-the-shows-kind-of-disconnect-from-the-songs-a/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [If we enjoy what we're doing, we shouldn't really need a break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/if-we-enjoy-what-we-re-doing-we-shouldn-t-really-need-a-break/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [Being on a microphone nightly has made me better at what I do, made me better able to sing a little bit, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/being-on-a-microphone-nightly-has-made-me-better-at-what-i-do-made-me/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) > [Some people will totally get restless, since you can make demos pretty easy. It's not unreasonable for someone to say, "All right, can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-finn/some-people-will-totally-get-restless-since-you-can-make-demos-pretty/) [Craig Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) [Explore all 81 Craig Finn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-finn/) ## More Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. 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