--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Music has got to be useful for survival…" description: "\"Music has got to be useful for survival, or we would have gotten rid of it years ago.\" — Daniel Levitin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/daniel-levitin-2988_music_music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival_3155529.png" --- # Music has got to be useful for survival, or we would have… ![“Music has got to be useful for survival, or we would have gotten rid of it years ago.” quote by Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/daniel-levitin-2988_music_music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival_3155529.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/daniel-levitin-2988_music_music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival_3155529.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/daniel-levitin-2988_music_music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival_3155529.png) > “Music has got to be useful for survival, or we would have gotten rid of it years ago.” [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music serves essential functions for human survival, influencing cognition and social cohesion. **In simple terms:** Music is vital for survival. Key Takeaway Value music’s role. Themes music survival cognition Mood inspirational analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - mental health - team building Key Concepts evolutionary biology neuroscience Questions to Reflect On - Why is music important to you? - How does it aid daily life? A Different Perspective Music’s utility may vary culturally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Rid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rid/) [Rid Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rid-years-5682765/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Useful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful/) [Useful Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful-survival-5682764/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [I live by Edith Wharton's rule to get rid of anything neither useful nor beautiful. So I put the TV out on the street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-bank/i-live-by-edith-wharton-s-rule-to-get-rid-of-anything-neither-useful/) [Melissa Bank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-bank/) > [I don't want to get rid of the typical Dutch tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-don-t-want-to-get-rid-of-the-typical-dutch-tolerance/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [If you want to be right-sized in body, you've got to get rid of the supersize way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-harper/if-you-want-to-be-right-sized-in-body-you-ve-got-to-get-rid-of-the/) [Bob Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-harper/) > [The truth is I got rid of 100% of my vinyl in the '90s. All the vinyl I have is re-bought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/the-truth-is-i-got-rid-of-100-of-my-vinyl-in-the-90s-all-the-vinyl-i/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [I don't understand why people would want to get rid of pigeons. They don't bother no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-don-t-understand-why-people-would-want-to-get-rid-of-pigeons-they/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [In the second part of life you get rid of stuff you've accumulated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/in-the-second-part-of-life-you-get-rid-of-stuff-you-ve-accumulated/) [Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/) > [If there is one thing French Muslims want, it is to be rid of the daily pressures imposed on them by Islamic fundamentalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/if-there-is-one-thing-french-muslims-want-it-is-to-be-rid-of-the/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [Rewriting is a large part of the whole job. And get rid of stuff that's not working. Just pare it down until it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-loder/rewriting-is-a-large-part-of-the-whole-job-and-get-rid-of-stuff-that/) [Kurt Loder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-loder/) > [What makes Freddy Krueger such a horrible character? What makes him scare you to death? You can't get rid of the guy. He never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/what-makes-freddy-krueger-such-a-horrible-character-what-makes-him/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I think we can have some tax reform, but that doesn't mean tax increases. We ought to make the, the rates flatter. We ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-think-we-can-have-some-tax-reform-but-that-doesn-t-mean-tax/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [To be a member of something. To be a member of something helps get rid of that lonely feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-henderson/to-be-a-member-of-something-to-be-a-member-of-something-helps-get-rid/) [Stephen Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-henderson/) > [I actually rid myself of superstitions, but I do a quick 20-minute meditation before games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christen-press/i-actually-rid-myself-of-superstitions-but-i-do-a-quick-20-minute/) [Christen Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christen-press/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [You can't drain the swamp, as President Trump has touted doing, without getting rid of Mitch McConnell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/you-can-t-drain-the-swamp-as-president-trump-has-touted-doing-without/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I got the reputation of being hard to work with. It has been hard for me to get rid of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-morgan/i-got-the-reputation-of-being-hard-to-work-with-it-has-been-hard-for/) [Lorrie Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-morgan/) ## More by Daniel Levitin > [What music is better able to do than language is to represent the complexity of human emotional states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/what-music-is-better-able-to-do-than-language-is-to-represent-the/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Procrastination comes in two types. Some of us procrastinate in order to pursue restful activities - spending time in bed, watching TV - while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/procrastination-comes-in-two-types-some-of-us-procrastinate-in-order/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [In a country that was still racially segregated and prejudiced, music was among the first domains in which African-Americans thrived alongside whites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/in-a-country-that-was-still-racially-segregated-and-prejudiced-music/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Because our ancestors lived in social groups that changed slowly, because they encountered the same people throughout their lives, they could keep almost every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/because-our-ancestors-lived-in-social-groups-that-changed-slowly/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Because you've been exposed to Western tonal music, you know after a certain chord sequence what the next possibilities are. Your brain has compiled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/because-you-ve-been-exposed-to-western-tonal-music-you-know-after-a/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [People who organize their time in a way that allows them to focus are not only going to get more done, but they'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/people-who-organize-their-time-in-a-way-that-allows-them-to-focus-are/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [I have never seen a proton or electron spinning around it. I have never actually seen a chromosome. I trust that they exist because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/i-have-never-seen-a-proton-or-electron-spinning-around-it-i-have/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [If you're studying from a book and trying to listen in on a conversation at the same time, those are two separate projects, each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/if-you-re-studying-from-a-book-and-trying-to-listen-in-on-a/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [President Trump, when challenged on facts, says that many people feel the way he does. But feelings should not take the place of reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/president-trump-when-challenged-on-facts-says-that-many-people-feel/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Our species uses music and dance to express various feelings: love, joy, comfort, ceremony, knowledge, and friendship. And each one is distinct and widely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/our-species-uses-music-and-dance-to-express-various-feelings-love-joy/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [The first forms of writing emerged not for art, literature, or love, not for spiritual or liturgical purposes, but for business--all literature could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/the-first-forms-of-writing-emerged-not-for-art-literature-or-love-not/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [When you're at work, be fully at work. And let your leisure time be what it's meant to be - restorative and fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/when-you-re-at-work-be-fully-at-work-and-let-your-leisure-time-be/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [The obvious rule of efficiency is you don't want to spend more time organizing than it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/the-obvious-rule-of-efficiency-is-you-don-t-want-to-spend-more-time/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [When it comes to snowing people, one effective technique is to get a whole bunch of verifiable facts right and then add one or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/when-it-comes-to-snowing-people-one-effective-technique-is-to-get-a/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [The human brain long ago evolved a mechanism for rewarding us when we encountered new information: a little shot of dopamine in the brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/the-human-brain-long-ago-evolved-a-mechanism-for-rewarding-us-when-we/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) [Explore all 143 Daniel Levitin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) [Hubert Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-laws/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [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/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Music has got to be useful for survival, or we would have gotten rid of it years ago.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel Levitin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival-or-we-would-have-gotten-rid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Music" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival-or-we-would-have-gotten-rid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/daniel-levitin-2988_music_music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival_3155529.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/daniel-levitin-2988_music_music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival_3155529.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ef/daniel-levitin-2988_music_music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival_3155529.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Music has got to be useful for survival, or we would have gotten rid of it years ago.” — Daniel Levitin", "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": "Daniel Levitin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Music has got to be useful...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival-or-we-would-have-gotten-rid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/music-has-got-to-be-useful-for-survival-or-we-would-have-gotten-rid/#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 } } ] } ```