--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you could only play a record once…" description: "\"If you could only play a record once, imagine the intensity you’d have to bring into the listening.\" — Derek Bailey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/derek-bailey-22183_communication_if-you-could-only-play-a-record-once-ima_2525684.png" --- # If you could only play a record once, imagine the… ![“If you could only play a record once, imagine the intensity you’d have to bring into the listening.” quote by Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/derek-bailey-22183_communication_if-you-could-only-play-a-record-once-ima_2525684.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/derek-bailey-22183_communication_if-you-could-only-play-a-record-once-ima_2525684.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/derek-bailey-22183_communication_if-you-could-only-play-a-record-once-ima_2525684.png) > “If you could only play a record once, imagine the intensity you’d have to bring into the listening.” [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Listening to a record once demands full, intense focus to capture its essence. **In simple terms:** Listen intensely if you have one chance. Key Takeaway Give full attention when opportunities are limited. Themes attention intensity music experience Mood contemplative inspired Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - concerts - first-time listening - critical listening - creative work Key Concepts mindfulness aesthetic appreciation Questions to Reflect On - What would you hear if you focused fully? - How does intensity change perception? A Different Perspective Limited attention can cause missed details. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bring Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bring-listening-1294378/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine Intensity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-intensity-1294376/) [Intensity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intensity/) [Intensity Bring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intensity-bring-1294382/) [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-record-561699/) [Record Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-imagine-1294380/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) ## Related quotes > [I always try to bring the same intensity, bring my A game every game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-aaron-fox/i-always-try-to-bring-the-same-intensity-bring-my-a-game-every-game/) [De'Aaron Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-aaron-fox/) > [When Josh and I are recording a record, we're very mindful of how the music will manifest itself live. That's where we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-joseph/when-josh-and-i-are-recording-a-record-we-re-very-mindful-of-how-the/) [Tyler Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-joseph/) > [I do enjoy a level of intensity that I bring when I'm the Demon, but it's a mindset that takes a couple of days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-balor/i-do-enjoy-a-level-of-intensity-that-i-bring-when-i-m-the-demon-but/) [Finn Balor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-balor/) > [Of course, everyone knows my history as far as technical fouls, but I don't think you can match the intensity that I bring to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-wallace/of-course-everyone-knows-my-history-as-far-as-technical-fouls-but-i/) [Rasheed Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-wallace/) > [I would go to radio stations and they were supposed to be interviewing me and playing my record and they would say, We're playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hersh/i-would-go-to-radio-stations-and-they-were-supposed-to-be/) [Kristin Hersh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hersh/) > [One of my great frustrations for 35 years at the paper was the fact I couldn't play a record for the reader when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hilburn/one-of-my-great-frustrations-for-35-years-at-the-paper-was-the-fact-i/) [Robert Hilburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hilburn/) > [Still being ambitious to want to play on the record, I was a mediocre keyboard player. And uh, I seized the opportunity and played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/still-being-ambitious-to-want-to-play-on-the-record-i-was-a-mediocre/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [I'll have the music, and then I'll just turn the microphone on, press Play and Record and sing. And whatever comes out ends up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-ll-have-the-music-and-then-i-ll-just-turn-the-microphone-on-press/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [You know, I don't only play for the record books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/you-know-i-don-t-only-play-for-the-record-books/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [And they kind of left to find a guitar player at the very end, so you know, I don't really take it as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-iha/and-they-kind-of-left-to-find-a-guitar-player-at-the-very-end-so-you/) [James Iha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-iha/) > [Disco was brand new then and there were a few jocks that had monstrous sound systems but they wouldn't dare play this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grandmaster-flash/disco-was-brand-new-then-and-there-were-a-few-jocks-that-had/) [Grandmaster Flash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grandmaster-flash/) > [“As you play this record, I hope you'll think of the good, not the bad. Of what was, not what wasn't meant to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-ford/as-you-play-this-record-i-hope-you-ll-think-of-the-good-not-the-bad/) [Jamie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-ford/) > [I like to present something that the people haven't seen or haven't heard before. Otherwise they might as well just stay home and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-like-to-present-something-that-the-people-haven-t-seen-or-haven-t/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I don't think I could ever be in a band if we just had to go out there and play the record note for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-frampton/i-don-t-think-i-could-ever-be-in-a-band-if-we-just-had-to-go-out/) [Peter Frampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-frampton/) > [Even the disc jockeys are saying, if I play your record, I made you. You got to play for me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-guy/even-the-disc-jockeys-are-saying-if-i-play-your-record-i-made-you-you/) [Buddy Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-guy/) ## More by Derek Bailey > [For me, Company is still the best way for me to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/for-me-company-is-still-the-best-way-for-me-to-work/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [I have always been attracted to the cottage industry side of this business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/i-have-always-been-attracted-to-the-cottage-industry-side-of-this/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Playing music is not really susceptible to theory much. Circumstances affect it so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/playing-music-is-not-really-susceptible-to-theory-much-circumstances/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [I think the blues is fine for blues players, but free blues has never made much sense to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/i-think-the-blues-is-fine-for-blues-players-but-free-blues-has-never/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Undeniably, the audience for improvisation, good or bad, active or passive, sympathetic or hostile, has a power that no other audience has. It can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/undeniably-the-audience-for-improvisation-good-or-bad-active-or/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [In fact its quite gratifying for me to see some of the people who really objected to this method of working now being quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/in-fact-its-quite-gratifying-for-me-to-see-some-of-the-people-who/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Free improvisation, in addition to being a highly skilled musical craft, is open to use by almost anyone--beginners, children, and non-musicians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/free-improvisation-in-addition-to-being-a-highly-skilled-musical/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Nowadays, I really like playing in studios.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/nowadays-i-really-like-playing-in-studios/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Even if it is difficult playing with other people - sometimes it's great, sometimes it isn't, but that is kind of the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/even-if-it-is-difficult-playing-with-other-people-sometimes-it-s/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Personally, I've found that the kind of thing that I like is going into somebody else's area and not playing their music but doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/personally-i-ve-found-that-the-kind-of-thing-that-i-like-is-going/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Younger players in this music often turn out to be middle aged; it is not a young music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/younger-players-in-this-music-often-turn-out-to-be-middle-aged-it-is/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Diversity is its most consistent characteristic…The characteristics of freely improvised music are established only by the sonic-musical identity of the person or persons playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/diversity-is-its-most-consistent-characteristic-the-characteristics/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [Solo concerts are murder, I find; I don't like doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/solo-concerts-are-murder-i-find-i-don-t-like-doing-them/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [I am reactive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/i-am-reactive/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) > [I don't research anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/i-don-t-research-anything/) [Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) [Explore all 28 Derek Bailey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. 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Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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