--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the suggestion that all my songs…" description: "\"I think the suggestion that all my songs are personal is insulting because that assumes that I have a bunch of issues that I feel the need to unload on..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/elliott-smith-8566_assuming_i-think-the-suggestion-that-all-my-songs_2928719.jpg" --- # I think the suggestion that all my songs are personal is… ![“I think the suggestion that all my songs are personal is insulting because that assumes that I have a bunch of issues that I feel the need to unload on strangers. That is not the case. It also assumes that I just talk about myself the whole time which, again, is not true.” quote by Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/elliott-smith-8566_assuming_i-think-the-suggestion-that-all-my-songs_2928719.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/elliott-smith-8566_assuming_i-think-the-suggestion-that-all-my-songs_2928719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/elliott-smith-8566_assuming_i-think-the-suggestion-that-all-my-songs_2928719.jpg) > “I think the suggestion that all my songs are personal is insulting because that assumes that I have a bunch of issues that I feel the need to unload on strangers. That is not the case. It also assumes that I just talk about myself the whole time which, again, is not true.” [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He rejects the notion that his music is merely personal confession, arguing it misrepresents his artistic intent. **In simple terms:** His songs aren’t just personal venting. Key Takeaway Recognize broader artistic purpose. Themes artistry misinterpretation privacy Mood defensive reflective Type personal musical When to use this quote - album reviews - media interviews - public perception - artist statements Key Concepts authenticity artist-audience relationship Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate personal expression from artistic narrative? - What responsibilities do artists have to clarify intent? A Different Perspective Listeners may still read personal meaning into his work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) [Suggestions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggestions/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“A last trick is to become personal, insulting and rude as soon as you perceive that your opponent has the upper hand. In becoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/a-last-trick-is-to-become-personal-insulting-and-rude-as-soon-as-you/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Music is worth doing just because. It doesn’t have to be justified by some political point of view, and it’s kind of insulting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/music-is-worth-doing-just-because-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-justified-by/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I mostly write songs about my personal experiences with girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-simpson/i-mostly-write-songs-about-my-personal-experiences-with-girls/) [Cody Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-simpson/) > [My songs are very personal, which means they are fantastically therapeutic to write, but performing them night after night is emotionally draining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mvula/my-songs-are-very-personal-which-means-they-are-fantastically/) [Laura Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mvula/) > [I look for something universal in songs rather than something personal. I look for something that will give us a platform for live improvisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-kimbrough/i-look-for-something-universal-in-songs-rather-than-something/) [Will Kimbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-kimbrough/) > [Christian songs are more my personal testimony. I don't say things I don't believe in on secular records, but I am going for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/christian-songs-are-more-my-personal-testimony-i-don-t-say-things-i/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [My favorite music isn't necessarily the songs that One Direction come out with. That doesn't mean to say I don't secretly really love some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-tomlinson/my-favorite-music-isn-t-necessarily-the-songs-that-one-direction-come/) [Louis Tomlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-tomlinson/) > [There's definitely some pieces in there that reflect on my personal life, but really, they aren't as personal as everybody thinks they are. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/there-s-definitely-some-pieces-in-there-that-reflect-on-my-personal/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [As a youngster when I started writing and stuff, I did actually write more from other people's perspectives. When I hit 18 and something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/as-a-youngster-when-i-started-writing-and-stuff-i-did-actually-write/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [I've been writing a lot of songs about my personal life and identity. That can be a real healing process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/i-ve-been-writing-a-lot-of-songs-about-my-personal-life-and-identity/) [Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/) > [A lot of my songs are very personal, always, but this one felt like a memoir. I almost called it Hallucinated Memoir. "Granny" is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-chesnutt/a-lot-of-my-songs-are-very-personal-always-but-this-one-felt-like-a/) Vic Chesnutt > [It bugs me that people think my songs are personal because it means I have to explain myself all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lamontagne/it-bugs-me-that-people-think-my-songs-are-personal-because-it-means-i/) [Ray LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lamontagne/) > [My love songs are very personal and quite weird. They don't really have the big radio hit choruses because basically they're my therapy, stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/my-love-songs-are-very-personal-and-quite-weird-they-don-t-really/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [My music is a personal thing, and I feel like if I talk too much about the songs, or if there's too much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/my-music-is-a-personal-thing-and-i-feel-like-if-i-talk-too-much-about/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [My most cryptic, strange songs might be my most personal, but that isn't how people are going to receive them, because they don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-most-cryptic-strange-songs-might-be-my-most-personal-but-that-isn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Elliott Smith > [Somewhere where people aren't so mad would be nice, but I don't know if there is anywhere like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/somewhere-where-people-aren-t-so-mad-would-be-nice-but-i-don-t-know/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I actually don't think that I'm gonna sell a lot of records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-actually-don-t-think-that-i-m-gonna-sell-a-lot-of-records/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Because God only knows why people like what they like and don't like something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/because-god-only-knows-why-people-like-what-they-like-and-don-t-like/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [My girlfriend at the time convinced me to send these songs to Cavity Search. When they wanted to put out my record I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/my-girlfriend-at-the-time-convinced-me-to-send-these-songs-to-cavity/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [People think they know all these things about other people, and if you ask them why they think they know that, it'd be hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/people-think-they-know-all-these-things-about-other-people-and-if-you/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I didn't think I was gonna be playing on the Oscars or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-didn-t-think-i-was-gonna-be-playing-on-the-oscars-or-anything/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [All your secret wishes could right now be coming true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/all-your-secret-wishes-could-right-now-be-coming-true/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I can't think of anything off the top of my head that seems more important than something designed to raise money to keep something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-can-t-think-of-anything-off-the-top-of-my-head-that-seems-more/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [I went walking around the city some more, people watching with a cold, blank stare. And I saw your face in everyone, I swear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/i-went-walking-around-the-city-some-more-people-watching-with-a-cold/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [There are lots of things I like about playing in a band, the things I can't do by myself you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/there-are-lots-of-things-i-like-about-playing-in-a-band-the-things-i/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [The band's filter, but playing live is a lot of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/the-band-s-filter-but-playing-live-is-a-lot-of-fun/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [Well, I try not to think about the general public since I have no idea what the general public is and I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/well-i-try-not-to-think-about-the-general-public-since-i-have-no-idea/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [People can be chaos but it's hard to fit it into some creative piece that you made. It's hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/people-can-be-chaos-but-it-s-hard-to-fit-it-into-some-creative-piece/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [“Tired of dancing on a pot of gold flake paint”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/tired-of-dancing-on-a-pot-of-gold-flake-paint/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [A lot of people are kind of depressed. I'm happy some of the time, and some of the time I'm not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/a-lot-of-people-are-kind-of-depressed-i-m-happy-some-of-the-time-and/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) [Explore all 80 Elliott Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the suggestion that all my songs are personal is insulting because that assumes that I have a bunch of issues that I feel the need to unload on strangers. That is not the case. 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