---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to keep making records as long as…"
description: "\"I want to keep making records as long as I can and that's the beginning and end of my concern about selling records.\" — Elliott Smith"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/elliott-smith-8566_beginnings-and-ends_i-want-to-keep-making-records-as-long-as_2240200.jpg"
---

#  I want to keep making records as long as I can and that's…

![“I want to keep making records as long as I can and that's the beginning and end of my concern about selling records.” quote by Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/elliott-smith-8566_beginnings-and-ends_i-want-to-keep-making-records-as-long-as_2240200.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/elliott-smith-8566_beginnings-and-ends_i-want-to-keep-making-records-as-long-as_2240200.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/elliott-smith-8566_beginnings-and-ends_i-want-to-keep-making-records-as-long-as_2240200.jpg)

> “I want to keep making records as long as I can and that's the beginning and end of my concern about selling records.”

[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.

Shows dedication to creating music despite commercial pressures, focusing on artistic integrity.

**In simple terms:** Make music for love, not profit.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize art over sales.

Themes

artistic integrity music career commercial pressure

Mood

introspective determined

Type

musician philosophical

When to use this quote

- songwriting
- album production
- live performance
- record label negotiations

Key Concepts

creative authenticity industry critique

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you stay true to your art?
- What compromises are acceptable?

A Different Perspective

Financial needs may conflict with artistic goals.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Beginning And End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning-and-end/) [Beginnings and ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginnings-and-ends/) [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Concern Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern-selling-5074602/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Making Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-records-290730/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Records Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records-long-496104/) [Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling/) [Selling Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling-records-260720/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/)

## Related quotes

> [I want to keep making records as long as I can, but I don't know how long you can be taken seriously in rap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-want-to-keep-making-records-as-long-as-i-can-but-i-don-t-know-how/)

[Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/)

> [There is a beginning and end to all life - and to all human endeavors. Species evolve and die off. Empires rise, then break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvon-chouinard/there-is-a-beginning-and-end-to-all-life-and-to-all-human-endeavors/)

[Yvon Chouinard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvon-chouinard/)

> [To the zealot overcome by his piety and to the journeyman of ideas concerned only with his marketable mental skills, the beginning and end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/to-the-zealot-overcome-by-his-piety-and-to-the-journeyman-of-ideas/)

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> [In that moment Ged understood the singing of the bird, and the language of the water falling in the basin of the fountain, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/in-that-moment-ged-understood-the-singing-of-the-bird-and-the/)

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> [I don't plot the books out ahead of time, I don't plan them. I don't begin at the beginning and end at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-don-t-plot-the-books-out-ahead-of-time-i-don-t-plan-them-i-don-t/)

[Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/)

> [Man, just believe in yourself, be able to dream, and know that there's going to be valleys and peaks. Always stay centered, and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/man-just-believe-in-yourself-be-able-to-dream-and-know-that-there-s/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [No power of earth, or hell, men or devils, can possibly stand against the word of God; and hence it is the very height…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-henry-mackintosh/no-power-of-earth-or-hell-men-or-devils-can-possibly-stand-against/)

[Charles Henry Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-henry-mackintosh/)

> [For when you looked into my mother's eyes you knew, as if He had told you, why God sent her into the world -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-when-you-looked-into-my-mother-s-eyes-you-knew-as-if-he-had-told/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The basic meaning of etiquette is to be quick at both the beginning and end and tranquil in the middle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamamoto-tsunetomo/the-basic-meaning-of-etiquette-is-to-be-quick-at-both-the-beginning/)

[Yamamoto Tsunetomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamamoto-tsunetomo/)

> [Thus all things are subject to death, sorrow and suffering. I became aware that I too was of the same nature, the nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/thus-all-things-are-subject-to-death-sorrow-and-suffering-i-became/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [Limitless and immortal, the waters are the beginning and end of all things on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-zimmer/limitless-and-immortal-the-waters-are-the-beginning-and-end-of-all/)

[Heinrich Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-zimmer/)

> [To me, the 90's signaled the end of glam rock, the beginning of gangsta rap, and hopefully the beginning and end of boy bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-west/to-me-the-90-s-signaled-the-end-of-glam-rock-the-beginning-of-gangsta/)

[Shane West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-west/)

> [What does the artist do? He draws connections. He ties the invisible threads between things. He dives into history, be it the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/what-does-the-artist-do-he-draws-connections-he-ties-the-invisible/)

[Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/)

> [A robust internal auditing program shows its presence both at the beginning and end of continual improvement projects. In the beginning, internal audits identify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-novak/a-robust-internal-auditing-program-shows-its-presence-both-at-the/)

[John Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-novak/)

> [I've learned two things in my life. One that love is the beginning and end of all meaning. And two that it is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-learned-two-things-in-my-life-one-that-love-is-the-beginning-and/)

[Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/)

## 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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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 Beginnings and ends quotes

> [I've learned two things in my life. One that love is the beginning and end of all meaning. And two that it is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-learned-two-things-in-my-life-one-that-love-is-the-beginning-and/)

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> [What does the artist do? He draws connections. He ties the invisible threads between things. He dives into history, be it the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/what-does-the-artist-do-he-draws-connections-he-ties-the-invisible/)

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[Shane West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-west/)

> [Limitless and immortal, the waters are the beginning and end of all things on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-zimmer/limitless-and-immortal-the-waters-are-the-beginning-and-end-of-all/)

[Heinrich Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-zimmer/)

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> [The basic meaning of etiquette is to be quick at both the beginning and end and tranquil in the middle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamamoto-tsunetomo/the-basic-meaning-of-etiquette-is-to-be-quick-at-both-the-beginning/)

[Yamamoto Tsunetomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamamoto-tsunetomo/)

> [For when you looked into my mother's eyes you knew, as if He had told you, why God sent her into the world -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-when-you-looked-into-my-mother-s-eyes-you-knew-as-if-he-had-told/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

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[Charles Henry Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-henry-mackintosh/)

> [Man, just believe in yourself, be able to dream, and know that there's going to be valleys and peaks. Always stay centered, and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/man-just-believe-in-yourself-be-able-to-dream-and-know-that-there-s/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

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> [Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/great-is-the-art-of-beginning-but-greater-is-the-art-of-ending/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [I don't plot the books out ahead of time, I don't plan them. I don't begin at the beginning and end at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-don-t-plot-the-books-out-ahead-of-time-i-don-t-plan-them-i-don-t/)

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> [People observe the colors of a day only at its beginnings and ends, but to me it's quite clear that a day merges through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/people-observe-the-colors-of-a-day-only-at-its-beginnings-and-ends/)

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> [In that moment Ged understood the singing of the bird, and the language of the water falling in the basin of the fountain, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/in-that-moment-ged-understood-the-singing-of-the-bird-and-the/)

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