--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I began writing songs, there was a…" description: "\"When I began writing songs, there was a pretty direct line between what was happening in my life and what I wrote about. So my first album was really a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d6/erin-mckeown-27400_albums_when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-p_2886223.jpg" --- # When I began writing songs, there was a pretty direct line… ![“When I began writing songs, there was a pretty direct line between what was happening in my life and what I wrote about. So my first album was really all about my failed attempts to make a particular relationship work.” quote by Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d6/erin-mckeown-27400_albums_when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-p_2886223.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d6/erin-mckeown-27400_albums_when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-p_2886223.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d6/erin-mckeown-27400_albums_when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-p_2886223.jpg) > “When I began writing songs, there was a pretty direct line between what was happening in my life and what I wrote about. So my first album was really all about my failed attempts to make a particular relationship work.” [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early songs directly reflected personal life events, especially a failed relationship. **In simple terms:** Music can mirror personal experiences. Key Takeaway Channel personal stories into creative work. Themes songwriting authenticity emotion Mood introspective emotional Type artistic therapeutic When to use this quote - album creation - therapy through music - public performances Key Concepts Narrative songwriting personal catharsis artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal truth with audience connection? - When does vulnerability become overexposure? A Different Perspective Over‑personal content may limit broader appeal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Albums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albums/) [Began Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/began-writing/) [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Failed Attempts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failed-attempts-2237767/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Happenings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happenings/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-songs/) [Wrote Album](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-album-515450/) ## Related quotes > [I wrote an album about being in love. I don't think it's possible to write an album while you're in love - why on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lightbody/i-wrote-an-album-about-being-in-love-i-don-t-think-it-s-possible-to/) [Gary Lightbody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lightbody/) > [I had 14 failed attempts at having kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashmira-shah/i-had-14-failed-attempts-at-having-kids/) [Kashmira Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kashmira-shah/) > [“SOLVE BY RESOLVE - Use lessons learned from failed attempts to reinforce commitment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/solve-by-resolve-use-lessons-learned-from-failed-attempts-to/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Success goes to those who dare to dream. And sometimes you have to take a little "scary action," as well. - Joe Vitale True…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-inglis-anderson/success-goes-to-those-who-dare-to-dream-and-sometimes-you-have-to-2/) [Walter Inglis Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-inglis-anderson/) > [There's more things that I'd like to do. You know, each song is a little bit of a puzzle. I see most of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/there-s-more-things-that-i-d-like-to-do-you-know-each-song-is-a/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [“DON'T QUIT NOW Successful graduates from the school of life thrive on failed attempts Kamil Ali”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/don-t-quit-now-successful-graduates-from-the-school-of-life-thrive-on/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [True success is always the last of a string of failed attempts to get it right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-inglis-anderson/true-success-is-always-the-last-of-a-string-of-failed-attempts-to-get/) [Walter Inglis Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-inglis-anderson/) > [“AIDEN: DID WE NOT ESTABLISH THIS DURING YOUR FAILED ATTEMPTS ON THE BRIDGE? YOU CANNOT HOPE TO MATCH ME. MY COMPUTATIONAL POWER IS ALMOST…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff-amie-kaufman/aiden-did-we-not-establish-this-during-your-failed-attempts-on-the/) [Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff-amie-kaufman/) > [In the process of trial and error, Our failed attempts are meant to destroy arrogance and provoke humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/master-jin-kwon/in-the-process-of-trial-and-error-our-failed-attempts-are-meant-to/) [Master Jin Kwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/master-jin-kwon/) > [In the midst of our failed attempts at loving Jesus, His grace covers us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/in-the-midst-of-our-failed-attempts-at-loving-jesus-his-grace-covers-2/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“The majority fail to realize their dreams, not due to failed attempts; but due to ‘failing to attempt’ because of disgusting feedbacks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sijin-bt/the-majority-fail-to-realize-their-dreams-not-due-to-failed-attempts/) [Sijin Bt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sijin-bt/) > [Are failed attempts to bring mysmile on the face, is the hollowness see time s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/are-failed-attempts-to-bring-mysmile-on-the-face-is-the-hollowness/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [When I wrote the first album I had never played live before, and I'd never been on tour. So that was really just me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-macdonald/when-i-wrote-the-first-album-i-had-never-played-live-before-and-i-d/) [Amy Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-macdonald/) > [Everybody has their own way of hearing songs. My fans are usually pretty on point. Sometimes they go all the way to the bottom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/everybody-has-their-own-way-of-hearing-songs-my-fans-are-usually/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [There's a song called 'All We'd Ever Need,' which is actually the first song that the three of us wrote together on our first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-scott/there-s-a-song-called-all-we-d-ever-need-which-is-actually-the-first/) [Hillary Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-scott/) ## More by Erin McKeown > [I am really pleased to hear each of my songs described as a total surprise. This is what I want!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/i-am-really-pleased-to-hear-each-of-my-songs-described-as-a-total/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [I didn't realize at the time that if I wrote about something, I was going to have to talk about something. A lot. Ad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/i-didn-t-realize-at-the-time-that-if-i-wrote-about-something-i-was/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [I started to understand what the song could be about. The ache of nostalgia even for things we don't like, the commitment to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/i-started-to-understand-what-the-song-could-be-about-the-ache-of/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [It's funny because my main awkwardness around writing the song had little to do with the method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/it-s-funny-because-my-main-awkwardness-around-writing-the-song-had/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [Lenelle Moïse's poems render the abstract - policy, disaster, history, diaspora - specific. Her words make the political not just personal, but corporeal: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/lenelle-mo-se-s-poems-render-the-abstract-policy-disaster-history/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [I think I have come across as "unafraid" because I really cannot control what comes through me in my writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/i-think-i-have-come-across-as-unafraid-because-i-really-cannot/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [When I'm recording something (especially because I produce my own music) I might consider how hard it would be to replicate a song on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/when-i-m-recording-something-especially-because-i-produce-my-own/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [As a listener, I like a wide range of sounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/as-a-listener-i-like-a-wide-range-of-sounds/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [I learned how to have a little bit of distance when I explained songs and a little bit of distance when I wrote them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/i-learned-how-to-have-a-little-bit-of-distance-when-i-explained-songs/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [Really, everything for me comes from "Manifestra." It was an incredible gift of a song; it really describes an important moment in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/really-everything-for-me-comes-from-manifestra-it-was-an-incredible/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [As a consumer of culture, I like a wide range of emotions to be touched in art. It's funny but on the other side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/as-a-consumer-of-culture-i-like-a-wide-range-of-emotions-to-be/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [I wanted to touch on the piece where often politicians use "god" to excuse their actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/i-wanted-to-touch-on-the-piece-where-often-politicians-use-god-to/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [Mostly, the people in "the room" are paid lobbyists representing interests that could afford to pay them. No wonder policy isn't being made that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/mostly-the-people-in-the-room-are-paid-lobbyists-representing/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [I like garage band for writing because you only have crayons and there are only five crayons in the box. Your choices are limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/i-like-garage-band-for-writing-because-you-only-have-crayons-and/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) > [So many policy decisions that effect musicians are being made without any input from musicians at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/so-many-policy-decisions-that-effect-musicians-are-being-made-without/) [Erin McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) [Explore all 20 Erin McKeown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/) ## More Albums quotes > [Check out the albums, ... Check out the live performances. That's the reality of it all. Music is such an energizing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayall/check-out-the-albums-check-out-the-live-performances-that-s-the/) [John Mayall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayall/) > [It's been really fun to see with each album when I change to see the fans of the show emulate my style and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avril-lavigne/it-s-been-really-fun-to-see-with-each-album-when-i-change-to-see-the/) [Avril Lavigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avril-lavigne/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [The weird thing was that Soft Cell was supposed to have come and gone before I started the album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-almond/the-weird-thing-was-that-soft-cell-was-supposed-to-have-come-and-gone/) [Marc Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-almond/) > [I believe in full albums, and whatever comes out of those full albums will come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-ricch/i-believe-in-full-albums-and-whatever-comes-out-of-those-full-albums/) [Roddy Ricch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-ricch/) > [Doing my own album provided me the opportunity to say whatever I wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-marx/doing-my-own-album-provided-me-the-opportunity-to-say-whatever-i/) [Richard Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-marx/) > [The album is a definite departure. I haven't written original material before, except for one song on my first album, but Elvis and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-krall/the-album-is-a-definite-departure-i-haven-t-written-original-material/) [Diana Krall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-krall/) > [I never do any album to beat it. I do it to extend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-never-do-any-album-to-beat-it-i-do-it-to-extend-it/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I love Katy Perry! She gave me a song for my second album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/i-love-katy-perry-she-gave-me-a-song-for-my-second-album/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [If you're going to reach for it, reach all the way for it. Albums like 'Purple Rain' and 'Thriller' and those kind of records,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-sitek/if-you-re-going-to-reach-for-it-reach-all-the-way-for-it-albums-like/) [Dave Sitek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-sitek/) > [I'll put out an album, and people review it, and some people love it, and some people tear it apart. By nature of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girl-talk/i-ll-put-out-an-album-and-people-review-it-and-some-people-love-it/) [Girl Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/girl-talk/) > [I've been connected to the most culturally important albums of the past four years, the most influential artists of the past ten years. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-ve-been-connected-to-the-most-culturally-important-albums-of-the/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [George Winston piano albums have been my go-to since junior high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/george-winston-piano-albums-have-been-my-go-to-since-junior-high/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [Someone told me once that Lucinda Williams takes six years between albums, and that's what stuck to me; it's like, you really are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/someone-told-me-once-that-lucinda-williams-takes-six-years-between/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [Now I'm having to live with sales of around 50,000 per album - but I'm pretty content with my place in the general scheme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-knopfler/now-i-m-having-to-live-with-sales-of-around-50-000-per-album-but-i-m/) [David Knopfler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-knopfler/) [Browse all 2,275 Albums quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albums/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I began writing songs, there was a pretty direct line between what was happening in my life and what I wrote about. So my first album was really all about my failed attempts to make a particular relationship work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erin McKeown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-pretty-direct-line-between/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Albums" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-pretty-direct-line-between/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d6/erin-mckeown-27400_albums_when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-p_2886223.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d6/erin-mckeown-27400_albums_when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-p_2886223.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d6/erin-mckeown-27400_albums_when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-p_2886223.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I began writing songs, there was a pretty direct line between what was happening in my life and what I…” — Erin McKeown", "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": "Erin McKeown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mckeown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I began writing songs, there...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-pretty-direct-line-between/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mckeown/when-i-began-writing-songs-there-was-a-pretty-direct-line-between/#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 } } ] } ```