--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gatekeeper was sort of my first attempt…" description: "\"Gatekeeper was sort of my first attempt to put a little bit of a frame and boundaries around songwriting, and try to figure out a way to approach it th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/feist-6764_approach_gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt_1897397.jpg" --- # Gatekeeper was sort of my first attempt to put a little… ![“Gatekeeper was sort of my first attempt to put a little bit of a frame and boundaries around songwriting, and try to figure out a way to approach it that had a sort of end result in mind. I havent written many like that.” quote by Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/feist-6764_approach_gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt_1897397.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/feist-6764_approach_gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt_1897397.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/feist-6764_approach_gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt_1897397.jpg) > “Gatekeeper was sort of my first attempt to put a little bit of a frame and boundaries around songwriting, and try to figure out a way to approach it that had a sort of end result in mind. I havent written many like that.” [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She tried to set clear limits and goals for songwriting, aiming for a defined outcome, a method she rarely used before. **In simple terms:** She set boundaries to shape her songs with a specific result in mind. Key Takeaway Define clear goals before creating. Themes creativity structure songwriting Mood reflective determined Type artistic process When to use this quote - album planning - personal projects - collaborative sessions - creative workshops Key Concepts artistic intent goal‑oriented creation Questions to Reflect On - How do limits affect your creative flow? - When do you let go of structure? A Different Perspective Boundaries may restrict spontaneous inspiration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundaries/) [End result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-result/) [Gatekeepers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gatekeepers/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a gatekeeper, and the gatekeepers all used to be mostly old, white men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-m-a-gatekeeper-and-the-gatekeepers-all-used-to-be-mostly-old-white/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Your job is to be you, which includes being the chief beneficiary of all things you do right, the chief victim of all you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-hax/your-job-is-to-be-you-which-includes-being-the-chief-beneficiary-of/) [Carolyn Hax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-hax/) > [Because I'm a special gatekeeper. I'm the head gatekeeper. Because, although, as you can see, I'm only a head, I'm also the gatekeeper. Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/because-i-m-a-special-gatekeeper-i-m-the-head-gatekeeper-because/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) > [History knocks at a thousand gates at every moment, and the gatekeeper is chance. We shout into the mist for this one or that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-herzen/history-knocks-at-a-thousand-gates-at-every-moment-and-the-gatekeeper/) [Alexander Herzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-herzen/) > [After I die, I shall return to earth as a gatekeeper of a bordello and I won't let any of you enter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-toscanini/after-i-die-i-shall-return-to-earth-as-a-gatekeeper-of-a-bordello-and/) [Arturo Toscanini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-toscanini/) > [It's just a deep pleasure to read something you've written yourself - if and when you like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/it-s-just-a-deep-pleasure-to-read-something-you-ve-written-yourself/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [For a dyed-in-the-wool author, nothing is as dead as a book once it is written. She is rather like a cat whose kittens have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumer-godden/for-a-dyed-in-the-wool-author-nothing-is-as-dead-as-a-book-once-it-is/) [Rumer Godden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumer-godden/) > [We've written something like 900 songs in all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mann/we-ve-written-something-like-900-songs-in-all/) [Barry Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mann/) > [I had never written about what it's like to live the life of a writer, and I had never read a book that combined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-mattison/i-had-never-written-about-what-it-s-like-to-live-the-life-of-a-writer/) [Alice Mattison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mattison/) > [After the show comes out, I don't remember, Oh, it was written like this, and then I added this, because I'm not looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/after-the-show-comes-out-i-don-t-remember-oh-it-was-written-like-this/) [Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/) > [No one has written the way Isaiah does. The royal style, the majesty of the language. He is called the prince of the prophets.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/no-one-has-written-the-way-isaiah-does-the-royal-style-the-majesty-of/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Those situations were just taking over my entire life. It was fun to write in a way, because it helped me take a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-atkins/those-situations-were-just-taking-over-my-entire-life-it-was-fun-to/) [Nicole Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-atkins/) > [I feel like the books were just written like a movie. You read it and you can just kind of see everything. Before I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/i-feel-like-the-books-were-just-written-like-a-movie-you-read-it-and/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [He suddenly announced that he could not write any more since "All that I have written seems like straw to me."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/he-suddenly-announced-that-he-could-not-write-any-more-since-all-that/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“Put some other things to rights too, she had written, like maybe a hitch in her magic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/put-some-other-things-to-rights-too-she-had-written-like-maybe-a/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) ## More by Feist > [There's no mystery any more. So my instinct is to show very little, because there's much too much information about everyone, everywhere right now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/there-s-no-mystery-any-more-so-my-instinct-is-to-show-very-little/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [I've not really spent much time in proper studios. The room itself where you're recording, and how you live while you're there is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/i-ve-not-really-spent-much-time-in-proper-studios-the-room-itself/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [You can get anywhere on earth by falling asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/you-can-get-anywhere-on-earth-by-falling-asleep/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [Because there's just so much in a day now, I keep writing in much more abstract terms, like I don't try to write about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/because-there-s-just-so-much-in-a-day-now-i-keep-writing-in-much-more/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [Be alone even when there's a million people around, because tomorrow it will be a different million people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/be-alone-even-when-there-s-a-million-people-around-because-tomorrow/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [When I did '1,2,3,4' on 'Sesame Street' they'd rewritten the song and made it about counting. At first, I balked. I was like, 'Counting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/when-i-did-1-2-3-4-on-sesame-street-they-d-rewritten-the-song-and/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [I had a guitar leaning against the wall and I'd squint at it. It was almost like a dog that had been kicked -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/i-had-a-guitar-leaning-against-the-wall-and-i-d-squint-at-it-it-was/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [There are certain parts of chords that resolve things and tie a bow, and others that keep things open and unanswered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/there-are-certain-parts-of-chords-that-resolve-things-and-tie-a-bow/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [With music, I wasn't curious anymore. There was no dialogue. By the time I stopped, I knew it wasn't going to be gone forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/with-music-i-wasn-t-curious-anymore-there-was-no-dialogue-by-the-time/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [No matter who weaves in and out of your life, regardless of the quality of those deep friendships and familyships, I'm the only common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/no-matter-who-weaves-in-and-out-of-your-life-regardless-of-the/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [There's real potency in metal. Metal fans love metal as if it's a nation they would fight for. It's not diluted by pop culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/there-s-real-potency-in-metal-metal-fans-love-metal-as-if-it-s-a/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [I haven't been living anywhere because I've been on tour for the past two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/i-haven-t-been-living-anywhere-because-i-ve-been-on-tour-for-the-past/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [I don't think that village idea of actually knowing what you're contributing to the whole exists anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/i-don-t-think-that-village-idea-of-actually-knowing-what-you-re/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [Any kind of anthemic song, for the most part, they're on the positive side of things. It's not hard to identify when a melody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/any-kind-of-anthemic-song-for-the-most-part-they-re-on-the-positive/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [I didn't really get London until I read Dickens. Then I was charmed to death by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/i-didn-t-really-get-london-until-i-read-dickens-then-i-was-charmed-to/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) [Explore all 97 Feist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) ## More Approach quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [What begins as a Utopian vision, always - always - ends in bloodshed. Because you have to force a utopia on a free people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/what-begins-as-a-utopian-vision-always-always-ends-in-bloodshed/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) [Browse all 3,949 Approach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Gatekeeper was sort of my first attempt to put a little bit of a frame and boundaries around songwriting, and try to figure out a way to approach it that had a sort of end result in mind. I havent written many like that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Feist" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt-to-put-a-little-bit-of-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Approach" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt-to-put-a-little-bit-of-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/feist-6764_approach_gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt_1897397.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/feist-6764_approach_gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt_1897397.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10f/feist-6764_approach_gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt_1897397.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Gatekeeper was sort of my first attempt to put a little bit of a frame and boundaries around songwriting…” — Feist", "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": "Feist", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Gatekeeper was sort of my first...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt-to-put-a-little-bit-of-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/gatekeeper-was-sort-of-my-first-attempt-to-put-a-little-bit-of-a/#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 } } ] } ```