--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I stopped telling people what lyrics…" description: "\"I stopped telling people what lyrics meant to them when I saw them tattoo it on them, because it clearly meant much more to them than it ever did to me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/finneas-5534_lyrics_i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-mea_2672981.jpg" --- # I stopped telling people what lyrics meant to them when I… ![“I stopped telling people what lyrics meant to them when I saw them tattoo it on them, because it clearly meant much more to them than it ever did to me.” quote by Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/finneas-5534_lyrics_i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-mea_2672981.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/finneas-5534_lyrics_i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-mea_2672981.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/finneas-5534_lyrics_i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-mea_2672981.jpg) > “I stopped telling people what lyrics meant to them when I saw them tattoo it on them, because it clearly meant much more to them than it ever did to me.” [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When someone tattoos lyrics, their personal meaning outweighs the creator’s intent, so the creator stops imposing interpretation. **In simple terms:** People assign their own meaning to art. Key Takeaway Respect personal interpretations. Themes art personal meaning interpretation Mood thoughtful empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - tattoos - song lyrics - personal expression - art appreciation Key Concepts Symbolism subjectivity Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when your work is reinterpreted? - Do you value audience ownership of meaning? A Different Perspective Artists may feel detached from audience meanings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrics/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Tattoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tattoo/) ## Related quotes > [I'm clearly not meant to be in front of the camera. I'm really not meant for anything but behind the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/i-m-clearly-not-meant-to-be-in-front-of-the-camera-i-m-really-not/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) > [“He saw clearly how plain and simple - how narrow, even - it all was; but clearly, too, how much it all meant to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/he-saw-clearly-how-plain-and-simple-how-narrow-even-it-all-was-but/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [“Even Hazel had stopped telling Neylan that wearing dragons was inappropriate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lea-dou/even-hazel-had-stopped-telling-neylan-that-wearing-dragons-was/) [Lea Doué](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lea-dou/) > [His whole personality was like an elaborate joke that he never stopped telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/his-whole-personality-was-like-an-elaborate-joke-that-he-never/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [Sometimes the lies you tell are less frightening than the loneliness you might feel if you stopped telling them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-clarke/sometimes-the-lies-you-tell-are-less-frightening-than-the-loneliness/) [Brock Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-clarke/) > [“I wonder when you stopped telling me everything Yuki.In ten years,that's the only thing that has ever changed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsuri-hino/i-wonder-when-you-stopped-telling-me-everything-yuki-in-ten-years/) [Matsuri Hino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matsuri-hino/) > [“I had a dream about you last night. We stopped telling each other about our dreams when we realized we were still inside them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-summers/i-had-a-dream-about-you-last-night-we-stopped-telling-each-other/) [Michael Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-summers/) > [“Because we both knew that sometimes the lies you tell are less frightening than the loneliness you might feel if you stopped telling them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-clarke/because-we-both-knew-that-sometimes-the-lies-you-tell-are-less/) [Brock Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-clarke/) > [I would say my favorite tattoo is my first tattoo of my father, you know, just the remembrance of him, his legacy and impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deandre-hopkins/i-would-say-my-favorite-tattoo-is-my-first-tattoo-of-my-father-you/) [DeAndre Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deandre-hopkins/) > [All I could think was, 'Great, now I'm a tramp! I'll have to get a lower back tattoo and pierce something not on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/easy-a/all-i-could-think-was-great-now-i-m-a-tramp-i-ll-have-to-get-a-lower/) [Easy A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/easy-a/) > [I have a penis tattooed on my leg, and high five tattooed on my palm. I don't regret them yet, but I'm sure when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sykes/i-have-a-penis-tattooed-on-my-leg-and-high-five-tattooed-on-my-palm-i/) [Oliver Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sykes/) > [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [“Tattooists are the new priests for the fucked-up and the thrown away. They speak the language of symbol, and administer penance in tiny metallic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skyler-white/tattooists-are-the-new-priests-for-the-fucked-up-and-the-thrown-away/) [Skyler White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skyler-white/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want this as a tattoo soon!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hawes/i-want-this-as-a-tattoo-soon/) [JOn Hawes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hawes/) ## More by Finneas > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [Even though we're all together making songs and I produce them, it's so her vision. Especially when we walk out on stage every night.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/even-though-we-re-all-together-making-songs-and-i-produce-them-it-s/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I feel like the thing that I've learned a lot is when you're involved in something, you don't always get to appreciate it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-feel-like-the-thing-that-i-ve-learned-a-lot-is-when-you-re-involved/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I had a very positive, wonderful, happy upbringing, and still, for several reasons, I really didn't enjoy being a child very much. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-had-a-very-positive-wonderful-happy-upbringing-and-still-for/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I really value just being able to go out and grab a coffee or going to a movie and not have anyone recognize me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-really-value-just-being-able-to-go-out-and-grab-a-coffee-or-going/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [The first time I ever heard Airborne Toxic Event, my friend was turning 11 or something. And he had a paintball birthday party where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/the-first-time-i-ever-heard-airborne-toxic-event-my-friend-was/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [If you need to record live instruments, especially drums, it's still best to do it in a studio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/if-you-need-to-record-live-instruments-especially-drums-it-s-still/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [The amount of times I've been told something by artists I'm working with, which I'm sure they haven't told even their significant other or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/the-amount-of-times-i-ve-been-told-something-by-artists-i-m-working/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I idolize my kid sister, so I get it. I understand why other people do too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-idolize-my-kid-sister-so-i-get-it-i-understand-why-other-people-do/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [When I started, I felt that there was this incredible amount of doubt of my ability as a producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/when-i-started-i-felt-that-there-was-this-incredible-amount-of-doubt/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I think it's really easy to be the altruistic hero of your own narrative and story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-think-it-s-really-easy-to-be-the-altruistic-hero-of-your-own/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I think we're always looking for ways to inject a sense of humor into our music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-think-we-re-always-looking-for-ways-to-inject-a-sense-of-humor-into/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [What I really didn't want to do is work with other people and have them go, 'Oh, Finneas just does that sound for everybody.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/what-i-really-didn-t-want-to-do-is-work-with-other-people-and-have/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [Working on TV shows was fun, but I felt crazy pressured and stressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/working-on-tv-shows-was-fun-but-i-felt-crazy-pressured-and-stressed/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [Production has always been a fantasy of mine, and I got really lucky and had a sister who put a lot of faith and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/production-has-always-been-a-fantasy-of-mine-and-i-got-really-lucky/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) [Explore all 100 Finneas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) ## More Lyrics quotes > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [The lyrics are constructed as empirically as the music. I don't set out to say anything very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-lyrics-are-constructed-as-empirically-as-the-music-i-don-t-set/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [No matter how many quotes you read, songs lyrics you hear, or how much you write your heart out, sometimes words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-many-quotes-you-read-songs-lyrics-you-hear-or-how-much/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [When you are happy you enjoy music but when you are sad you understand the lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-are-happy-you-enjoy-music-but-when-you-are-sad-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't like lyrics to be overbearing. I like them to say something. But I'm not trying to change the world overnight. Something simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rodgers/i-don-t-like-lyrics-to-be-overbearing-i-like-them-to-say-something/) [Paul Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rodgers/) > [We like to take pop songs that have really cool, complex melodies or lyrics and strip away all that fluff and electronic noise, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinkx-monsoon/we-like-to-take-pop-songs-that-have-really-cool-complex-melodies-or/) [Jinkx Monsoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinkx-monsoon/) > [Nigger Money talks trust me I know what I'm saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/nigger-money-talks-trust-me-i-know-what-i-m-saying/) Trunxbeats > [I love clever lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-love-clever-lyrics/) [Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/) > [“ Lyrics belongs to us ina specific language, but music is universal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abrar-ahmed-chowdhury/lyrics-belongs-to-us-ina-specific-language-but-music-is-universal/) [Abrar Ahmed chowdhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abrar-ahmed-chowdhury/) > [I Lost My Heart My Home Is The Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sleeping-with-sirens/i-lost-my-heart-my-home-is-the-ocean/) [Sleeping With Sirens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sleeping-with-sirens/) > [I find lyrics can come at any time during the day, as can music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/i-find-lyrics-can-come-at-any-time-during-the-day-as-can-music/) [Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/) > [My song is going to need dope lyrics to lure the honeys in!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/my-song-is-going-to-need-dope-lyrics-to-lure-the-honeys-in/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) [Browse all 1,653 Lyrics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I stopped telling people what lyrics meant to them when I saw them tattoo it on them, because it clearly meant much more to them than it ever did to me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Finneas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-meant-to-them-when-i-saw-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Lyrics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-meant-to-them-when-i-saw-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/finneas-5534_lyrics_i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-mea_2672981.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/finneas-5534_lyrics_i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-mea_2672981.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de2/finneas-5534_lyrics_i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-mea_2672981.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I stopped telling people what lyrics meant to them when I saw them tattoo it on them, because it clearly…” — Finneas", "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": "Finneas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I stopped telling people what lyrics...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-meant-to-them-when-i-saw-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/i-stopped-telling-people-what-lyrics-meant-to-them-when-i-saw-them/#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 } } ] } ```