--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't really matter what chords I…" description: "\"It doesn't really matter what chords I play, what words I say or time of day it is, as it's only a Northern Song.\" — George Harrison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/george-harrison-654_chords_it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-p_3162032.jpg" --- # It doesn't really matter what chords I play, what words I… ![“It doesn't really matter what chords I play, what words I say or time of day it is, as it's only a Northern Song.” quote by George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/george-harrison-654_chords_it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-p_3162032.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/george-harrison-654_chords_it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-p_3162032.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/george-harrison-654_chords_it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-p_3162032.jpg) > “It doesn't really matter what chords I play, what words I say or time of day it is, as it's only a Northern Song.” [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The song suggests that details of music or speech are insignificant compared to the larger cultural context. **In simple terms:** Details matter less than overall culture. Key Takeaway Focus on broader impact over minutiae. Themes music culture humility artistic perspective Mood thoughtful contemplative Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - songwriting - public speaking - media production - cultural analysis - education curriculum Key Concepts songwriting cultural influence artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on the big picture affect your work? - When is attention to detail essential? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on details can still be crucial in technical fields. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chords](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chords/) [Chords Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chords-play-606299/) [Day Northern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-northern-5720083/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Northern Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/northern-song-5720082/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Time of day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-of-day/) ## Related quotes > [Trios aren't really geared for slide unless you're gonna play chords, or play that simple George Thorogood style. It gets pretty thin when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hetfield/trios-aren-t-really-geared-for-slide-unless-you-re-gonna-play-chords/) [James Hetfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hetfield/) > [My guitar only has five strings 'cause the top one broke and I decided not to put it back on: when I play chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/my-guitar-only-has-five-strings-cause-the-top-one-broke-and-i-decided/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [The music has gotten thick. Guys give me tunes and they're full of chords. I can't play them...I think a movement in jazz is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/the-music-has-gotten-thick-guys-give-me-tunes-and-they-re-full-of/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [There was this big skiffle craze happening for a while in England… Everybody was in a skiffle group..All you needed was an acoustic Guitar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/there-was-this-big-skiffle-craze-happening-for-a-while-in-england/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [“I just shook my head, knowing this was him evading the question. You," I said, "have this whole tall, dark stranger thing going on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-just-shook-my-head-knowing-this-was-him-evading-the-question-you-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“If you listen to your body and your intuition, they’ll guide you well. 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"Let's play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/i-soon-saw-however-that-creed-s-obsession-with-death-was-typical-of/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) ## More by George Harrison > [All things must pass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/all-things-must-pass/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [We can go up or we can do down. I think generally the world is going on an upward swing. We're in a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/we-can-go-up-or-we-can-do-down-i-think-generally-the-world-is-going/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [There's a point in me where it's beyond sad, seeing the state of the world today. It's so screwed up. It's terrible, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/there-s-a-point-in-me-where-it-s-beyond-sad-seeing-the-state-of-the/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Through all ages, great saints have remained as living proof that this non-temporary, permanent state of God consciousness can be revived in all living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/through-all-ages-great-saints-have-remained-as-living-proof-that-this/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [“It's a thingy! A fiendish thingy!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/it-s-a-thingy-a-fiendish-thingy/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [The greatest thing anyone can give humanity is God consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/the-greatest-thing-anyone-can-give-humanity-is-god-consciousness/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [I was brought up in the kind of Catholic situation up until I was about eleven years old, which was that God is this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/i-was-brought-up-in-the-kind-of-catholic-situation-up-until-i-was/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Nobody can become a drug addict if they're hip. Because it's obvious that if you're hip then you've got to make it. The buzz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/nobody-can-become-a-drug-addict-if-they-re-hip-because-it-s-obvious/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Having played with other musicians, I don't even think The Beatles were that good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/having-played-with-other-musicians-i-don-t-even-think-the-beatles/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [My son looks more like George Harrison than I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/my-son-looks-more-like-george-harrison-than-i-do/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Prasadam's a good little hook in this age of commercialism. When people want something extra, or they need to have something special, prasadam will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/prasadam-s-a-good-little-hook-in-this-age-of-commercialism-when/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Krishna is God, and by chanting His Holy Names, the devotee quickly develops God-consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/krishna-is-god-and-by-chanting-his-holy-names-the-devotee-quickly/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [If there's a God, I want to see Him. It's pointless to believe in something without proof, and Krishna consciousness and meditation are methods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/if-there-s-a-god-i-want-to-see-him-it-s-pointless-to-believe-in/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [You've got to be humble really to be yourself or to get a chance to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/you-ve-got-to-be-humble-really-to-be-yourself-or-to-get-a-chance-to/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [No matter how good you are, you still need grace to get out of the material world. You can be a yogi or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/no-matter-how-good-you-are-you-still-need-grace-to-get-out-of-the/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) [Explore all 427 George Harrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) ## More Chords quotes > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [Talk health. The dreary, never-changing tale Of mortal maladies is worn and stale. You cannot charm, or interest, or please By harping in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/talk-health-the-dreary-never-changing-tale-of-mortal-maladies-is-worn/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [There's four chords in every song. That's the fun part - trying to make that your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-rodrigo/there-s-four-chords-in-every-song-that-s-the-fun-part-trying-to-make/) [Olivia Rodrigo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-rodrigo/) > [Pete Townsend for me was a huge influence. Because essentially they were a three-piece band and the way he structured his chords and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lifeson/pete-townsend-for-me-was-a-huge-influence-because-essentially-they/) [Alex Lifeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lifeson/) > [“Wild Horses" started in a B-minor chord, and Stu didn't play minor chords, "fucking Chinese music.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/wild-horses-started-in-a-b-minor-chord-and-stu-didn-t-play-minor/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [I learned to play by ear before I learned music theory. For me, that makes sense. After all, children learn to speak before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/i-learned-to-play-by-ear-before-i-learned-music-theory-for-me-that/) [Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/) > [My course is about really working on a sheet of music. You work out the chords, which note complements the other, and how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catriona-gray/my-course-is-about-really-working-on-a-sheet-of-music-you-work-out/) [Catriona Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catriona-gray/) > [I don't write poetry and then strum some chords and then fit the words on top of the chords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-don-t-write-poetry-and-then-strum-some-chords-and-then-fit-the/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [I always think of each night as a song. Or each moment as a song. But now I'm seeing we don't live in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-always-think-of-each-night-as-a-song-or-each-moment-as-a-song-but/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [It's a double-headed coin, because technology is a convenience but it's stifled our attention spans. 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The lyrics seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-reeves/there-are-no-rules-or-certain-methods-i-usually-start-with-the-guitar/) [Jason Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-reeves/) > [I like really sparse electronics, lush arrangements, and interesting chord structures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-klinghoffer/i-like-really-sparse-electronics-lush-arrangements-and-interesting/) [Josh Klinghoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-klinghoffer/) [Browse all 544 Chords quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chords/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doesn't really matter what chords I play, what words I say or time of day it is, as it's only a Northern Song.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Harrison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-play-what-words-i-say-or-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chords" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-play-what-words-i-say-or-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/george-harrison-654_chords_it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-p_3162032.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/george-harrison-654_chords_it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-p_3162032.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e75/george-harrison-654_chords_it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-p_3162032.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It doesn't really matter what chords I play, what words I say or time of day it is, as it's only a Northern…” — George Harrison", "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": "George Harrison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It doesn't really matter what chords...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-play-what-words-i-say-or-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-chords-i-play-what-words-i-say-or-time/#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 } } ] } ```