--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I learnt early on that your audience take…" description: "\"I learnt early on that your audience take the songs in the way they want to rather than the way you might want them too.\" — Gil Scott-Heron" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/gil-scott-heron-9568_audience_i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-tak_1183891.jpg" --- # I learnt early on that your audience take the songs in the… ![“I learnt early on that your audience take the songs in the way they want to rather than the way you might want them too.” quote by Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/gil-scott-heron-9568_audience_i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-tak_1183891.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/gil-scott-heron-9568_audience_i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-tak_1183891.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/gil-scott-heron-9568_audience_i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-tak_1183891.jpg) > “I learnt early on that your audience take the songs in the way they want to rather than the way you might want them too.” [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists should accept that listeners interpret songs in their own ways, not necessarily as intended. **In simple terms:** Audience interprets songs uniquely. Key Takeaway Embrace diverse audience perspectives. Themes art communication interpretation Mood reflective open Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - concerts - songwriting - media analysis Key Concepts cultural studies audience theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance artistic intent with audience freedom? - What impact does audience interpretation have on your work? A Different Perspective Artists may feel loss of control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audience Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-songs-1424465/) [Early Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-audience-3484195/) [Learnt Early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learnt-early-813199/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs-way-652138/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [It crossed our minds early on that the more an audience cared - we were working before, on average, 240, live people. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/it-crossed-our-minds-early-on-that-the-more-an-audience-cared-we-were/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [I quickly said that because of my loyalty to Star Trek, and also just being a fan, I wouldn’t even want to be involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-quickly-said-that-because-of-my-loyalty-to-star-trek-and-also-just/) [J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/) > [When the band first started, it was so much about carving out some space for myself and our audience and our songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/when-the-band-first-started-it-was-so-much-about-carving-out-some/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) > [I play shows sometimes, and if everything's connecting, I start blabbing to the audience about anything. Between songs, talking about things in my personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kozelek/i-play-shows-sometimes-and-if-everything-s-connecting-i-start/) [Mark Kozelek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kozelek/) > [An audience will let you know if a song communicates. If you see them kind of falling asleep during the song, or if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thompson/an-audience-will-let-you-know-if-a-song-communicates-if-you-see-them/) [Richard Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thompson/) > [I learnt very early in life that whenever there is a choice between peace of mind and piece of ass, go for the former.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahrukh-khan/i-learnt-very-early-in-life-that-whenever-there-is-a-choice-between/) [Shahrukh Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahrukh-khan/) > [Through more error than trial, I learnt early on as an employer what qualities I wanted and, more importantly didn't want, from a PA.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/through-more-error-than-trial-i-learnt-early-on-as-an-employer-what/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [The mind is slow to unlearn what it learnt early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-elder/the-mind-is-slow-to-unlearn-what-it-learnt-early/) [Seneca the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-elder/) > [I think the lesson that I learnt very early on was to listen to people you work with, because you're all in it together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ezra/i-think-the-lesson-that-i-learnt-very-early-on-was-to-listen-to/) [George Ezra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ezra/) > [I think it is just a function of the fact that I moved around so much as a child that I learnt early on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/i-think-it-is-just-a-function-of-the-fact-that-i-moved-around-so-much/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [I believe the reason for my early independence is sport, through which I learnt at an early stage to take care of myself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanka-vlasic/i-believe-the-reason-for-my-early-independence-is-sport-through-which/) [Blanka Vlasic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanka-vlasic/) > [I learnt early to have little expectation so I protected myself from ever feeling greatly disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-vodianova/i-learnt-early-to-have-little-expectation-so-i-protected-myself-from/) [Natalia Vodianova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-vodianova/) > [I could write a million songs about the way you say my name. I could live a lifetime with you and then do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanie-myprecious/i-could-write-a-million-songs-about-the-way-you-say-my-name-i-could/) [YANIE-MyPrecious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanie-myprecious/) > [A lot of people in Nashville think that the best song is the catchiest or the one that sells the most copies. They're editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/a-lot-of-people-in-nashville-think-that-the-best-song-is-the/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > ['Battlefield' was one of those slow-building songs, the way 'Tattoo' was. It was kind of a word-of-mouth hit. The more people heard it, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordin-sparks/battlefield-was-one-of-those-slow-building-songs-the-way-tattoo-was/) [Jordin Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordin-sparks/) ## More by Gil Scott-Heron > [Oftentimes, the way it seems to be is that our artists in particular point themselves out as spokesmen for a certain constituency in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/oftentimes-the-way-it-seems-to-be-is-that-our-artists-in-particular/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I was one of the first three black students to go to an all-white school in Tennessee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-was-one-of-the-first-three-black-students-to-go-to-an-all-white/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [A good poet feels what his community feels. Like if you stub your toe, the rest of your body hurts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/a-good-poet-feels-what-his-community-feels-like-if-you-stub-your-toe/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I find it not just strange but almost ridiculous that people could take a song like the one I was doing and interpret it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-find-it-not-just-strange-but-almost-ridiculous-that-people-could/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [Womenfolk raised me and I was full-grown before I knew I came from a broken home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/womenfolk-raised-me-and-i-was-full-grown-before-i-knew-i-came-from-a/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [If you aren't having no fun, die, because you're running a worthless program, far as I'm concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/if-you-aren-t-having-no-fun-die-because-you-re-running-a-worthless/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I have a novel that I can write. It's about three soldiers from Somalia. Some babies have been disappearing up on 144th Street, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-have-a-novel-that-i-can-write-it-s-about-three-soldiers-from/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [ I work hard at it \[delivery of lyrics\], just like I worked hard at getting my masters degree. It's not just something I sit… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-work-hard-at-it-delivery-of-lyrics-just-like-i-worked-hard-at/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [Your life has to consist of more than 'Black people should unite.' You hope they do, but not twenty-four hours a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/your-life-has-to-consist-of-more-than-black-people-should-unite-you/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [You should be able to do anything you can afford as an adult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-should-be-able-to-do-anything-you-can-afford-as-an-adult/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [You know what has made me the happiest I've ever been? Seeing my son and daughter graduate from college. More than wanting them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/you-know-what-has-made-me-the-happiest-i-ve-ever-been-seeing-my-son/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I've always had questions about what it meant to be a protester, to be in the minority. Are the people who are trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-ve-always-had-questions-about-what-it-meant-to-be-a-protester-to-be/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I was a piano player before I was a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-was-a-piano-player-before-i-was-a-poet/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I cannot afford to watch Fox News.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-cannot-afford-to-watch-fox-news/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [I think a whole lot of stuff gets by people - I could name half a dozen groups that do songs that are openly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-think-a-whole-lot-of-stuff-gets-by-people-i-could-name-half-a-dozen/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) [Explore all 71 Gil Scott-Heron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I learnt early on that your audience take the songs in the way they want to rather than the way you might want them too.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gil Scott-Heron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-take-the-songs-in-the-way-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Audience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-take-the-songs-in-the-way-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/gil-scott-heron-9568_audience_i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-tak_1183891.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/gil-scott-heron-9568_audience_i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-tak_1183891.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/gil-scott-heron-9568_audience_i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-tak_1183891.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I learnt early on that your audience take the songs in the way they want to rather than the way you might…” — Gil Scott-Heron", "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": "Gil Scott-Heron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I learnt early on that your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-take-the-songs-in-the-way-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/i-learnt-early-on-that-your-audience-take-the-songs-in-the-way-they/#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 } } ] } ```