--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never recorded anyone else's songs…" description: "\"I've never recorded anyone else's songs. I'm not interested. If you gave me a song by Bono and Edge and promised me a number one hit with it I'd still ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/gilbert-o-sullivan-8367_kind_i-ve-never-recorded-anyone-else-s-songs_1755159.jpg" --- # I've never recorded anyone else's songs. I'm not… ![“I've never recorded anyone else's songs. I'm not interested. If you gave me a song by Bono and Edge and promised me a number one hit with it I'd still say no. That, for me, is not the kind of success I want.” quote by Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/gilbert-o-sullivan-8367_kind_i-ve-never-recorded-anyone-else-s-songs_1755159.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/gilbert-o-sullivan-8367_kind_i-ve-never-recorded-anyone-else-s-songs_1755159.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/gilbert-o-sullivan-8367_kind_i-ve-never-recorded-anyone-else-s-songs_1755159.jpg) > “I've never recorded anyone else's songs. I'm not interested. If you gave me a song by Bono and Edge and promised me a number one hit with it I'd still say no. That, for me, is not the kind of success I want.” [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist values authentic, self‑directed success over commercial hits, rejecting external pressure to copy popular songs. **In simple terms:** He prefers personal artistic integrity to fame. Key Takeaway Stay true to your own artistic vision. Themes authenticity artistic integrity success individualism music industry Mood reflective determined Type artistic personal When to use this quote - songwriting - recording contracts - collaborations - music festivals - career decisions Key Concepts creative autonomy personal fulfillment industry pressure commercial success artistic values Questions to Reflect On - What defines success for you beyond charts? - How do you handle external expectations? A Different Perspective May limit exposure to broader audiences and financial opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I've only recorded my own songs. I don't consider myself a great singer, so I wouldn't be comfortable interpreting other people's songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-ve-only-recorded-my-own-songs-i-don-t-consider-myself-a-great/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [A lot of the songs I've recorded are songs I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/a-lot-of-the-songs-i-ve-recorded-are-songs-i-write/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [I spent 25 years clearly understanding that I'm not gonna meet Bono or the Edge. But then it happened at the Grammys when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristian-bush/i-spent-25-years-clearly-understanding-that-i-m-not-gonna-meet-bono/) [Kristian Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristian-bush/) > [I always dreamed of playing a show with Bono and Edge and the guys in Green Day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trombone-shorty/i-always-dreamed-of-playing-a-show-with-bono-and-edge-and-the-guys-in/) [Trombone Shorty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trombone-shorty/) > [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/) > [I was praying one day and God literally gave me a song called 'Healing Hand of God.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-camp/i-was-praying-one-day-and-god-literally-gave-me-a-song-called-healing/) [Jeremy Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-camp/) > [When I went to Gabriel Roth's studio, I showed him I was good with my hands and started working as a handyman in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradley/when-i-went-to-gabriel-roth-s-studio-i-showed-him-i-was-good-with-my/) [Charles Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradley/) > [The requests started coming in from other prisoners all over the United States. And then the word got around. So I always wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/the-requests-started-coming-in-from-other-prisoners-all-over-the/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [Luckily, there's enough people who have recorded songs that I can just go online and kind of figure out how to play them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/luckily-there-s-enough-people-who-have-recorded-songs-that-i-can-just/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) > [We have recorded songs on the same day that were released years later in other albums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/we-have-recorded-songs-on-the-same-day-that-were-released-years-later/) [Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/) > [I've just built a studio in my mama's old bedroom, which I thought was fitting; she died last year. We've recorded nine songs recorded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-stills/i-ve-just-built-a-studio-in-my-mama-s-old-bedroom-which-i-thought-was/) [Stephen Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-stills/) > [If it can affect me, if it has meaning to me, if I feel I can do it well, I will do it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/if-it-can-affect-me-if-it-has-meaning-to-me-if-i-feel-i-can-do-it/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [Even after I had recorded a few songs, people would say that they didn't know me. It would hurt at times but now, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-bhasin/even-after-i-had-recorded-a-few-songs-people-would-say-that-they-didn/) [Neha Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-bhasin/) > [It was great fun to be able to work with so many different artists. And I'm paying a tribute to the Beatles. I've just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-preston/it-was-great-fun-to-be-able-to-work-with-so-many-different-artists/) [Billy Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-preston/) > [When I talk about what I'm feeling, I can get outside of it and analyze it. I think that process, especially on 'Sprained Ankle,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-baker/when-i-talk-about-what-i-m-feeling-i-can-get-outside-of-it-and/) [Julien Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-baker/) ## More by Gilbert O'Sullivan > [Whenever I write lyrics and an Americanism slips in, I always cut it straight out. I can't use the word 'babe,' for instance. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/whenever-i-write-lyrics-and-an-americanism-slips-in-i-always-cut-it/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [The music is the thing. I am not writing for critics; I don't want to become a personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/the-music-is-the-thing-i-am-not-writing-for-critics-i-don-t-want-to/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [Song writing is very serious; it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/song-writing-is-very-serious-it-is-hard/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [The writing is everything of course but you can't be making records and not be willing to go out there and perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/the-writing-is-everything-of-course-but-you-can-t-be-making-records/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [The perception that if you're not on 'Top Of The Pops' you're dead and buried is a good one for pop music, because 'TOTP'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/the-perception-that-if-you-re-not-on-top-of-the-pops-you-re-dead-and/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I'd love to see myself on sale in shops. It tickles me, does the idea of me being marketed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-d-love-to-see-myself-on-sale-in-shops-it-tickles-me-does-the-idea/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I didn't come into the music business to make money. I came into it to be a success. Of course, if you're successful, you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-didn-t-come-into-the-music-business-to-make-money-i-came-into-it-to/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [Nothing Rhymed,' my first single in England, was a nice ballad, which I thought would sound like a songwriter typical of the day -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/nothing-rhymed-my-first-single-in-england-was-a-nice-ballad-which-i/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I never wanted global fame you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-never-wanted-global-fame-you-know/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I think if every song I had was, 'I love you, you love me,' there would be a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-think-if-every-song-i-had-was-i-love-you-you-love-me-there-would-be/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [What I would hate to go through is what happened in the mid-90s playing in front of a half-empty theatre, which prompted me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/what-i-would-hate-to-go-through-is-what-happened-in-the-mid-90s/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I'm not a great socialiser. Nor am I a red carpet person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/i-m-not-a-great-socialiser-nor-am-i-a-red-carpet-person/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [When I started out I thought just hearing one of my records on the radio would be magical. Fortunately, that naivety has always stayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/when-i-started-out-i-thought-just-hearing-one-of-my-records-on-the/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [You see, I read reviews of people like Paul Simon, and they don't talk about the fact that he's looking old or whether he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/you-see-i-read-reviews-of-people-like-paul-simon-and-they-don-t-talk/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [At school, I was basically a loner, it was hard until I was 15 or so. Then I went to art school and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/at-school-i-was-basically-a-loner-it-was-hard-until-i-was-15-or-so/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) [Explore all 81 Gilbert O'Sullivan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) ## More Kind quotes > [Money is the kind of instrument which is very speedily produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/money-is-the-kind-of-instrument-which-is-very-speedily-produced/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/) [Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/) > [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [I always step on the plane with my right foot and touch the outside of the plane with my left hand. Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) > [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/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [You're getting into some kind of shape, cop." Aw, come on, now." Butch grinned. "Don't let that shower we took go to your head."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/you-re-getting-into-some-kind-of-shape-cop-aw-come-on-now-butch/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) Browse all 40,753 Kind quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never recorded anyone else's songs. I'm not interested. 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