--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We spent a long time learning the craft…" description: "\"We spent a long time learning the craft of songwriting, Roger Glover and I, for a few years before we joined Deep Purple. You learn about the percussiv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/ian-gillan-4769_crafts_we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft_3051293.jpg" --- # We spent a long time learning the craft of songwriting… ![“We spent a long time learning the craft of songwriting, Roger Glover and I, for a few years before we joined Deep Purple. You learn about the percussive value of words, and you learn about rhyme and meter. You learn that you can't transform a poem into a song lyric, mostly because the spoken shape…” quote by Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/ian-gillan-4769_crafts_we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft_3051293.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/ian-gillan-4769_crafts_we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft_3051293.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/ian-gillan-4769_crafts_we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft_3051293.jpg) > “We spent a long time learning the craft of songwriting, Roger Glover and I, for a few years before we joined Deep Purple. You learn about the percussive value of words, and you learn about rhyme and meter. You learn that you can't transform a poem into a song lyric, mostly because the spoken shape of words is different than the sung shape of words. You wouldn't use the vowel 'U' or the vowel sound 'ooo' for a high note for example, its very difficult.” [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Songwriting differs from poetry; lyrical rhythm must suit melody. **In simple terms:** Lyrics need musical shape, not just poetic form. Key Takeaway Adapt words for musical performance. Themes music poetry creativity Mood thoughtful creative Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - studio recording - live performance - education Key Concepts song structure vocal technique Questions to Reflect On - How do you bridge poetry and music? - What limits lyrical expression? A Different Perspective Not all poets can become lyricists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Deep purple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-purple/) [High notes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-notes/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song lyric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-lyric/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [I remember my uncle, who was a jazz pianist, when we did Deep Purple 'In Rock,' he ran from the room screaming, holding his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-remember-my-uncle-who-was-a-jazz-pianist-when-we-did-deep-purple-in/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [Glenn Hughes is one of the most naturally talented musicians, but he's still copying Steve Wonder to this day, so I can't call him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/glenn-hughes-is-one-of-the-most-naturally-talented-musicians-but-he-s/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [No matter what I do, I've always recognized that Deep Purple is primarily an instrumental band. That's where all the music comes from in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/no-matter-what-i-do-i-ve-always-recognized-that-deep-purple-is/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [Deep Purple was sinking with Ritchie. We were playing to quarter houses in Europe, which is one of our strongest territories - in Germany.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/deep-purple-was-sinking-with-ritchie-we-were-playing-to-quarter/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [To the general public in America, the lifespan of Deep Purple probably finished with our 1984 album, 'Perfect Strangers.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/to-the-general-public-in-america-the-lifespan-of-deep-purple-probably/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [My grandad was an opera singer, my uncle a jazz musician; I was a boy soprano in the church choir. But the first performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/my-grandad-was-an-opera-singer-my-uncle-a-jazz-musician-i-was-a-boy/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [I know the guys in Metallica. I'm very honored that they were influenced by Deep Purple when they started, and they've always been very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-know-the-guys-in-metallica-i-m-very-honored-that-they-were/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [If a woman's aim is to become a singer, I would highly advise her to first develop her craft in songwriting. It's such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-ali/if-a-woman-s-aim-is-to-become-a-singer-i-would-highly-advise-her-to/) [Nadia Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-ali/) > [I feel happy about the songs I've written. I'm a great lover of the craft of songwriting, and I sure admire it in other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-feel-happy-about-the-songs-i-ve-written-i-m-a-great-lover-of-the/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [The classic, quote/unquote, craft of songwriting still works; it still is relevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/the-classic-quote-unquote-craft-of-songwriting-still-works-it-still/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [The music is in the lead here, and a large part of this, I have no idea what I'm doing. I feel a closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/the-music-is-in-the-lead-here-and-a-large-part-of-this-i-have-no-idea/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [There's a lot of craft in songwriting. The divine inspiration is when the idea comes. It may be a riff. It may be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oates/there-s-a-lot-of-craft-in-songwriting-the-divine-inspiration-is-when/) [John Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oates/) > [I am nervous that the craft of songwriting is taking a nose dive...And since I'm a songwriter and I connect with an interpretative, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-manilow/i-am-nervous-that-the-craft-of-songwriting-is-taking-a-nose-dive-and/) [Barry Manilow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-manilow/) > [You need to work at the craft of songwriting, but not only the craft. When I see people working both on themselves and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-eaglesmith/you-need-to-work-at-the-craft-of-songwriting-but-not-only-the-craft/) [Fred Eaglesmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-eaglesmith/) > [Above all, the listener should be able to understand the poem or the song, not be forced to unravel a complicated, self-indulgent puzzle. Offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-williams/above-all-the-listener-should-be-able-to-understand-the-poem-or-the/) [Lucinda Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-williams/) ## More by Ian Gillan > [I love Buffalo. The people here are wonderful, genuine; they look you straight in the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-love-buffalo-the-people-here-are-wonderful-genuine-they-look-you/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [I've been in music all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-ve-been-in-music-all-my-life/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [If you think of a solo artist, you normally know them by their name; you don't normally describe their kind of music. You just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/if-you-think-of-a-solo-artist-you-normally-know-them-by-their-name/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [I've consciously avoided actually reading anything about Wikipedia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-ve-consciously-avoided-actually-reading-anything-about-wikipedia/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [No matter what I do, I've always recognized that Deep Purple is primarily an instrumental band. That's where all the music comes from in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/no-matter-what-i-do-i-ve-always-recognized-that-deep-purple-is/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [We soaked up everything from Beethoven to Chopin to Jimi Hendrix to Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/we-soaked-up-everything-from-beethoven-to-chopin-to-jimi-hendrix-to/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [When I picked up my guitar, I spent the first day learning the chord E, the second day A, then B7, and all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/when-i-picked-up-my-guitar-i-spent-the-first-day-learning-the-chord-e/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [Deep Purple was sinking with Ritchie. We were playing to quarter houses in Europe, which is one of our strongest territories - in Germany.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/deep-purple-was-sinking-with-ritchie-we-were-playing-to-quarter/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [My first contract was in 1965. There were six of us in this band - my band before Deep Purple - six in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/my-first-contract-was-in-1965-there-were-six-of-us-in-this-band-my/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [In the early Seventies, I bought a dilapidated hotel in north Stoke for about £100,000 and spent the same amount again renovating it, putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/in-the-early-seventies-i-bought-a-dilapidated-hotel-in-north-stoke/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [I was an avid collector of Elvis' early stuff; for a young singer, he was an absolute inspiration. I soaked up what he did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-was-an-avid-collector-of-elvis-early-stuff-for-a-young-singer-he/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [The people who come to Purple shows are there for the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/the-people-who-come-to-purple-shows-are-there-for-the-music/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [How could I resist? Look, I love that record and have nothing but great, great memories of my time with BLACK SABBATH . Tony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/how-could-i-resist-look-i-love-that-record-and-have-nothing-but-great/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [If you've got a wound, and it's just about to heal up, and it's got a nice scab on it, and you think in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/if-you-ve-got-a-wound-and-it-s-just-about-to-heal-up-and-it-s-got-a/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [The band's a really close-knit family. We've got fantastically good friendships and relationships that have developed after all these years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/the-band-s-a-really-close-knit-family-we-ve-got-fantastically-good/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) [Explore all 106 Ian Gillan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) ## More Crafts quotes > [She spent hours drawing on her own, trying to perfect her craft. And when she got into music, she had that same diligence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/she-spent-hours-drawing-on-her-own-trying-to-perfect-her-craft-and/) [Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/) > [All My Children taught me a great work ethic; you work so hard on a soap opera! It is a good way to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-larue/all-my-children-taught-me-a-great-work-ethic-you-work-so-hard-on-a/) [Eva LaRue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-larue/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [ Harvey \[Weinstein\] didn't want to release \[MY SON THE FANATIC\]; he held it for two years because he wanted a happy ending, although I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/harvey-weinstein-didn-t-want-to-release-my-son-the-fanatic-he-held-it/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [There is no royal path to good writing; and such paths as exist do not lead through neat critical gardens, various as they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/there-is-no-royal-path-to-good-writing-and-such-paths-as-exist-do-not/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [The state of female artists is very good. But the very definition of art has been biased in that 'art' was what men did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/the-state-of-female-artists-is-very-good-but-the-very-definition-of/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [the twelve or fifteen millions in the British Empire, who, while they possess no electoral rights, are yet persuaded they are freemen, and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cobden/the-twelve-or-fifteen-millions-in-the-british-empire-who-while-they/) [Richard Cobden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cobden/) > [I got Michael Caine's book, Acting In Film, and I read it on the plane, desperately trying to glean information from him about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-got-michael-caine-s-book-acting-in-film-and-i-read-it-on-the-plane/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [One of the things about what . . . I do - writing plays - is that a poll is not taken before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-wasserstein/one-of-the-things-about-what-i-do-writing-plays-is-that-a-poll-is-not/) [Wendy Wasserstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-wasserstein/) > [Look, I come from vaudeville, I come from burlesque, I come from heartaches, I come from sadness, I come from gladness, I come from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/look-i-come-from-vaudeville-i-come-from-burlesque-i-come-from/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [All the craft skills that I have, I feel like I developed and honed in drama school. It's the most important thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/all-the-craft-skills-that-i-have-i-feel-like-i-developed-and-honed-in/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [A first novel of astonishing force, craft and beauty, The Headmaster's Wager conjures up a dizzyingly evocative wartime Saigon in the story of Percival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-y-k-lee-2/a-first-novel-of-astonishing-force-craft-and-beauty-the-headmaster-s/) Janice Y. K. Lee > [This element of surprise or mystery - the detective element as it is sometimes rather emptily called - is of great importance in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/this-element-of-surprise-or-mystery-the-detective-element-as-it-is/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [The craft's occupants clutched their armrests, and more than one of them closed their eyes. But not Artemis. He couldn't. There was something morbidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/the-craft-s-occupants-clutched-their-armrests-and-more-than-one-of/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [I always try to write on the principle of the iceberg. There is seven-eighths of it underwater for every part that shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-always-try-to-write-on-the-principle-of-the-iceberg-there-is-seven/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) [Browse all 1,453 Crafts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We spent a long time learning the craft of songwriting, Roger Glover and I, for a few years before we joined Deep Purple. You learn about the percussive value of words, and you learn about rhyme and meter. You learn that you can't transform a poem into a song lyric, mostly because the spoken shape of words is different than the sung shape of words. You wouldn't use the vowel 'U' or the vowel sound 'ooo' for a high note for example, its very difficult.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian Gillan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft-of-songwriting-roger-glover/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crafts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft-of-songwriting-roger-glover/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/ian-gillan-4769_crafts_we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft_3051293.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/ian-gillan-4769_crafts_we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft_3051293.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/ian-gillan-4769_crafts_we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft_3051293.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We spent a long time learning the craft of songwriting, Roger Glover and I, for a few years before we joined…” — Ian Gillan", "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": "Ian Gillan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We spent a long time learning...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft-of-songwriting-roger-glover/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/we-spent-a-long-time-learning-the-craft-of-songwriting-roger-glover/#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 } } ] } ```