--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every song I ever wrote, I wrote to be…" description: "\"Every song I ever wrote, I wrote to be heard. So, if I was given a choice that 50 years from now I could either have a dollar or knowing that some kid ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/ian-mackaye-3369_choices_every-song-i-ever-wrote-i-wrote-to-be-he_1798937.jpg" --- # Every song I ever wrote, I wrote to be heard. So, if I was… ![“Every song I ever wrote, I wrote to be heard. So, if I was given a choice that 50 years from now I could either have a dollar or knowing that some kid was listening to my song, I'd go with the kid listening to my song.” quote by Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/ian-mackaye-3369_choices_every-song-i-ever-wrote-i-wrote-to-be-he_1798937.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/ian-mackaye-3369_choices_every-song-i-ever-wrote-i-wrote-to-be-he_1798937.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/481/ian-mackaye-3369_choices_every-song-i-ever-wrote-i-wrote-to-be-he_1798937.jpg) > “Every song I ever wrote, I wrote to be heard. So, if I was given a choice that 50 years from now I could either have a dollar or knowing that some kid was listening to my song, I'd go with the kid listening to my song.” [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music’s purpose is to be heard, not to earn money; impact matters more than profit. **In simple terms:** Being heard is more valuable than cash. Key Takeaway Choose lasting influence over short‑term gain. Themes art legacy authenticity impact choice Mood passionate thoughtful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - community activism - career decisions Key Concepts cultural resonance personal fulfillment ethical trade‑offs Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice for artistic integrity? - How does audience connection shape your work? A Different Perspective Financial reward can tempt artists away from genuine expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > ['Creeping Death' - that was a special song for me as a kid, because that was the one that every single Jewish kid thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-draiman/creeping-death-that-was-a-special-song-for-me-as-a-kid-because-that/) [David Draiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-draiman/) > [If I was given a choice between friends or food, and I had to pick one. 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You can't have it both ways. If they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-thing-is-people-can-t-complain-about-profit-oriented-moves-if/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [What people don't understand is that the underground that existed was created in the early 80s and was thriving throughout the 80s. Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/what-people-don-t-understand-is-that-the-underground-that-existed-was/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I think that people are constantly thinking about capturing things that they're not actually present for the moment they're trying to capture. 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It makes me proud of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-m-always-happy-when-i-hear-about-people-selling-records-or-selling/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [An unlocked door means that, occasionally, you might get a devil come in, but a locked door means you have thousands of angels just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/an-unlocked-door-means-that-occasionally-you-might-get-a-devil-come/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I consider the piano my 'main' instrument and have been playing for as long as I can remember. 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When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every song I ever wrote, I wrote to be heard. 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