--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Music is a kind of magical thing, and you…" description: "\"Music is a kind of magical thing, and you can't make magic every time, but you try. Every once in a while it has that magic, and the audience knows tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/j-j-cale-6694_audience_music-is-a-kind-of-magical-thing-and-you_574242.jpg" --- # Music is a kind of magical thing, and you can't make magic… ![“Music is a kind of magical thing, and you can't make magic every time, but you try. Every once in a while it has that magic, and the audience knows that. I probably miss it more than I hit it, but I think that's what all musicians try for.” quote by J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/j-j-cale-6694_audience_music-is-a-kind-of-magical-thing-and-you_574242.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/j-j-cale-6694_audience_music-is-a-kind-of-magical-thing-and-you_574242.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/406/j-j-cale-6694_audience_music-is-a-kind-of-magical-thing-and-you_574242.jpg) > “Music is a kind of magical thing, and you can't make magic every time, but you try. Every once in a while it has that magic, and the audience knows that. I probably miss it more than I hit it, but I think that's what all musicians try for.” [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music occasionally achieves a magical quality that resonates with listeners, though it’s rare and hard to replicate. **In simple terms:** Music can be magical but not always. Key Takeaway Strive for moments of true connection. Themes creativity artistry audience connection Mood hopeful melancholic Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - creative blocks - audience engagement Key Concepts inspiration imperfection Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt the magic of your work? - How do you handle creative disappointment? A Different Perspective Not every attempt will succeed, leading to frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Technology has made music accessible in a philosophically interesting way, which is great. But on the other hand, when everybody has the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bangalter/technology-has-made-music-accessible-in-a-philosophically-interesting/) [Thomas Bangalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bangalter/) > [We do try to be entertainers, but we're musicians first, and we try to showcase the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/we-do-try-to-be-entertainers-but-we-re-musicians-first-and-we-try-to/) [Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/) > [A lot of times, jazz musicians try to educate people. What other genre does that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/a-lot-of-times-jazz-musicians-try-to-educate-people-what-other-genre/) [Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/) > [I think most musicians know if they make the same record twice, even if they say they don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-think-most-musicians-know-if-they-make-the-same-record-twice-even/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [I think musicians are always supportive of each other because they want the groove to keep going on. They just basically want to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-think-musicians-are-always-supportive-of-each-other-because-they/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [You take a sound, any sound, record it and then change it's nature by a multiplicity of operations. You record it at different speeds;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-oram/you-take-a-sound-any-sound-record-it-and-then-change-it-s-nature-by-a/) Daphne Oram > [That's for non-musicians to say: "I only listen to this or that type of music." I think musicians love all music, or at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-banks/that-s-for-non-musicians-to-say-i-only-listen-to-this-or-that-type-of/) [Paul Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-banks/) > [I think some musicians can almost forget that the stage is something to do something on, even if that thing is standing still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/i-think-some-musicians-can-almost-forget-that-the-stage-is-something/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [Usually people think that it is the musicians who create the music, but in fact it is music who creates the musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fripp/usually-people-think-that-it-is-the-musicians-who-create-the-music/) [Robert Fripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fripp/) > [I think we musicians are emissaries. Every time we go before the public, we're there to make converts. We can either be ugly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-scott/i-think-we-musicians-are-emissaries-every-time-we-go-before-the/) [Hazel Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-scott/) > [I think most musicians do like to have a laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-innes/i-think-most-musicians-do-like-to-have-a-laugh/) [Neil Innes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-innes/) > [I think musicians naturally gravitate toward music that sounds real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-think-musicians-naturally-gravitate-toward-music-that-sounds-real/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [I'm always pulling and really feeding off of my inspirations. I think most musicians do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-trujillo/i-m-always-pulling-and-really-feeding-off-of-my-inspirations-i-think/) [Robert Trujillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-trujillo/) > [I think musicians should stay off television generally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/i-think-musicians-should-stay-off-television-generally/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [I think musicians like me are drawn to those older desks, not just because they're legend and lore but also because they do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/i-think-musicians-like-me-are-drawn-to-those-older-desks-not-just/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) ## More by J. J. Cale > [I just play my guitar and push my songs and I'd like to keep it quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-just-play-my-guitar-and-push-my-songs-and-i-d-like-to-keep-it-quiet/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [Ask any guitar player - it's hard to feed yourself when you're picking for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/ask-any-guitar-player-it-s-hard-to-feed-yourself-when-you-re-picking/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [I wanted to be able to play music, and then when I went out in my private life, my personal life, I didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-wanted-to-be-able-to-play-music-and-then-when-i-went-out-in-my/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [I cut all my early records in Nashville, so I guess that makes me country. I call it country pop, but my love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-cut-all-my-early-records-in-nashville-so-i-guess-that-makes-me/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [I'm an electronic manipulator. Most people think J.J. Cale, he's organic. There ain't nothing organic about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-m-an-electronic-manipulator-most-people-think-j-j-cale-he-s-organic/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [That's kinda what happened to me: I listened to jazz, country, R&B, rock 'n' roll. And when I sat down to write a song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/that-s-kinda-what-happened-to-me-i-listened-to-jazz-country-r-b-rock/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [Clapton was just picking up ideas. He picked up some of mine like I picked up some from the people before me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/clapton-was-just-picking-up-ideas-he-picked-up-some-of-mine-like-i/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [If you write songs long enough, you run out of material that's original to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/if-you-write-songs-long-enough-you-run-out-of-material-that-s/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [My performing and my singing leave much to be desired, but having other people record my songs is the most flattering thing that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/my-performing-and-my-singing-leave-much-to-be-desired-but-having/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [There are entertainers and there are musicians, and I never was an entertainer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/there-are-entertainers-and-there-are-musicians-and-i-never-was-an/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [What my whole object was is not to really sell records. I was trying to sell songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-really-sell-records-i-was-trying/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [I'm always doing something that ain't happening, and I'm always happening when there ain't nothing going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-m-always-doing-something-that-ain-t-happening-and-i-m-always/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [I sing and play guitar, but songwriting is how I pay my rent. And so I didn't really need a lot of publicity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-sing-and-play-guitar-but-songwriting-is-how-i-pay-my-rent-and-so-i/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [As the years went by and technology came in, I used a lot of technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/as-the-years-went-by-and-technology-came-in-i-used-a-lot-of-technology/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [I didn't really get any success till I was 30 years old. I played music when I was young fella, but I didn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-didn-t-really-get-any-success-till-i-was-30-years-old-i-played/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) [Explore all 98 J. J. Cale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) ## 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": "Music is a kind of magical thing, and you can't make magic every time, but you try. Every once in a while it has that magic, and the audience knows that. I probably miss it more than I hit it, but I think that's what all musicians try for.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. J. 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