--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's the nice thing about songwriting…" description: "\"That's the nice thing about songwriting: You don't have to punch a clock or be in a specific place to do it. There's really a lot of freedom to it.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/j-j-cale-6694_clock_that-s-the-nice-thing-about-songwriting_1105706.png" --- # That's the nice thing about songwriting: You don't have to… ![“That's the nice thing about songwriting: You don't have to punch a clock or be in a specific place to do it. There's really a lot of freedom to it.” quote by J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/j-j-cale-6694_clock_that-s-the-nice-thing-about-songwriting_1105706.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/j-j-cale-6694_clock_that-s-the-nice-thing-about-songwriting_1105706.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/j-j-cale-6694_clock_that-s-the-nice-thing-about-songwriting_1105706.png) > “That's the nice thing about songwriting: You don't have to punch a clock or be in a specific place to do it. There's really a lot of freedom to it.” [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. Songwriting offers location‑independent freedom, allowing creativity without conventional constraints. **In simple terms:** Music can be made anywhere. Key Takeaway Write whenever inspiration strikes. Themes freedom creativity independence Mood inspired optimistic Type musical practical When to use this quote - home studio - travel journaling - collaborative projects Key Concepts artistic process technology Questions to Reflect On - How do you capture ideas on the go? - What tools enhance remote songwriting? A Different Perspective Limited resources may affect production quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) ## Related quotes > [Guys see that I come to work every day, punch the clock. They see that, and I think my voice is respected because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/guys-see-that-i-come-to-work-every-day-punch-the-clock-they-see-that/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) > [I don't ever want to have a job where I just punch a clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-don-t-ever-want-to-have-a-job-where-i-just-punch-a-clock/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [The one thing about songwriting that's been consistent is that I do it for the love of a good melody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-shattuck/the-one-thing-about-songwriting-that-s-been-consistent-is-that-i-do/) [Kim Shattuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-shattuck/) > [The tricky thing about songwriting is that, more often than not, what you consider to be your best work generates a collective shrug, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hill/the-tricky-thing-about-songwriting-is-that-more-often-than-not-what/) [Dan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hill/) > [The good thing about songwriting is you don't have to delineate between what's true and what's fiction; records aren't put on the shelf that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/the-good-thing-about-songwriting-is-you-don-t-have-to-delineate/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [That's the great thing about songwriting: You have that time to have perspective and look back and think about all the things you'd want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gin-wigmore/that-s-the-great-thing-about-songwriting-you-have-that-time-to-have/) [Gin Wigmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gin-wigmore/) > [I think my favorite thing is songwriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ponce/i-think-my-favorite-thing-is-songwriting/) [Carlos Ponce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ponce/) > [The idea of songwriting is a transformative thing, and what I do with songwriting is take situations that are quite ordinary and transform them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/the-idea-of-songwriting-is-a-transformative-thing-and-what-i-do-with/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I'm privileged, because I have a lot of freedom. I want to use it to make as warm and normal a life as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/i-m-privileged-because-i-have-a-lot-of-freedom-i-want-to-use-it-to/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [I found a really cheap Visograph printer on Craigslist and drove down to Pennsylvania to pick it up and that really gave me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-forsman/i-found-a-really-cheap-visograph-printer-on-craigslist-and-drove-down/) [Charles Forsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-forsman/) > [There's a lot of freedom in failure, and I can see that now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/min-jin-lee/there-s-a-lot-of-freedom-in-failure-and-i-can-see-that-now/) [Min Jin Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/min-jin-lee/) > [My dad didn't give me a lot of freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-izzo/my-dad-didn-t-give-me-a-lot-of-freedom/) [Tom Izzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-izzo/) > [I think I always found a lot of freedom getting to be other people. I think a lot of actors would say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-d-arcy/i-think-i-always-found-a-lot-of-freedom-getting-to-be-other-people-i/) [Emma D'Arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-d-arcy/) > [As a woman especially I've found a lot of freedom in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-june/as-a-woman-especially-i-ve-found-a-lot-of-freedom-in-music/) [Valerie June](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-june/) > [There's a lot of freedom for me living in L.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deana-carter/there-s-a-lot-of-freedom-for-me-living-in-l-a/) [Deana Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deana-carter/) ## 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 Clock quotes > [Even Einstein had to rely for his time on his clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/even-einstein-had-to-rely-for-his-time-on-his-clock/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [“Time was never neutral and often felt dangerous. We either think we have all the time in the world or time moves too fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-reay/time-was-never-neutral-and-often-felt-dangerous-we-either-think-we/) [Katherine Reay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-reay/) > [Before a clock was in the tower, Or e'er a watch was worn; I knew of night the passing hour, And prophesied the morn;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-a-clock-was-in-the-tower-or-e-er-a-watch-was-worn-i-knew-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [“Time is, to put it in its most impressive and some might say poncy-sounding form, my domain. I can see things that once happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-rayner/time-is-to-put-it-in-its-most-impressive-and-some-might-say-poncy/) [Jacqueline Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-rayner/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Time.The greatest creator, and the worst destroyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levi-keely/time-the-greatest-creator-and-the-worst-destroyer/) Levi Keely > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [No life goes past so swiftly as an eventless one, no clock spins like a clock whose days are all alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/no-life-goes-past-so-swiftly-as-an-eventless-one-no-clock-spins-like/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/) [Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/) > [I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-just-me-or-everyone-but-the-whole-vibe-with/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Browse all 2,738 Clock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That's the nice thing about songwriting: You don't have to punch a clock or be in a specific place to do it. There's really a lot of freedom to it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. J. 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