--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What my whole object was is not to really…" description: "\"What my whole object was is not to really sell records. I was trying to sell songs.\" — J. J. Cale" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/j-j-cale-6694_really_what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-reall_335865.png" --- # What my whole object was is not to really sell records. I… ![“What my whole object was is not to really sell records. I was trying to sell songs.” quote by J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/j-j-cale-6694_really_what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-reall_335865.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/j-j-cale-6694_really_what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-reall_335865.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/j-j-cale-6694_really_what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-reall_335865.png) > “What my whole object was is not to really sell records. I was trying to sell songs.” [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. He aimed to market the artistic experience of songs rather than the commercial product of records. **In simple terms:** He wanted to sell music, not records. Key Takeaway Focus on artistic value over sales. Themes music industry artistic integrity marketing Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - album releases - concert promotion - artist branding Key Concepts songwriting authenticity value perception Questions to Reflect On - How can artists prioritize songcraft over profit? - What strategies preserve artistic integrity? A Different Perspective Commercial focus can still dominate artistic intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs/) ## Related quotes > [Honestly, when I got to Hollywood I was trying to sell my songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-harrison/honestly-when-i-got-to-hollywood-i-was-trying-to-sell-my-songs/) [Gregory Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-harrison/) > [You don't really need a lot of hype and to be famous to sell songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/you-don-t-really-need-a-lot-of-hype-and-to-be-famous-to-sell-songs/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [I think you set up certain standards. I've always kind of believed in the Neil Pert way of making records where I'm trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-benante/i-think-you-set-up-certain-standards-i-ve-always-kind-of-believed-in/) [Charlie Benante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-benante/) > [I'm trying to chase all the records. I'm trying to chase all of them, whichever one are attainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-evans/i-m-trying-to-chase-all-the-records-i-m-trying-to-chase-all-of-them/) [Mike Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-evans/) > [Usually my records are made trying to capture the essence of a band playing in a room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/usually-my-records-are-made-trying-to-capture-the-essence-of-a-band/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [I try to take a snapshot of who I am now, who I am becoming, as opposed to who I was when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-try-to-take-a-snapshot-of-who-i-am-now-who-i-am-becoming-as-opposed/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [“That's something that would really sell. I mean, I admire that you tell stories of make-believe people in worlds that don't exist and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivka-galchen/that-s-something-that-would-really-sell-i-mean-i-admire-that-you-tell/) [Rivka Galchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivka-galchen/) > [I won’t sell my songs for no TV Ad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-yauch/i-won-t-sell-my-songs-for-no-tv-ad/) [Adam Yauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-yauch/) > [The packaging has to really sell the product today, because kids can go out and buy a CD and then 10 kids can burn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-packaging-has-to-really-sell-the-product-today-because-kids-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If the actor points a fake gun and pulls the trigger, and you have to fall to your knees, you really do have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-nicotero/if-the-actor-points-a-fake-gun-and-pulls-the-trigger-and-you-have-to/) [Gregory Nicotero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-nicotero/) > [We cut songs that touch us because if they don't touch us first, there's no way in the world we're going to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/we-cut-songs-that-touch-us-because-if-they-don-t-touch-us-first-there/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [Back when I first started with Scandal, I felt like I had to carry a lot of the weight because it was up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-smyth/back-when-i-first-started-with-scandal-i-felt-like-i-had-to-carry-a/) [Patty Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-smyth/) > [As a heel, you get to make twists and turns that really sell that character so that you can get that genuine kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickie-james/as-a-heel-you-get-to-make-twists-and-turns-that-really-sell-that/) [Mickie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickie-james/) > [In the case of 'Goon Squad,' which sold slowly for a long time despite the good reviews, those 'best of 2010' lists were pivotal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/in-the-case-of-goon-squad-which-sold-slowly-for-a-long-time-despite/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I don't really care about, Oh I really have to sell these things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/i-don-t-really-care-about-oh-i-really-have-to-sell-these-things/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [On the 'Escondido' album, I think it took us a month to make that album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/on-the-escondido-album-i-think-it-took-us-a-month-to-make-that-album/) [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 Really quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [My favorite galaxy of all is called the Sombrero, NGC 4594. It's an amazing galaxy that is really two galaxies in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-faber/my-favorite-galaxy-of-all-is-called-the-sombrero-ngc-4594-it-s-an/) [Sandra Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-faber/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [That's one of my idols, I really look up to Pacquiao. This guy is everything I would want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-garcia/that-s-one-of-my-idols-i-really-look-up-to-pacquiao-this-guy-is/) [Ryan Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-garcia/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I really enjoy hosting, not necessarily because it provides more airtime, but because it allows me to be a part of more substantive discussions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-ponder/i-really-enjoy-hosting-not-necessarily-because-it-provides-more/) [Samantha Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-ponder/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) Browse all 20,711 Really quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What my whole object was is not to really sell records. I was trying to sell songs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. J. Cale" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-really-sell-records-i-was-trying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Really" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-really-sell-records-i-was-trying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/j-j-cale-6694_really_what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-reall_335865.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/j-j-cale-6694_really_what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-reall_335865.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/j-j-cale-6694_really_what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-reall_335865.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What my whole object was is not to really sell records. I was trying to sell songs.” — J. J. Cale", "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": "J. J. Cale", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What my whole object was is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-really-sell-records-i-was-trying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-really-sell-records-i-was-trying/#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 } } ] } ```