---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first time you hear a song you might…"
description: "\"The first time you hear a song you might not remember the words, but you can go to the record store and hum the melody. The story almost becomes second..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/james-ingram-38157_first-time_the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might_3199163.jpg"
---

#  The first time you hear a song you might not remember the…

![“The first time you hear a song you might not remember the words, but you can go to the record store and hum the melody. The story almost becomes secondary.” quote by James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/james-ingram-38157_first-time_the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might_3199163.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/james-ingram-38157_first-time_the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might_3199163.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/james-ingram-38157_first-time_the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might_3199163.jpg)

> “The first time you hear a song you might not remember the words, but you can go to the record store and hum the melody. The story almost becomes secondary.”

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Memories of a song can persist even when lyrics fade, allowing you to recall the tune without words.

**In simple terms:** Melodies stick longer than words.

Key Takeaway

Trust your ear, not just lyrics.

Themes

memory music perception

Mood

reflective nostalgic

Type

observational anecdotal

When to use this quote

- listening to new music
- recalling a tune without lyrics
- teaching music by ear

Key Concepts

auditory recall nostalgia

Questions to Reflect On

- How does melody affect memory?
- Can you recall a song by humming?

A Different Perspective

Lyrics may be essential for full appreciation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/)

## Related quotes

> [When you're just singing a beautiful melody with a story that's true to the heart, you don't need a lot of embellishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmylou-harris/when-you-re-just-singing-a-beautiful-melody-with-a-story-that-s-true/)

[Emmylou Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmylou-harris/)

> [It's amazing how I still remember the lyrics of an old song, but I can't remember the things I studied the night before exam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amazing-how-i-still-remember-the-lyrics-of-an-old-song-but-i-can/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Forget his name forget his face forget his kiss his warm embrace forget the love that you once knew remember he has someone new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylee-newton/forget-his-name-forget-his-face-forget-his-kiss-his-warm-embrace/)

[Kaylee Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylee-newton/)

> [The first song that I remember writing in its entirety was when I was 9 years old. I wrote it on a bus, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-edmonson/the-first-song-that-i-remember-writing-in-its-entirety-was-when-i-was/)

[Kat Edmonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-edmonson/)

> [You know, that single girl life and that sense of isolation - that doesn't leave you just like that. And that's what that song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-chapin-carpenter/you-know-that-single-girl-life-and-that-sense-of-isolation-that-doesn/)

[Mary Chapin Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-chapin-carpenter/)

> [The first song I remember listening to in a language other than German was 'Goldfinger,' by Shirley Bassey. I was seven years old at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conchita-wurst/the-first-song-i-remember-listening-to-in-a-language-other-than/)

[Conchita Wurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conchita-wurst/)

> [It's Not Right But It's Okay' is the first song I remember coming out as a hit single when I was younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/it-s-not-right-but-it-s-okay-is-the-first-song-i-remember-coming-out/)

[Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/)

> [It's funny how we can remember all the words to a song but can't remember anything we studied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-chevier/it-s-funny-how-we-can-remember-all-the-words-to-a-song-but-can-t/)

Corey Chevier

> [Do you ever think about me ? Do you ever cry youself to sleep ? In the middle of the night when you awake...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-shah/do-you-ever-think-about-me-do-you-ever-cry-youself-to-sleep-in-the/)

[Samir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-shah/)

> [I've always had a tendency to keep an emergency exit in a song. I can't remember ever writing a song that is completely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/i-ve-always-had-a-tendency-to-keep-an-emergency-exit-in-a-song-i-can/)

[KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/)

> [When I was 12, I introduced my mom to Def Leppard's 'Pour Some Sugar on Me.' I told her it was an amazing song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-olson/when-i-was-12-i-introduced-my-mom-to-def-leppard-s-pour-some-sugar-on/)

[Kaitlin Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-olson/)

> [I think I was six when I discovered the song "White Wedding" by Billy Idol, and that was the first time I thought I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-loveless/i-think-i-was-six-when-i-discovered-the-song-white-wedding-by-billy/)

[Lydia Loveless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-loveless/)

> [I think the first song I remember hearing was Joni Michell's 'Big Yellow Taxi,' my mom played it for me on the car radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mura-masa/i-think-the-first-song-i-remember-hearing-was-joni-michell-s-big/)

[Mura Masa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mura-masa/)

> [The first song I wrote was the first song I remember thinking, "Well, maybe I can do something here." The very first one. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-vega/the-first-song-i-wrote-was-the-first-song-i-remember-thinking-well/)

[Suzanne Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-vega/)

> [There are moments in our lives that are more difficult than others. And I can look at each song and remember where I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-sebastian/there-are-moments-in-our-lives-that-are-more-difficult-than-others/)

[Guy Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-sebastian/)

## More by James Ingram

> [There are a billion ways to say I love you. And I'm always looking for a billion and one ways to express that very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/there-are-a-billion-ways-to-say-i-love-you-and-i-m-always-looking-for/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [When people ask me, I say I studied at the University of Ray Charles and went to learn with the master, Quincy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/when-people-ask-me-i-say-i-studied-at-the-university-of-ray-charles/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [I always say that if the song is strong enough, it'll stand on its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/i-always-say-that-if-the-song-is-strong-enough-it-ll-stand-on-its-own/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [Quincy said, 'What're you doing?' I said, 'I'm trying to smooth that gruff out of my voice. I'm trying to smooth it out.' He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/quincy-said-what-re-you-doing-i-said-i-m-trying-to-smooth-that-gruff/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [I don't feel like a celebrity until the public reminds me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/i-don-t-feel-like-a-celebrity-until-the-public-reminds-me/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [To keep my mother from pinching me when I was talking, I joined up in the choir. But I never did a solo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/to-keep-my-mother-from-pinching-me-when-i-was-talking-i-joined-up-in/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [I didn't know the piano only has 12 notes. It's just different octaves of the same 12 notes. When I figured that out, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/i-didn-t-know-the-piano-only-has-12-notes-it-s-just-different-octaves/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [I'm telling you, the people that I was playing behind in Akron, Ohio. I knew I couldn't sing. That's how great they were. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/i-m-telling-you-the-people-that-i-was-playing-behind-in-akron-ohio-i/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [Even though I do a lot of songwriting, there's always other great material out there that you have to be aware of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/even-though-i-do-a-lot-of-songwriting-there-s-always-other-great/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [When I sit down to create music, I can't be disturbed with the past. I look ahead because that's what is important now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/when-i-sit-down-to-create-music-i-can-t-be-disturbed-with-the-past-i/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

> [“Remember The Dream You have a choice Your heart will know You gotta look back sometime To know where to go You have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/remember-the-dream-you-have-a-choice-your-heart-will-know-you-gotta/)

[James Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

[Explore all 12 James Ingram quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/)

## More First time quotes

> [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [“I’m so stressed that a weird Olympic-style commentary starts up in my head. And here we have Zelah Green, the fourteen-year-old champion of rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-curtis/i-m-so-stressed-that-a-weird-olympic-style-commentary-starts-up-in-my/)

Vanessa Curtis

> [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/)

[Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/)

> [“I’m waiting for you,” he murmured, smiling a slow, familiar grin that seemed to hint at a secret between them. And for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-m-waiting-for-you-he-murmured-smiling-a-slow-familiar-grin-that/)

[Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/)

> [“Treat every natural beauty you met as if you see them for the first and last time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/treat-every-natural-beauty-you-met-as-if-you-see-them-for-the-first/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [“I won’t break your heart. For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/)

[Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/)

> [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [When my kids were in the school play for the first time, I decided I had to make the costumes from scratch and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alexander/when-my-kids-were-in-the-school-play-for-the-first-time-i-decided-i/)

[Sarah Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alexander/)

> [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/)

Mennah al refaey

> [“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. The rain of Doritos, the bed thing,this...Maybe it's just that you create too big, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/or-maybe-your-magic-isn-t-that-destructive-after-all-the-rain-of/)

[Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/)

> [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/)

[Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/)

> [I don't know why, but everybody thinks that I'm short. When they see me for the first time, women are always surprised to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-don-t-know-why-but-everybody-thinks-that-i-m-short-when-they-see-me/)

[Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/)

> [“I met Suffering on a quiet road, just as the sun was setting behind me. Its presence was heavy, like an old coat I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/i-met-suffering-on-a-quiet-road-just-as-the-sun-was-setting-behind-me/)

[Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/)

> [“You never talk to the pitcher when…” He shook his head. “You just never talk to the pitcher when--” “I just wanted to congratulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/you-never-talk-to-the-pitcher-when-he-shook-his-head-you-just-never/)

[Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/)

Browse all 9,309 First time quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The first time you hear a song you might not remember the words, but you can go to the record store and hum the melody. The story almost becomes secondary.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Ingram"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might-not-remember-the-words-but/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "First time"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might-not-remember-the-words-but/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/james-ingram-38157_first-time_the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might_3199163.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/james-ingram-38157_first-time_the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might_3199163.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/james-ingram-38157_first-time_the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might_3199163.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The first time you hear a song you might not remember the words, but you can go to the record store and hum…” — James Ingram",
                "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": "James Ingram",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ingram/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The first time you hear a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might-not-remember-the-words-but/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ingram/the-first-time-you-hear-a-song-you-might-not-remember-the-words-but/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
