--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't really start writing music or…" description: "\"I didn't really start writing music or lyrics or turning them into songs until I went to San Francisco.\" — Jello Biafra" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/jello-biafra-5188_music_i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-l_1754733.png" --- # I didn't really start writing music or lyrics or turning… ![“I didn't really start writing music or lyrics or turning them into songs until I went to San Francisco.” quote by Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/jello-biafra-5188_music_i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-l_1754733.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/jello-biafra-5188_music_i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-l_1754733.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/jello-biafra-5188_music_i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-l_1754733.png) > “I didn't really start writing music or lyrics or turning them into songs until I went to San Francisco.” [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Notes that relocation to San Francisco sparked his musical creativity and songwriting. **In simple terms:** New environment sparked artistic output. Key Takeaway Seek fresh surroundings for inspiration. Themes creativity environment music Mood energetic reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - moving cities - travel retreats - creative workshops - collaborative residencies Key Concepts artistic growth cultural immersion career shift Questions to Reflect On - What environment fuels your creativity? - How do you maintain momentum after a move? A Different Perspective Change can be disruptive and risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [San francisco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san-francisco/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-music/) ## Related quotes > [“Songs to Herself: She waved at all the people on the trains & later, when she saw they didn't wave back, she started singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/songs-to-herself-she-waved-at-all-the-people-on-the-trains-later-when/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [He learned through the way that my father and I felt about his songs, his country songs, that they were great songs. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lomax/he-learned-through-the-way-that-my-father-and-i-felt-about-his-songs/) [Alan Lomax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lomax/) > [The fate of the singers who, like my songs, went up in flame was also the fate of the books which I later wrote.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmuel-yosef-agnon/the-fate-of-the-singers-who-like-my-songs-went-up-in-flame-was-also/) [Shmuel Yosef Agnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmuel-yosef-agnon/) > [“She waved at all the people on the train & later, when she saw they didn't wave back, she started singing songs to herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/she-waved-at-all-the-people-on-the-train-later-when-she-saw-they-didn/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [It was a natural thing for me to go become a musician, and then to start writing music. I don't even really remember making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-zanelli/it-was-a-natural-thing-for-me-to-go-become-a-musician-and-then-to/) [Geoff Zanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-zanelli/) > [I personally feel the need to experience life and new music and ideas before I can sit down and start writing music again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-personally-feel-the-need-to-experience-life-and-new-music-and-ideas/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I like the challenge of writing music without being the coolest guy or band in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gourley/i-like-the-challenge-of-writing-music-without-being-the-coolest-guy/) [John Gourley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gourley/) > [Special-interest magazines are dangerous places for writers to start out in because the writing quickly falls into a routine and people are likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/special-interest-magazines-are-dangerous-places-for-writers-to-start/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [Around age 18, I decided to start writing my own stuff. I wrote some bad short films and shot them. I tried to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-dupieux/around-age-18-i-decided-to-start-writing-my-own-stuff-i-wrote-some/) [Quentin Dupieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-dupieux/) > [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [You should constantly write because your writing is always evolving and progressing. It's really important to start writing young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-goulding/you-should-constantly-write-because-your-writing-is-always-evolving/) [Ellie Goulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-goulding/) > [“I suggested to her that she start writing. "I can't write at all," she said. "Neither can many bestsellers," I replied. "But that pesky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-suggested-to-her-that-she-start-writing-i-can-t-write-at-all-she/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I usually start writing stories from tone and not from content - kind of like people who create music and invent the lyrics later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/i-usually-start-writing-stories-from-tone-and-not-from-content-kind/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/advice-i-don-t-have-advice-stop-aspiring-and-start-writing-if-you-re/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) > [“It’s easier to start writing if you have something to write about, rather than staring at a blank screen thinking about nothing because you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-s-easier-to-start-writing-if-you-have-something-to-write-about/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## More by Jello Biafra > [Don't hate the media, become the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/don-t-hate-the-media-become-the-media/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [When my sixth grade teacher opened the class with subtle praise for the guardsmen shooting four people to death at Kent State, I'd given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/when-my-sixth-grade-teacher-opened-the-class-with-subtle-praise-for/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [You can spend the money on new housing for poor people and the homeless, or you can spend it on a football stadium or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/you-can-spend-the-money-on-new-housing-for-poor-people-and-the/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [I think Noam Chomsky is a national treasure - make that an international treasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-think-noam-chomsky-is-a-national-treasure-make-that-an/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [Another part of what gave me a questioning, rabble-rousing, activist heart and soul is that when all these heavy events went down, my parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/another-part-of-what-gave-me-a-questioning-rabble-rousing-activist/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [A hairstyle's not a lifestyle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/a-hairstyle-s-not-a-lifestyle/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [So basically the understanding on these so-called reissues is that they were done behind my back, without my permission, and the band informed me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/so-basically-the-understanding-on-these-so-called-reissues-is-that/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [I got out of that immediately was that now, all of a sudden, rock music had become a spectator sport, that corporate labels and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-got-out-of-that-immediately-was-that-now-all-of-a-sudden-rock-music/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [It depends on the situation. I mean, on one hand there's the argument that people should be left alone on the other hand, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/it-depends-on-the-situation-i-mean-on-one-hand-there-s-the-argument/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [It's very irresponsible as a parent to follow Tipper Gore or the Religious Right's advice and just take the offending CD or game away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/it-s-very-irresponsible-as-a-parent-to-follow-tipper-gore-or-the/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [Any alternative culture that inspires a lot of passion and inspiration is also in danger of being set in its ways, almost from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/any-alternative-culture-that-inspires-a-lot-of-passion-and/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [I'm appalled at how many people my age, or even five or ten years younger, have no tangible memories of important history that happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-m-appalled-at-how-many-people-my-age-or-even-five-or-ten-years/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [They've gone to great length to disguise the fact that I'm not in the band, even sending out a photo to promoters with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/they-ve-gone-to-great-length-to-disguise-the-fact-that-i-m-not-in-the/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [A lot of the best acting training I had was in junior high and high school. We had very demanding directors and did real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/a-lot-of-the-best-acting-training-i-had-was-in-junior-high-and-high/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) > [I am an anarchist in my personal life. I try to live my life in a way that I don't need cops or baby-sitters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-am-an-anarchist-in-my-personal-life-i-try-to-live-my-life-in-a-way/) [Jello Biafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) [Explore all 102 Jello Biafra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) Hubert Laws > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't really start writing music or lyrics or turning them into songs until I went to San Francisco.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jello Biafra" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-lyrics-or-turning-them-into/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Music" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-lyrics-or-turning-them-into/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/jello-biafra-5188_music_i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-l_1754733.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/jello-biafra-5188_music_i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-l_1754733.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/jello-biafra-5188_music_i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-l_1754733.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I didn't really start writing music or lyrics or turning them into songs until I went to San Francisco.” — Jello Biafra", "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": "Jello Biafra", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jello-biafra/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I didn't really start writing music...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-lyrics-or-turning-them-into/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jello-biafra/i-didn-t-really-start-writing-music-or-lyrics-or-turning-them-into/#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 } } ] } ```