--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can't handle the responsibility of…" description: "\"If you can't handle the responsibility of a hit single, don't write one.\" — Joe Elliott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/joe-elliott-19302_handle_if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-o_2282850.png" --- # If you can't handle the responsibility of a hit single… ![“If you can't handle the responsibility of a hit single, don't write one.” quote by Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/joe-elliott-19302_handle_if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-o_2282850.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/joe-elliott-19302_handle_if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-o_2282850.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/joe-elliott-19302_handle_if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-o_2282850.png) > “If you can't handle the responsibility of a hit single, don't write one.” [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If you cannot manage the fame and pressure of a hit song, you should not attempt to create one. **In simple terms:** Only write hits if you can handle the spotlight. Key Takeaway Avoid creating work you can't sustain. Themes creativity responsibility celebrity stress Mood cautious encouraging Type advice motivational When to use this quote - songwriting - career counseling - mental health - media strategy Key Concepts artist burnout public scrutiny career planning Questions to Reflect On - What support systems help artists handle success? - Is it better to try and fail than never try? A Different Perspective The quote may discourage aspiring artists from trying. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-write/) [Handle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handle/) [Handle Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handle-responsibility-367401/) [Hit Single](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hit-single-929140/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsibility Hit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility-hit-5335469/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“You've always been a know-it-all. Well, you're about to find out how much you don't know." "Believe me," I muttered, "I'm the first one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/you-ve-always-been-a-know-it-all-well-you-re-about-to-find-out-how/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [I don't trust people because people can't handle the responsibility of being trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-trust-people-because-people-can-t-handle-the-responsibility/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can be the mayor; I can do it right now. I can go in there right now and put things together. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-kilpatrick/i-can-be-the-mayor-i-can-do-it-right-now-i-can-go-in-there-right-now/) [Kwame Kilpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-kilpatrick/) > [The best way to handle responsibility is to break it down into smaller parts. Take care of one small thing at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/the-best-way-to-handle-responsibility-is-to-break-it-down-into/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [To get a big hit single you've got to go a bit dance. You've got to go a bit Britney. I don't think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/to-get-a-big-hit-single-you-ve-got-to-go-a-bit-dance-you-ve-got-to-go/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [Hey, I'd love to have a hit single, but if that doesn't happen, I'm not going to complain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/hey-i-d-love-to-have-a-hit-single-but-if-that-doesn-t-happen-i-m-not/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [Did Amy Winehouse have a hit single from 'Frank?' I love 'Frank,' but people didn't really pay attention to her until 'Back to Black.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorja-smith/did-amy-winehouse-have-a-hit-single-from-frank-i-love-frank-but/) [Jorja Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorja-smith/) > [One U.S. hit single and a hit T Shirt in 1985 does not a celebrity make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-johnson/one-u-s-hit-single-and-a-hit-t-shirt-in-1985-does-not-a-celebrity-make/) [Holly Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-johnson/) > [My dad told me years ago, be sure you record what you love because the minute you record what you hate, that'll be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-morgan/my-dad-told-me-years-ago-be-sure-you-record-what-you-love-because-the/) [Lorrie Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-morgan/) > [People spend their careers trying to figure out what makes a hit single. But I learned a long time ago that you can't anticipate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-perry/people-spend-their-careers-trying-to-figure-out-what-makes-a-hit/) [Joe Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-perry/) > [I wouldn't balk at having a hit single, because it would allow me some of the freedom to do some of the things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-penn/i-wouldn-t-balk-at-having-a-hit-single-because-it-would-allow-me-some/) [Michael Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-penn/) > [The loyalty rate isn't that high. I could have a big hit, then put out the next single, and they say, Oh yeah, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/the-loyalty-rate-isn-t-that-high-i-could-have-a-big-hit-then-put-out/) [Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/) > [I know I will never have a hit single in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-i-will-never-have-a-hit-single-in-america/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody had any idea that 'If You Could Read My Mind' would become a hit single.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/nobody-had-any-idea-that-if-you-could-read-my-mind-would-become-a-hit/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [“first hit single, “Betrayed but Not Broken,” her rise to fame”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-adams/first-hit-single-betrayed-but-not-broken-her-rise-to-fame/) [Anna Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-adams/) ## More by Joe Elliott > [You don't just go with a majority because it's the majority. You go with it because it's right. If it feels right, do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/you-don-t-just-go-with-a-majority-because-it-s-the-majority-you-go/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [It's big production. It's huge. It's using studio technology to your benefit. You don't go in and play live and then just take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/it-s-big-production-it-s-huge-it-s-using-studio-technology-to-your/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [Every town in America had at least one, two, or maybe three radio stations that played rock 24 hours a day. In England, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/every-town-in-america-had-at-least-one-two-or-maybe-three-radio/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [I wanted to write a song that's known to the world as a classic, stadium-rock anthem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/i-wanted-to-write-a-song-that-s-known-to-the-world-as-a-classic/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [I love the fact we're still on the road. I was born to be a factory worker really, so for me the chance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/i-love-the-fact-we-re-still-on-the-road-i-was-born-to-be-a-factory/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [The Vatican takes your breath away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/the-vatican-takes-your-breath-away/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [You see mock death in movies every day, but when it really happens, you're not used to it. Most things in life, you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/you-see-mock-death-in-movies-every-day-but-when-it-really-happens-you/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [Writing a song is actually quite easy. Writing a good one is very, very difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/writing-a-song-is-actually-quite-easy-writing-a-good-one-is-very-very/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [In England, rock music very rarely infiltrates the charts, but country music even less so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/in-england-rock-music-very-rarely-infiltrates-the-charts-but-country/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [We just wanted to put a smile on people's faces. That's all we ever wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/we-just-wanted-to-put-a-smile-on-people-s-faces-that-s-all-we-ever/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [There were incredibly few rock songs making it out to the airwaves until the '80s came along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/there-were-incredibly-few-rock-songs-making-it-out-to-the-airwaves/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [Just follow your gut. If you seriously believe that something is the right thing to do, if you are so convinced that your stomach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/just-follow-your-gut-if-you-seriously-believe-that-something-is-the/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [As much as I am a huge soccer fan, music just kills it when it comes to importance. I could go to a desert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/as-much-as-i-am-a-huge-soccer-fan-music-just-kills-it-when-it-comes/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [Even Crazy Horses is a good song, by the Osmonds. I've known many bands who have covered that. It's just a great song. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/even-crazy-horses-is-a-good-song-by-the-osmonds-i-ve-known-many-bands/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [With Los Angeles, it's kind of a love-hate thing. Sometimes I think it's marvelous, and sometimes I think it's a dump. It's so fake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/with-los-angeles-it-s-kind-of-a-love-hate-thing-sometimes-i-think-it/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) [Explore all 33 Joe Elliott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) ## More Handle quotes > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Singing is the love of my life, but I was ready to give it all up because I couldn't handle people talking about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/singing-is-the-love-of-my-life-but-i-was-ready-to-give-it-all-up/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [As we go through this transition where a lot more people will be reading on devices, nobody is paying enough attention to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/as-we-go-through-this-transition-where-a-lot-more-people-will-be/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [There are a lot of impractical things about owning a Porsche. But they're all offset by the driving experience. It really is unique. Lamborghinis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-o-leary/there-are-a-lot-of-impractical-things-about-owning-a-porsche-but-they/) [Kevin O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-o-leary/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The amount of truth a relationship can handle is proportional to the amount of perceived love that's present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/the-amount-of-truth-a-relationship-can-handle-is-proportional-to-the/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [Love and hate, despite their polar opposites, are both feelings that are induced by passion. I can handle that. It's the indifference I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/love-and-hate-despite-their-polar-opposites-are-both-feelings-that/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Everyone thinks they've won the Magical Belief Lottery. Everyone thinks they more or less have a handle on things, that they, as opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/everyone-thinks-they-ve-won-the-magical-belief-lottery-everyone/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I don't think I suffered with depression, I don't think I'm a depressed type of person - I just think I suffered a depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-o-sullivan/i-don-t-think-i-suffered-with-depression-i-don-t-think-i-m-a/) [Ronnie O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-o-sullivan/) > [I was so unsuccessful for so long. I was used to the word no. I was used to you're not good enough or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamar-braxton/i-was-so-unsuccessful-for-so-long-i-was-used-to-the-word-no-i-was/) [Tamar Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamar-braxton/) > [I stay away from negative relationships. They are energy-sapping vampires. I can't handle them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preity-zinta/i-stay-away-from-negative-relationships-they-are-energy-sapping/) [Preity Zinta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preity-zinta/) [Browse all 2,008 Handle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you can't handle the responsibility of a hit single, don't write one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Elliott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-of-a-hit-single-don-t-write-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Handle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-of-a-hit-single-don-t-write-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/joe-elliott-19302_handle_if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-o_2282850.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/joe-elliott-19302_handle_if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-o_2282850.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca8/joe-elliott-19302_handle_if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-o_2282850.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you can't handle the responsibility of a hit single, don't write one.” — Joe Elliott", "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": "Joe Elliott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you can't handle the responsibility...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-of-a-hit-single-don-t-write-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/if-you-can-t-handle-the-responsibility-of-a-hit-single-don-t-write-one/#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 } } ] } ```