--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's what my life is, writing songs." description: "\"That's what my life is, writing songs.\" — John Cale" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/john-cale-17807_life_that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs-231_2312570.jpg" --- # That's what my life is, writing songs. ![“That's what my life is, writing songs.” quote by John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/john-cale-17807_life_that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs-231_2312570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/john-cale-17807_life_that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs-231_2312570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/john-cale-17807_life_that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs-231_2312570.jpg) > “That's what my life is, writing songs.” [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker defines their existence by the act of songwriting, implying purpose lies in creation. **In simple terms:** My life is about writing songs. Key Takeaway Embrace creative purpose. Themes art identity purpose Mood creative introspective Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - music studios - performances - songwriting sessions Key Concepts songwriting self‑expression career Questions to Reflect On - What does songwriting give you? - Can purpose exist without art? A Different Perspective May ignore other life aspects beyond music. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-writing/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-songs/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [When I first started making music, it was learning other people's songs and putting them onto four-track. Like Beatles songs and stuff. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/when-i-first-started-making-music-it-was-learning-other-people-s/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [Sometimes I'll write a song. When I've gone through something really hard in my life, sometimes it's other people's music. Other times it's actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-johnson/sometimes-i-ll-write-a-song-when-i-ve-gone-through-something-really/) [Jack Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-johnson/) > [I remember people would talk about Country Music like it was this sexist, lame thing. Well, no, because Dolly Parton is writing songs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/i-remember-people-would-talk-about-country-music-like-it-was-this/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) > [The first record we put out on Fueled by Ramon, 'The Papercut Chronicles,' we had no idea what the term 'producer' meant. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travie-mccoy/the-first-record-we-put-out-on-fueled-by-ramon-the-papercut/) [Travie McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travie-mccoy/) > [I ended up writing songs by taking stock of all the different events in my life, but all those songs were bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-pallett/i-ended-up-writing-songs-by-taking-stock-of-all-the-different-events/) [Owen Pallett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-pallett/) > [I've been writing songs all along, and since moving to Nashville in the late-'80s, I'd begun writing something like 15-20 songs a year, instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-leadon/i-ve-been-writing-songs-all-along-and-since-moving-to-nashville-in/) [Bernie Leadon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-leadon/) > ['Still Writing Songs About You' - that one hits me every time. For some reason, I really feel that song every time we play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ramsey/still-writing-songs-about-you-that-one-hits-me-every-time-for-some/) [Matthew Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ramsey/) > [Writing songs has always been hard and easy. It's not always easy when you want it to be, and then sometimes it's just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/writing-songs-has-always-been-hard-and-easy-it-s-not-always-easy-when/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [If you want to be a singer, you've got to concentrate on it twenty-four hours a day. You can't be a well driller, too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otis-redding/if-you-want-to-be-a-singer-you-ve-got-to-concentrate-on-it-twenty/) [Otis Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otis-redding/) > [When people start writing songs for award shows, there's a very limited palette you can use. You end up not sounding like you. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dirnt/when-people-start-writing-songs-for-award-shows-there-s-a-very/) [Mike Dirnt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dirnt/) > [I've never really suffered complete and utter writer's block, really. I equate it with sex: in the beginning of my career, I was writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/i-ve-never-really-suffered-complete-and-utter-writer-s-block-really-i/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) > [Writing songs is kind of like a wrestling match to me. You have to pin it down and make it do what you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-joseph/writing-songs-is-kind-of-like-a-wrestling-match-to-me-you-have-to-pin/) [Tyler Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-joseph/) > [That has been my outlet and a way to provide for my child - writing songs for myself and for other artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lynn-spears/that-has-been-my-outlet-and-a-way-to-provide-for-my-child-writing/) [Jamie Lynn Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lynn-spears/) > [I've been writing songs all my life. My mom said I wrote my first song when I was two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melora-hardin/i-ve-been-writing-songs-all-my-life-my-mom-said-i-wrote-my-first-song/) [Melora Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melora-hardin/) ## More by John Cale > [I never use the word, it's loaded. What love means to me is need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-never-use-the-word-it-s-loaded-what-love-means-to-me-is-need/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [Even if you're improvising, the fact that beforehand you know certain things will work helps you make those improvisations successful. It really helps to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/even-if-you-re-improvising-the-fact-that-beforehand-you-know-certain/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [If you're all loaded up on love, you haven't got anywhere else to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/if-you-re-all-loaded-up-on-love-you-haven-t-got-anywhere-else-to-go/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I am a ham. I've no business being rock 'n' roll. I've said it over and over again that I'm a classical composer, dishevelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-am-a-ham-i-ve-no-business-being-rock-n-roll-i-ve-said-it-over-and/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [We'd hold a chord for three hours if we could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/we-d-hold-a-chord-for-three-hours-if-we-could/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I want to get lean and mean, keep it minimalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-want-to-get-lean-and-mean-keep-it-minimalist/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I learn from thinking about the future, what hasn't been done yet. That's kind of my constant obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-learn-from-thinking-about-the-future-what-hasn-t-been-done-yet-that/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I like what the future holds. I don't like thinking about the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-like-what-the-future-holds-i-don-t-like-thinking-about-the-past/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I like it here in New York. I like the idea of having to keep eyes in the back of your head all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-like-it-here-in-new-york-i-like-the-idea-of-having-to-keep-eyes-in/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [Time plays a role in almost every decision. And some decisions define your attitude about time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/time-plays-a-role-in-almost-every-decision-and-some-decisions-define/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [We gave up on the idea of trying to make the record a good representation of the live performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/we-gave-up-on-the-idea-of-trying-to-make-the-record-a-good/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [The avant-garde makes more sense to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/the-avant-garde-makes-more-sense-to-me/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [“Books crawl down from the shelves; Read themselves through you; Read themselves at you. - Library of Force ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/books-crawl-down-from-the-shelves-read-themselves-through-you-read/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I missed out on my teenage years. I led a sheltered life. I was practicing scales instead of going out there and playing football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-missed-out-on-my-teenage-years-i-led-a-sheltered-life-i-was/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [I'm impatient. I get twitchy. When I get that feeling I just go out and make something happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/i-m-impatient-i-get-twitchy-when-i-get-that-feeling-i-just-go-out-and/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) [Explore all 36 John Cale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That's what my life is, writing songs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cale" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/john-cale-17807_life_that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs-231_2312570.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/john-cale-17807_life_that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs-231_2312570.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/john-cale-17807_life_that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs-231_2312570.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That's what my life is, writing songs.” — John 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": "John Cale", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That's what my life is, writing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/that-s-what-my-life-is-writing-songs/#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 } } ] } ```