--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They're very different things, a poem and…" description: "\"They're very different things, a poem and a song, you wouldn't think they would be, but they are.\" — John Cooper Clarke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/john-cooper-clarke-4797_different_they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and_366078.png" --- # They're very different things, a poem and a song, you… ![“They're very different things, a poem and a song, you wouldn't think they would be, but they are.” quote by John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/john-cooper-clarke-4797_different_they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and_366078.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/john-cooper-clarke-4797_different_they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and_366078.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/john-cooper-clarke-4797_different_they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and_366078.png) > “They're very different things, a poem and a song, you wouldn't think they would be, but they are.” [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poems and songs share artistic expression but differ in form and delivery. **In simple terms:** Poems and songs are both art but not the same. Key Takeaway Recognize each medium’s strengths. Themes art music literature Mood reflective curious Type observational comparative When to use this quote - songwriting - poetry workshops - music education - literary analysis Key Concepts creative expression genre distinction Questions to Reflect On - How does rhythm affect meaning? - Can a poem become a song without losing its essence? A Different Perspective Songs rely on melody, poems on language, limiting crossover. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-things/) [Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem/) [Poem Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem-song-390711/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-wouldn-1146990/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Things Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-poem-1724550/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) ## Related quotes > [It's sometimes hard to know who's choosing whom - the poem, the song, or the writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-eady/it-s-sometimes-hard-to-know-who-s-choosing-whom-the-poem-the-song-or/) [Cornelius Eady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-eady/) > [Poetry is a really helpful instrument. It's so physical; the musicality becomes a sort of expression of the body. The mind is there too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-hawthorne-deming/poetry-is-a-really-helpful-instrument-it-s-so-physical-the-musicality/) [Alison Hawthorne Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-hawthorne-deming/) > [I do think the author ought to be able to give a good reason for the way things are in his poem. Not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/i-do-think-the-author-ought-to-be-able-to-give-a-good-reason-for-the/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [There are three things, after all, that a poem must reach: the eye, the ear, and what we may call the heart or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/there-are-three-things-after-all-that-a-poem-must-reach-the-eye-the/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [One demands two things of a poem. Firstly, it must be a well-made verbal object that does honor to the language in which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/one-demands-two-things-of-a-poem-firstly-it-must-be-a-well-made/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [If I was to write a song for you...i wouldn't need no other words... I would need these three words...I LOVE YOU...and your name..the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine/if-i-was-to-write-a-song-for-you-i-wouldn-t-need-no-other-words-i/) [Josephine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine/) > [I would be down to collaborate with certain people if we were able to do it in a way that, you know, what we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trip-lee/i-would-be-down-to-collaborate-with-certain-people-if-we-were-able-to/) [Trip Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trip-lee/) > [I had a hip replacement a couple of years ago. I have a song about that. And why wouldn't you? It strikes me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/i-had-a-hip-replacement-a-couple-of-years-ago-i-have-a-song-about/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) > [I'm writing about what's happening to me now. I mean, I had a hip replacement a couple of years ago. I have a song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/i-m-writing-about-what-s-happening-to-me-now-i-mean-i-had-a-hip/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) > [I always had a standard of, back when I was doing the country music I always told people I would never record a song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-skaggs/i-always-had-a-standard-of-back-when-i-was-doing-the-country-music-i/) [Ricky Skaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-skaggs/) > [If you asked me to sing a modern song, I wouldn't be able to - I can't easily slip into that groove. But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ophelia-lovibond/if-you-asked-me-to-sing-a-modern-song-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-i-can-t/) [Ophelia Lovibond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ophelia-lovibond/) > [The poem that became the song 'Gold All Over the Ground' was written during 1967, when my dad was really falling in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carter-cash/the-poem-that-became-the-song-gold-all-over-the-ground-was-written/) [John Carter Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carter-cash/) > [“Poem of the Song About Hope" I. Give me lilies, lilies, And roses too. But if you have no lilies Or roses to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/poem-of-the-song-about-hope-i-give-me-lilies-lilies-and-roses-too-but/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [The poem, the song, the picture, is only water drawn from the well of the people, and it should be given back to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-garc-a-lorca/the-poem-the-song-the-picture-is-only-water-drawn-from-the-well-of/) [Federico Garcia Lorca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-garc-a-lorca/) > [Above all, the listener should be able to understand the poem or the song, not be forced to unravel a complicated, self-indulgent puzzle. Offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-williams/above-all-the-listener-should-be-able-to-understand-the-poem-or-the/) [Lucinda Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-williams/) ## More by John Cooper Clarke > [When the punk rock thing happened, I thought, 'Right, I have one chance here to be seen as part of some wider social phenomenon.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/when-the-punk-rock-thing-happened-i-thought-right-i-have-one-chance/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [To make the hips the focal point of a pair of trousers is, to me, a fashion mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/to-make-the-hips-the-focal-point-of-a-pair-of-trousers-is-to-me-a/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [The greatest threat to any artist is surrounding themselves with people who love everything they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/the-greatest-threat-to-any-artist-is-surrounding-themselves-with/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [The first time I heard rock'n'roll on a big sound system would have been at a fairground at the seaside. That's a hell of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/the-first-time-i-heard-rock-n-roll-on-a-big-sound-system-would-have/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [My favourite writers are columnists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/my-favourite-writers-are-columnists/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [As they used to say on Stingray, ‘Anything can happen in the next half hour’. I’ve always tried to live with that thought in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/as-they-used-to-say-on-stingray-anything-can-happen-in-the-next-half/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [It was a tedious saying among hippies: if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. I was very much part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/it-was-a-tedious-saying-among-hippies-if-you-re-not-part-of-the/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [No one wants to be a source of anxiety to everybody they know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/no-one-wants-to-be-a-source-of-anxiety-to-everybody-they-know/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [From social pariah to King of the World? It's taken 45 years, so I've been able to adjust to it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/from-social-pariah-to-king-of-the-world-it-s-taken-45-years-so-i-ve/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [Well, I've obviously been a great source of inspiration to the academic population of Salford! They're citing me as a major contribution to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/well-i-ve-obviously-been-a-great-source-of-inspiration-to-the/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [I've got a speech impediment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/i-ve-got-a-speech-impediment/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [I enjoy gigging in industrial towns. It seems to be where I go down the best. Somewhere where they have a history of manufacturing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/i-enjoy-gigging-in-industrial-towns-it-seems-to-be-where-i-go-down/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [I don't work with anybody I don't like, just for the attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/i-don-t-work-with-anybody-i-don-t-like-just-for-the-attention/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [Poverty - the one thing money can't buy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/poverty-the-one-thing-money-can-t-buy/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) > [I love being on my bike, but I don't consider that a sport: it's too pleasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/i-love-being-on-my-bike-but-i-don-t-consider-that-a-sport-it-s-too/) [John Cooper Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) [Explore all 106 John Cooper Clarke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/) ## More Different quotes > [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/) > [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/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/) [Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I always aspired to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/i-always-aspired-to-do-something-different/) [Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/) > [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) [Browse all 28,697 Different quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They're very different things, a poem and a song, you wouldn't think they would be, but they are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cooper Clarke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and-a-song-you-wouldn-t-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Different" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and-a-song-you-wouldn-t-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/john-cooper-clarke-4797_different_they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and_366078.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/john-cooper-clarke-4797_different_they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and_366078.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/304/john-cooper-clarke-4797_different_they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and_366078.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They're very different things, a poem and a song, you wouldn't think they would be, but they are.” — John Cooper Clarke", "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 Cooper Clarke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper-clarke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They're very different things, a poem...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and-a-song-you-wouldn-t-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper-clarke/they-re-very-different-things-a-poem-and-a-song-you-wouldn-t-think/#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 } } ] } ```