--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I consider myself a lyricist first and…" description: "\"I consider myself a lyricist first and foremost, but if you get something else out of what I do, that's fine too. I'm not sitting back here telling peo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/john-darnielle-2176_fine_i-consider-myself-a-lyricist-first-and-f_1494355.png" --- # I consider myself a lyricist first and foremost, but if… ![“I consider myself a lyricist first and foremost, but if you get something else out of what I do, that's fine too. I'm not sitting back here telling people how they have to take my stuff. We just want to play music, and hope that people like it.” quote by John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/john-darnielle-2176_fine_i-consider-myself-a-lyricist-first-and-f_1494355.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/john-darnielle-2176_fine_i-consider-myself-a-lyricist-first-and-f_1494355.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/john-darnielle-2176_fine_i-consider-myself-a-lyricist-first-and-f_1494355.png) > “I consider myself a lyricist first and foremost, but if you get something else out of what I do, that's fine too. I'm not sitting back here telling people how they have to take my stuff. We just want to play music, and hope that people like it.” [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He prioritizes lyrical craft but welcomes diverse listener interpretations, emphasizing music as shared experience. **In simple terms:** He values lyrics but accepts any listener response. Key Takeaway Create music, let listeners decide. Themes artistry listener interpretation Mood reflective creative Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - album release - live performance - fan feedback Key Concepts songwriting creative freedom Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle differing fan interpretations? - What role does lyricism play in your music? A Different Perspective Listeners may misinterpret intended messages. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lyricists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyricists/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [If my songs are being listened to between any other songs, that is awesome, and I'm glad people are getting something out of them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/if-my-songs-are-being-listened-to-between-any-other-songs-that-is-2/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [I wouldn't consider myself a lyricist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-spice/i-wouldn-t-consider-myself-a-lyricist/) [Ice Spice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-spice/) > [The fact that I'm a performer helps me enormously as a lyricist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/the-fact-that-i-m-a-performer-helps-me-enormously-as-a-lyricist/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [As a writer, as a lyricist, you're just trying to make sure that you're not repeating yourself. And that's a danger for a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/as-a-writer-as-a-lyricist-you-re-just-trying-to-make-sure-that-you-re/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [There is no dearth of talented lyricists and I know many of them don't get an opportunity. After I received success, many of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankit-tiwari/there-is-no-dearth-of-talented-lyricists-and-i-know-many-of-them-don/) [Ankit Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankit-tiwari/) > [I don't think I'm the best lyricist; it's hard for me to express feelings through words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-segall/i-don-t-think-i-m-the-best-lyricist-it-s-hard-for-me-to-express/) [Ty Segall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-segall/) > [As much as I try to grow as a lyricist, I tend to laugh at even calling myself that, because I think that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-condon/as-much-as-i-try-to-grow-as-a-lyricist-i-tend-to-laugh-at-even/) [Zach Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-condon/) > [I dont want to work on a musical if Im not the lyricist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lindsay-abaire/i-dont-want-to-work-on-a-musical-if-im-not-the-lyricist/) [David Lindsay-Abaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lindsay-abaire/) > [I'm certainly not a lyricist first. I prefer doing it intuitively and not really thinking about it so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-rossen/i-m-certainly-not-a-lyricist-first-i-prefer-doing-it-intuitively-and/) [Daniel Rossen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-rossen/) > [ \[Jeffrey Lewis is\] The best lyricist working in the US today. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-cocker/jeffrey-lewis-is-the-best-lyricist-working-in-the-us-today/) [Jarvis Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-cocker/) > [Courtney Love's name should be right next to Bob Dylan when they say best lyricist of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/courtney-love-s-name-should-be-right-next-to-bob-dylan-when-they-say/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [I'm not coming in saying, 'Oh, I'm the truth, I'm the biggest lyricist ever to walk on the Earth.' I'm not trying to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-pratt/i-m-not-coming-in-saying-oh-i-m-the-truth-i-m-the-biggest-lyricist/) [Spencer Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-pratt/) > [I love a good lyricist - always have. The thing that inspired me most was the different performers, like Tina Turner, James Brown, Michael…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/i-love-a-good-lyricist-always-have-the-thing-that-inspired-me-most/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [Manoj Muntashir is a fantastic lyricist of this generation and he has penned my indie number 'Ae Mere Dil' very nicely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeet-gannguli/manoj-muntashir-is-a-fantastic-lyricist-of-this-generation-and-he-has/) [Jeet Gannguli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeet-gannguli/) > [I feel like I want to write some songs and I don't know how to go about doing it. Usually it's the lyrics that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-gordon/i-feel-like-i-want-to-write-some-songs-and-i-don-t-know-how-to-go/) [Mike Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-gordon/) ## More by John Darnielle > [I don't write my own publicity materials, I just read 'em and give 'em the OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-don-t-write-my-own-publicity-materials-i-just-read-em-and-give-em/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“But secret agents, like God, only give signs to their confidants. They are also very cruel and even unhappy at times. At any rate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/but-secret-agents-like-god-only-give-signs-to-their-confidants-they/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“I am heavy in his arms, and I feel safe there, but I am lost, and I need constantly to be shoring up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-am-heavy-in-his-arms-and-i-feel-safe-there-but-i-am-lost-and-i-need/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [The more I learn about stuff the more conscious I become of grave gaps in my knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/the-more-i-learn-about-stuff-the-more-conscious-i-become-of-grave/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [If you get into a fight and somebody punches you, you get two feelings. One: That really hurts. Two: That relief in the realness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/if-you-get-into-a-fight-and-somebody-punches-you-you-get-two-feelings/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [When I was a kid, I was a big science fiction fan, but current horror books were harder to get your hands on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-a-big-science-fiction-fan-but-current-horror/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [It's impossible to be content all the time - you have to learn to be content in places where you're unhappy and owning your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/it-s-impossible-to-be-content-all-the-time-you-have-to-learn-to-be/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“It's in the nature of the landscape to change, and it's in the nature of people to help the process along...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/it-s-in-the-nature-of-the-landscape-to-change-and-it-s-in-the-nature/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [Everybody is in various states of needing to transcend something. I believe in mental health care, but when we call people "crazy," we exclude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/everybody-is-in-various-states-of-needing-to-transcend-something-i/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“But resiliency only means that a thing retains its shape. That it doesn’t break, or lose its ability to function. It doesn’t mean a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/but-resiliency-only-means-that-a-thing-retains-its-shape-that-it/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“One thing I’ve learned is it’s better sometimes, in the weeds, to resist the temptation to stand up and follow the compass. \*”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/one-thing-i-ve-learned-is-it-s-better-sometimes-in-the-weeds-to/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [People always talk about good time rock and roll, Chuck Berry or whatever, like this liberating force for feeling good. But what I need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/people-always-talk-about-good-time-rock-and-roll-chuck-berry-or/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [It's hard always to say what it is one likes about a place, for me. I feel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/it-s-hard-always-to-say-what-it-is-one-likes-about-a-place-for-me-i/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [“Another nagging little question lodged like a bit of grapeshot in his chest. It was nothing major, but the place where he stored them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/another-nagging-little-question-lodged-like-a-bit-of-grapeshot-in-his/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [I'm not really a goal-oriented guy. I started doing the Mountain Goats just for the sheer hell of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-m-not-really-a-goal-oriented-guy-i-started-doing-the-mountain-goats/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) [Explore all 181 John Darnielle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) ## More Fine quotes > [ I\] k\[n\]ow youre b\[e\]tt\[e\]r off without me. \[D\]ont worr\[y\] ab\[o\]\[u\]t me. Im fine. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinku-razoria/i-k-n-ow-youre-b-e-tt-e-r-off-without-me-d-ont-worr-y-ab-o-u-t-me-im/) [Tinku Razoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinku-razoria/) > [To hurry through the rise and fall of a fine, full sentence is like defying the role of time in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/to-hurry-through-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-fine-full-sentence-is-like/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [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/) > [The Germans will make a few scattered attacks, then go away. The Romans will enjoy a fine September.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-badoglio/the-germans-will-make-a-few-scattered-attacks-then-go-away-the-romans/) Pietro Badoglio > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [But I saw the pain and sadness in everything, and swirled it round my mouth like a fine wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-forrest/but-i-saw-the-pain-and-sadness-in-everything-and-swirled-it-round-my/) [Emma Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-forrest/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“I'm fine," said Pilar, "for the moment. And the moment is the only time we can be fine in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-m-fine-said-pilar-for-the-moment-and-the-moment-is-the-only-time-we/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Here comes old Rosie she's looking mighty fine, here comes hot Nancy she's steppin' right on time. There go the street lights bringing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/here-comes-old-rosie-she-s-looking-mighty-fine-here-comes-hot-nancy/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [It's still possible to savor the remarkable foods that millennia of human ingenuity have teased from milk. A sip of milk itself or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-mcgee/it-s-still-possible-to-savor-the-remarkable-foods-that-millennia-of/) Harold McGee > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. 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Theater in school is fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/school-plays-are-fine-theater-in-school-is-fine/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) Browse all 5,340 Fine quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I consider myself a lyricist first and foremost, but if you get something else out of what I do, that's fine too. I'm not sitting back here telling people how they have to take my stuff. 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