--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's hard to really write a song…" description: "\"I think it's hard to really write a song that will educate someone because songs are meant to be ... you don't want to be too didactic in a song becaus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/john-legend-1666_be-you_i-think-it-s-hard-to-really-write-a-song_2714176.png" --- # I think it's hard to really write a song that will educate… ![“I think it's hard to really write a song that will educate someone because songs are meant to be ... you don't want to be too didactic in a song because it doesn't make for good music. And I think the role of songs can be to inspire people but there needs to education and prose to back that up.” quote by John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/john-legend-1666_be-you_i-think-it-s-hard-to-really-write-a-song_2714176.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/john-legend-1666_be-you_i-think-it-s-hard-to-really-write-a-song_2714176.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/john-legend-1666_be-you_i-think-it-s-hard-to-really-write-a-song_2714176.png) > “I think it's hard to really write a song that will educate someone because songs are meant to be ... you don't want to be too didactic in a song because it doesn't make for good music. And I think the role of songs can be to inspire people but there needs to education and prose to back that up.” [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Songs aim to inspire, not lecture; education should be delivered through prose or other media. **In simple terms:** Music inspires, education teaches. Key Takeaway Use music for motivation, prose for instruction. Themes creativity education music communication Mood thoughtful inspirational Type reflective practical When to use this quote - songwriting - teaching - media production Key Concepts didacticism artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How can you blend inspiration and instruction? - What mediums best suit teaching complex ideas? A Different Perspective Purely didactic songs may lack artistic appeal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-you/) [Didactic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didactic/) [Didactic Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didactic-song-2832253/) [Educate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educate/) [Educate Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educate-songs-2832252/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Inspire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspire/) [Meant to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant-to-be/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Educate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-educate-2832251/) [Songs Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs-meant-636760/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Write Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-song/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [With the 'iCarly' soundtrack, I didn't get to write any of the songs. I just picked songs that meant a lot to me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-cosgrove/with-the-icarly-soundtrack-i-didn-t-get-to-write-any-of-the-songs-i/) [Miranda Cosgrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-cosgrove/) > [I will always, forever, write songs, and wherever they're meant to be is where they'll be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-rexha/i-will-always-forever-write-songs-and-wherever-they-re-meant-to-be-is/) [Bebe Rexha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-rexha/) > [Our big songs were all songs that were never meant to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kerr/our-big-songs-were-all-songs-that-were-never-meant-to-be/) [Jim Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kerr/) > [If an artist I liked disowned songs that meant a lot to me, I would be pretty hurt by that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porter-robinson/if-an-artist-i-liked-disowned-songs-that-meant-a-lot-to-me-i-would-be/) [Porter Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porter-robinson/) > [Music, as many people have said, is the universal language. Of course points are made which make you think about things, but ultimately it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiland/music-as-many-people-have-said-is-the-universal-language-of-course/) [Scott Weiland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiland/) > [Along with a lot of other things, becoming a Bob Dylan fan made me a writer. I was never interested in figuring out what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/along-with-a-lot-of-other-things-becoming-a-bob-dylan-fan-made-me-a/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [Even if somebody wanted to tell me what one of my songs meant to him or her, I can't do it - I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/even-if-somebody-wanted-to-tell-me-what-one-of-my-songs-meant-to-him/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [The best thing you can do for a song is to hear it on the radio and to imagine what it could mean to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-ocasek/the-best-thing-you-can-do-for-a-song-is-to-hear-it-on-the-radio-and/) [Ric Ocasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-ocasek/) > [These Songs are not meant to be understood, you understand. They are only meant to terrify & comfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berryman/these-songs-are-not-meant-to-be-understood-you-understand-they-are/) [John Berryman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berryman/) > [Those songs that meant the most to me I'm petrified of... These are my favorite songs ever, I'm just petrified to even pretend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll/those-songs-that-meant-the-most-to-me-i-m-petrified-of-these-are-my/) [Jelly Roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll/) > [The songs are not meant to be real life. They're meant to have a psychic - rather than a factual - bearing on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/the-songs-are-not-meant-to-be-real-life-they-re-meant-to-have-a/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [The flowery style is not unsuitable to public speeches or addresses, which amount only to compliment. The lighter beauties are in their place when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-flowery-style-is-not-unsuitable-to-public-speeches-or-addresses/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [The apostolic writings are of three kinds: historical, didactic, and prophetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-schaff/the-apostolic-writings-are-of-three-kinds-historical-didactic-and/) [Philip Schaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-schaff/) > [Don't be didactic - don't write about poverty. Write about poor people. When you dramatize their lives and let life and characters be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/don-t-be-didactic-don-t-write-about-poverty-write-about-poor-people/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [If writing with a goal - whether it be evangelistic, apologetic, or didactic - implies propaganda, then all recorded history is propaganda. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/if-writing-with-a-goal-whether-it-be-evangelistic-apologetic-or/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) ## More by John Legend > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I guess a lot of times pressure is put on something after it becomes big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-guess-a-lot-of-times-pressure-is-put-on-something-after-it-becomes/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [My first album, 'Get Lifted,' was a hip-hop soul album that had some of its roots in the church, as far as the sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/my-first-album-get-lifted-was-a-hip-hop-soul-album-that-had-some-of/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I don't like going to football games. I like watching them on television. When you go to a game, it's hard to focus. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-don-t-like-going-to-football-games-i-like-watching-them-on/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [There's a lot of hurry up and wait. But it gives you time to write a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/there-s-a-lot-of-hurry-up-and-wait-but-it-gives-you-time-to-write-a/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Fear. People are afraid of talking about their fears and insecurities. They're afraid of expressing emotion beyond anger, dominance, or power, and they're afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/fear-people-are-afraid-of-talking-about-their-fears-and-insecurities/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [When I write, I don't really focus on duets or anything like that, or whether I'm going to feature this or that rapper. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/when-i-write-i-don-t-really-focus-on-duets-or-anything-like-that-or/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I would tell myself, "Love yourself and don't be afraid to take risks." I was often afraid to take risks, socially, because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-would-tell-myself-love-yourself-and-don-t-be-afraid-to-take-risks-i/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I never went through a period where I didn't want to play music. I've always loved it and it's always been a huge part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-never-went-through-a-period-where-i-didn-t-want-to-play-music-i-ve/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [All men should be feminists. If men cared about women's rights, the world would be a better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/all-men-should-be-feminists-if-men-cared-about-women-s-rights-the/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [I used read about Dr. King a lot as a kid. Independently, from being assigned it or being told by my parents or anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-used-read-about-dr-king-a-lot-as-a-kid-independently-from-being/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [“All men should be feminists. If men care about women’s rights the world will be a better place. We are better off when women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/all-men-should-be-feminists-if-men-care-about-women-s-rights-the/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Experience is a great teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/experience-is-a-great-teacher/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [This ain't a movie no. No fairy tale conclusion ya'll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/this-ain-t-a-movie-no-no-fairy-tale-conclusion-ya-ll/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) [Explore all 218 John Legend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) ## More Be you quotes > [I just think music is one of those frontiers where people really want the "I" to be you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/i-just-think-music-is-one-of-those-frontiers-where-people-really-want/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) > [“You go into extinction by being obsessed about becoming something else and then travelling in the wrong car while your real self keeps waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-go-into-extinction-by-being-obsessed-about-becoming-something/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/if-you-can-t-love-yourself-how-in-the-hell-you-gonna-love-somebody/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [No matter how beautiful a woman might be, you're always threatened by certain... You're always threatened by](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/no-matter-how-beautiful-a-woman-might-be-you-re-always-threatened-by/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Be comfortable; be you. Whats most important is to understand what suits your body type and personality. Stick to that, and you cant go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/be-comfortable-be-you-whats-most-important-is-to-understand-what/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [Strong families use the word "we" a lot, but "I" is never forgotten. Family members know they have the freedom to go off on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/strong-families-use-the-word-we-a-lot-but-i-is-never-forgotten-family/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [There is no future and there is no past, there never has been, there never will be. You just think there is. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-is-no-future-and-there-is-no-past-there-never-has-been-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Acting is not a state of being ... but a state of appearing to be. You can't be eight times a week without going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-coward/acting-is-not-a-state-of-being-but-a-state-of-appearing-to-be-you-can/) [Noel Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-coward/) > [It doesn't have the ability to think rationally this economic model. It thinks like a drug addict: 'Where can I get my next fix?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/it-doesn-t-have-the-ability-to-think-rationally-this-economic-model/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [the myth of childhood happiness flourishes so wildly not because it satisfies the needs of children but because it satisfies the needs of adults.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulamith-firestone/the-myth-of-childhood-happiness-flourishes-so-wildly-not-because-it/) [Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulamith-firestone/) > [Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-of-assisi/go-forth-in-peace-for-you-have-followed-the-good-road-go-forth/) [Clare of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-of-assisi/) > [I've never forgotten a word of advice my father gave to me. 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Just be the best blasted street sweeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dinkins/you-can-be-anything-you-want-to-be-you-can-be-a-street-sweeper-if-you/) [David Dinkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dinkins/) [Browse all 477 Be you quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-you/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it's hard to really write a song that will educate someone because songs are meant to be ... you don't want to be too didactic in a song because it doesn't make for good music. 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