--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I felt an obligation even then to write a…" description: "\"I felt an obligation even then to write a song that people would sing in the pub or on a demonstration. That is why I would like to compose songs for t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/john-lennon-322_demonstration_i-felt-an-obligation-even-then-to-write_259582.jpg" --- # I felt an obligation even then to write a song that people… ![“I felt an obligation even then to write a song that people would sing in the pub or on a demonstration. That is why I would like to compose songs for the revolution.” quote by John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/john-lennon-322_demonstration_i-felt-an-obligation-even-then-to-write_259582.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/john-lennon-322_demonstration_i-felt-an-obligation-even-then-to-write_259582.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/john-lennon-322_demonstration_i-felt-an-obligation-even-then-to-write_259582.jpg) > “I felt an obligation even then to write a song that people would sing in the pub or on a demonstration. That is why I would like to compose songs for the revolution.” [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer feels compelled to create protest songs that unite people in public spaces. **In simple terms:** He wants to write songs for public protest. Key Takeaway Write music that inspires collective action. Themes protest music unity Mood reflective hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - demonstrations - pub gatherings - political rallies Key Concepts social activism songwriting Questions to Reflect On - What message do you want your song to convey? - How can music influence social change? A Different Perspective Songs may not reach all audiences or may be censored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Demonstration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstration/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pubs/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Ormus liked to compose his own songs up on the flat roof of the apartment block, and spent eternities up there, lost within himself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/ormus-liked-to-compose-his-own-songs-up-on-the-flat-roof-of-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I compose for very limited people in Bollywood, as I am not a playback artist. I compose my songs and sing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-yo-honey-singh/i-compose-for-very-limited-people-in-bollywood-as-i-am-not-a-playback/) [Yo Yo Honey Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-yo-honey-singh/) > [There are no leftover Tool songs because of the process it takes to compose our songs - the way we hash it out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-carey/there-are-no-leftover-tool-songs-because-of-the-process-it-takes-to/) [Danny Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-carey/) > [I write a lot of music in my time off and I compose most of the songs on guitar. I've actually gone into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-patterson/i-write-a-lot-of-music-in-my-time-off-and-i-compose-most-of-the-songs/) [Scott Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-patterson/) > [In terms of creativity, both are equally satisfying. Music album is for yourself, where you compose songs and stuff like that, and in films,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/in-terms-of-creativity-both-are-equally-satisfying-music-album-is-for/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [For me, the intent in a song is to sing it. I compose songs, meaning I'm writing words to be set to music; I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-eady/for-me-the-intent-in-a-song-is-to-sing-it-i-compose-songs-meaning-i-m/) [Cornelius Eady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-eady/) > [There are no rules when I compose songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-gabriel/there-are-no-rules-when-i-compose-songs/) [Juan Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-gabriel/) > [I compose songs with a lot of simplicity because my school has been the streets, and people have been my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-gabriel/i-compose-songs-with-a-lot-of-simplicity-because-my-school-has-been/) [Juan Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-gabriel/) > [I think it's OK to compose songs and sing them about questions that we don't have answers to yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-marie/i-think-it-s-ok-to-compose-songs-and-sing-them-about-questions-that/) [Rene Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-marie/) > [It's a misconception that I compose songs for girls. I have sung a song for Bhagat Singh, too, but nobody knows about it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yo-yo-honey-singh/it-s-a-misconception-that-i-compose-songs-for-girls-i-have-sung-a/) [Yo Yo Honey Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yo-yo-honey-singh/) > [I don't compose songs to showcase my proficiency in music or to please hard-core music lovers. The basic criterion is that my work should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-imman/i-don-t-compose-songs-to-showcase-my-proficiency-in-music-or-to/) [D. Imman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-imman/) > [I'd spent five hours that morning trying to write a song that was meaningful and good, and I finally gave up and lay down.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-d-spent-five-hours-that-morning-trying-to-write-a-song-that-was/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I go to restaurants and the groups always play "Yesterday." I even signed a guy's violin in Spain after he played us "Yesterday." He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-go-to-restaurants-and-the-groups-always-play-yesterday-i-even/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Three blind mice walk into a pub. But they are unaware of their surroundings, so to derive humour from it would be exploitative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/three-blind-mice-walk-into-a-pub-but-they-are-unaware-of-their/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) > [I do miss the social aspect of sitting in a pub with a pint but you know what when I get down to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-do-miss-the-social-aspect-of-sitting-in-a-pub-with-a-pint-but-you/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) ## More by John Lennon > [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [As someone from the working class I was always interested in Russia and China and everything that related to the working class, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/as-someone-from-the-working-class-i-was-always-interested-in-russia/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I never went to high school reunions. My thing is, out of sight, out of mind. That's my attitude toward life. So I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-never-went-to-high-school-reunions-my-thing-is-out-of-sight-out-of/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Today's folk song is rock and roll. Although it happened to emanate from America, that's not really important in the end because we wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/today-s-folk-song-is-rock-and-roll-although-it-happened-to-emanate/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [If you want to get peace, you can get it as soon as you like if we all pull together. ... Think peace, live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-to-get-peace-you-can-get-it-as-soon-as-you-like-if-we-all/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The reason why kids are crazy is because nobody can face the responsibility of bringing them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-reason-why-kids-are-crazy-is-because-nobody-can-face-the/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [In my case I've never not been political, though religion tended to overshadow it in my acid days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/in-my-case-i-ve-never-not-been-political-though-religion-tended-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Songwriting is about getting the demon out of me. It's like being possessed. You try to go to sleep, but the song won't let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/songwriting-is-about-getting-the-demon-out-of-me-it-s-like-being/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Imagine there's no heaven... it's easy if you try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/imagine-there-s-no-heaven-it-s-easy-if-you-try/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/man-you-should-have-seen-them-kicking-edgar-allan-poe/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Love is like a flower - you've got to let it grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/love-is-like-a-flower-you-ve-got-to-let-it-grow/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-don-t-know-which-will-go-first-rock-n-roll-or-christianity/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The main hangup in the world today is hypocrisy and insecurity. If people can't face up to the fact of other people being naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-main-hangup-in-the-world-today-is-hypocrisy-and-insecurity-if/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) [Explore all 681 John Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## More Demonstration quotes > [Every demonstration of God's faithfulness to us is an opportunity for us to testify of Him to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/every-demonstration-of-god-s-faithfulness-to-us-is-an-opportunity-for/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [I liked wrestling a lot better than boxing. I remember thinking at that time that wrestling was a pure demonstration of strength, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/i-liked-wrestling-a-lot-better-than-boxing-i-remember-thinking-at/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [The method of not erring is sought by all the world. The logicians profess to guide it, the geometricians alone attain it, and apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-method-of-not-erring-is-sought-by-all-the-world-the-logicians/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [When the students were killed at Kent State, the cast voted to do a demonstration from the stage, and I abstained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/when-the-students-were-killed-at-kent-state-the-cast-voted-to-do-a/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [Helen Crawfurd and the Women's Peace Crusade, made a march on the City Chambers, distributing an illegal leaflet in front of police and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-gallacher/helen-crawfurd-and-the-women-s-peace-crusade-made-a-march-on-the-city/) Willie Gallacher > [The only way to meet the modern demon-stration of the powers of darkness is by a demonstration of the power of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/the-only-way-to-meet-the-modern-demon-stration-of-the-powers-of/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) > [But it is impossible to divide a cube into two cubes, or a fourth power into fourth powers, or generally any power beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-fermat/but-it-is-impossible-to-divide-a-cube-into-two-cubes-or-a-fourth/) [Pierre de Fermat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-fermat/) > [The world out there is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity; it's waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/the-world-out-there-is-not-waiting-for-a-new-definition-of/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [At the start of the second decade of the 21st century, young people all over the world are demonstrating against a variety of issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/at-the-start-of-the-second-decade-of-the-21st-century-young-people/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [The questioning is a stupid formality aimed exclusively at preventing us from speaking at the demonstration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/the-questioning-is-a-stupid-formality-aimed-exclusively-at-preventing/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [There is one characteristic of the present direction of public opinion, peculiarly calculated to make it intolerant of any marked demonstration of individuality. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/there-is-one-characteristic-of-the-present-direction-of-public/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Israel should have exploited the repression of the demonstrations in China, when world attention focused on that country, to carry out mass expulsions among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/israel-should-have-exploited-the-repression-of-the-demonstrations-in/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [ We see it \[the as-yet unseen, probable new planet, Neptune\] as Columbus saw America from the coast of Spain. Its movements have been felt,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herschel/we-see-it-the-as-yet-unseen-probable-new-planet-neptune-as-columbus/) [William Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-herschel/) [Browse all 411 Demonstration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I felt an obligation even then to write a song that people would sing in the pub or on a demonstration. 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