---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every single lyric I've ever written I…"
description: "\"Every single lyric I've ever written I meant.\" — John Lydon"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-lydon-1234_song_every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-m_1423647.jpg"
---

#  Every single lyric I've ever written I meant.

![“Every single lyric I've ever written I meant.” quote by John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-lydon-1234_song_every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-m_1423647.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-lydon-1234_song_every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-m_1423647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-lydon-1234_song_every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-m_1423647.jpg)

> “Every single lyric I've ever written I meant.”

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

## 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 insists on authenticity in every lyric they create.

**In simple terms:** All lyrics are genuine and intentional.

Key Takeaway

Create art that truly reflects your voice.

Themes

authenticity creativity integrity

Mood

intense defiant

Type

artistic motivational

When to use this quote

- songwriting sessions
- live performances
- studio recordings

Key Concepts

artistic expression personal truth

Questions to Reflect On

- Why is honesty important in art?
- How do you balance truth and audience?

A Different Perspective

Authenticity can limit commercial appeal.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Lyric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyric/) [Lyric Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyric-ve-5048869/) [Single Lyric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-lyric-918760/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Ve Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-written/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) [Written Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-meant-5048868/)

## Related quotes

> [I always try to write about something that's actually happened or it doesn't always have to have happened to me, but it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stone/i-always-try-to-write-about-something-that-s-actually-happened-or-it/)

[Joss Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stone/)

> [I've always written short stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-ve-always-written-short-stories/)

[Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/)

> [I've never not been pleased with one of my albums. I figure because it's spoken word, there will be people who relate to it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-trudell/i-ve-never-not-been-pleased-with-one-of-my-albums-i-figure-because-it/)

[John Trudell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-trudell/)

> [My Life in CIA is the first time that I've ever written a story in my own name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-mathews/my-life-in-cia-is-the-first-time-that-i-ve-ever-written-a-story-in-my/)

[Harry Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-mathews/)

> [I've written a book; I've become a better husband and father because I'm home every day. My connection to the Hollywood world has only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-washington/i-ve-written-a-book-i-ve-become-a-better-husband-and-father-because-i/)

[Isaiah Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-washington/)

> [In 2012, I really thought, 'That's it. It's over. I've written what I can write.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-marber/in-2012-i-really-thought-that-s-it-it-s-over-i-ve-written-what-i-can/)

[Patrick Marber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-marber/)

> [Some of the best songs I've written, I've written in 10 minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/some-of-the-best-songs-i-ve-written-i-ve-written-in-10-minutes/)

[Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/)

> [I've always been very grateful that enough people have enjoyed reading what I've written that I've been able to pursue writing professionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/i-ve-always-been-very-grateful-that-enough-people-have-enjoyed/)

[Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/)

> [I don't think anything you've written is immortal as yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-young/i-don-t-think-anything-you-ve-written-is-immortal-as-yet/)

[Terence Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-young/)

> [I hate to look at the stuff I've written and consider what it means or why I do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-abrams/i-hate-to-look-at-the-stuff-i-ve-written-and-consider-what-it-means/)

[J. J. Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-abrams/)

> [I've always written. When I was in school, the only teacher who ever liked me was my creative writing teacher. I used to enter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-townes-earle/i-ve-always-written-when-i-was-in-school-the-only-teacher-who-ever/)

[Justin Townes Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-townes-earle/)

> [This 'Making Mirrors' album is far more personal, even if there's a character element to the sounds I'm working with. Every song on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotye/this-making-mirrors-album-is-far-more-personal-even-if-there-s-a/)

[Gotye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotye/)

> [I'm achingly aware of my own limitations as both part of the human race and as an individual. I'm just, casting this out that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-m-achingly-aware-of-my-own-limitations-as-both-part-of-the-human/)

[Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/)

> [One man's vulgarity is another man's lyric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan-ii/one-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-man-s-lyric/)

[John Marshall Harlan II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan-ii/)

> [“Lyric poets are always corrupting the young, making them choke in self-pity and indulge in reverie. Dirty sex and direspect for authority is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-simic/lyric-poets-are-always-corrupting-the-young-making-them-choke-in-self/)

[Charles Simic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-simic/)

## More by John Lydon

> [Music is escapism from the grim realities of life. But then as soon as you escape into the music, from my point of view,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/music-is-escapism-from-the-grim-realities-of-life-but-then-as-soon-as/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [I'm not one for like soul-searching, sour fizzy moments. I come from the school of hard knocks, "f\*\*king get on with it", that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-m-not-one-for-like-soul-searching-sour-fizzy-moments-i-come-from/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [All the things that you would have thought would have made me a professional A1 criminal... wrong. I decided that was too lazy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/all-the-things-that-you-would-have-thought-would-have-made-me-a/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [Stroll into work at 10. Lunch from 12 till three. Leave work at five. That's living!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/stroll-into-work-at-10-lunch-from-12-till-three-leave-work-at-five/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [Live music is healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/live-music-is-healthy/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [I never wore a studded leather jacket, y'know. Ne-va! If I had had the money I wouldn't have spent it on shit like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-never-wore-a-studded-leather-jacket-y-know-ne-va-if-i-had-had-the/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [I've always strived to maintain a very healthy, friendly working situation, and lo and behold, it only took forty years, so the next sixty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-ve-always-strived-to-maintain-a-very-healthy-friendly-working/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [This is a very difficult thing to remain independent and persistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/this-is-a-very-difficult-thing-to-remain-independent-and-persistent/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [A record company used to be a very good thing, but they ended up soul-destroyingly trapping people in the accounting department. And you couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/a-record-company-used-to-be-a-very-good-thing-but-they-ended-up-soul/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [Destroy everything. That's all well and fine, but you got to offer something in it's place. Since I always have a point and purpose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/destroy-everything-that-s-all-well-and-fine-but-you-got-to-offer/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [For me people are people, without meaning to sound corny, it's a plain natural fact, music is a universal language and I've always known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/for-me-people-are-people-without-meaning-to-sound-corny-it-s-a-plain/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [I'm not great at dealing with death, I have to say. I find death very hard: my mum, my dad, Sid Vicious. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-m-not-great-at-dealing-with-death-i-have-to-say-i-find-death-very/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [The joy of life is in the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/the-joy-of-life-is-in-the-work/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [I have a sensible set of values that tell me to never lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-have-a-sensible-set-of-values-that-tell-me-to-never-lie/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

> [I always knew the Sixties wasn't a revolution. It really was just a bunch of university students with wealthy parents having fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/i-always-knew-the-sixties-wasn-t-a-revolution-it-really-was-just-a/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

[Explore all 269 John Lydon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

## More Lyric quotes

> [“Lyric poets are always corrupting the young, making them choke in self-pity and indulge in reverie. Dirty sex and direspect for authority is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-simic/lyric-poets-are-always-corrupting-the-young-making-them-choke-in-self/)

[Charles Simic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-simic/)

> [One man's vulgarity is another man's lyric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan-ii/one-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-man-s-lyric/)

[John Marshall Harlan II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan-ii/)

> [I'm achingly aware of my own limitations as both part of the human race and as an individual. I'm just, casting this out that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-m-achingly-aware-of-my-own-limitations-as-both-part-of-the-human/)

[Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/)

> [This 'Making Mirrors' album is far more personal, even if there's a character element to the sounds I'm working with. Every song on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotye/this-making-mirrors-album-is-far-more-personal-even-if-there-s-a/)

[Gotye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotye/)

> [“You're mine, Lyric.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/you-re-mine-lyric/)

[Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/)

> [In our hands, even the straightest lyric sounded shady.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-young/in-our-hands-even-the-straightest-lyric-sounded-shady/)

[Angus Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-young/)

> [My job is to be some sort of music/lyric psychic, to figure out that that's the right song to not fight the lyric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-folds/my-job-is-to-be-some-sort-of-music-lyric-psychic-to-figure-out-that/)

[Ben Folds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-folds/)

> [I am committed now to one thing: lyric sequences. I want the intensity of lyric, but the scope and arc of narrative. so, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-orr/i-am-committed-now-to-one-thing-lyric-sequences-i-want-the-intensity/)

[Gregory Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-orr/)

> [“Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-brandt/don-t-tell-me-the-sky-s-the-limit-when-there-are-footprints-on-the/)

[Paul Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-brandt/)

> [Most lyric poetry is about love, whether yearned after, fulfilled, or wistfully regretted; what isn't tends to consist of laments and cris du coeur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/most-lyric-poetry-is-about-love-whether-yearned-after-fulfilled-or/)

[Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/)

> [“There are only so many people capable of putting together words that stir and move and sing. When it became possible to earn a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-kornbluth/there-are-only-so-many-people-capable-of-putting-together-words-that/)

[C.M. Kornbluth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-kornbluth/)

> [Lyric writing is an interesting process in Sonic Youth. There's three people writing now, and we've all had a lot of interest and involvement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/lyric-writing-is-an-interesting-process-in-sonic-youth-there-s-three/)

[Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/)

> [“He quickly reached for his lyric book and started writing. You sing to me through laughter. I see it dancing in your eyes. Pieces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-lister/he-quickly-reached-for-his-lyric-book-and-started-writing-you-sing-to/)

[Ann Lister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-lister/)

> [I think what we like about music - and what we like about art in general…is that enterprise that stops our minds from spinning.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-think-what-we-like-about-music-and-what-we-like-about-art-in/)

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

> [What makes a great song - you don't put it into words. You feel it. The perfect lyric. The perfect melody. It makes you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-warren/what-makes-a-great-song-you-don-t-put-it-into-words-you-feel-it-the/)

[Diane Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-warren/)

[Browse all 205 Lyric quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyric/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Every single lyric I've ever written I meant.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Lydon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-meant/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Lyric"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-meant/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-lydon-1234_song_every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-m_1423647.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-lydon-1234_song_every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-m_1423647.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/john-lydon-1234_song_every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-m_1423647.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Every single lyric I've ever written I meant.” — John Lydon",
                "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 Lydon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Every single lyric I've ever written...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-meant/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/every-single-lyric-i-ve-ever-written-i-meant/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
