--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [O]ne man's vulgarity is another's lyric." description: "\"“[O]ne man's vulgarity is another's lyric.”\" — John Marshall Harlan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/john-marshall-harlan-56830_censorship_o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric_2325976.jpg" --- # \[O\]ne man's vulgarity is another's lyric. ![“[O]ne man's vulgarity is another's lyric.” quote by John Marshall Harlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/john-marshall-harlan-56830_censorship_o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric_2325976.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/john-marshall-harlan-56830_censorship_o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric_2325976.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/john-marshall-harlan-56830_censorship_o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric_2325976.jpg) > ““\[O\]ne man's vulgarity is another's lyric.”” [John Marshall Harlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person's crude expression can be seen as art by another, highlighting subjective taste. **In simple terms:** Vulgarity can be artistic to some. Key Takeaway Recognize differing perspectives on expression. Themes subjectivity art culture Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - literary criticism - social media - advertising - personal relationships Key Concepts aesthetics relativism Questions to Reflect On - How does audience shape meaning? - When does vulgarity become art? A Different Perspective Not all vulgarity is appreciated; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Censorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) [Lyric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyric/) [Lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrics/) [Man Vulgarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-vulgarity-448513/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Vulgarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulgarity/) [Vulgarity Lyric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vulgarity-lyric-5577999/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [One man's frankness is another man's vulgarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/one-man-s-frankness-is-another-man-s-vulgarity/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [I just love doing radio. I've learned to be more vulnerable through radio than even I've been through books and writing lyrics. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/i-just-love-doing-radio-i-ve-learned-to-be-more-vulnerable-through/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [You only have 24 hours or 1400 minutes before your dream's gone you better go live it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machine-gun-kelly/you-only-have-24-hours-or-1400-minutes-before-your-dream-s-gone-you/) [Machine Gun Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/machine-gun-kelly/) > [The first set of lyrics for the first songs I ever wrote, which are the ones on 'Pretty Hate Machine,' came from private journal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/the-first-set-of-lyrics-for-the-first-songs-i-ever-wrote-which-are/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“You're mine, Lyric.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/you-re-mine-lyric/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [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/) > [“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 Marshall Harlan > [But in view of the constitution, in the eye of the law, there is in this country no superior, dominant, ruling class of citizens.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/but-in-view-of-the-constitution-in-the-eye-of-the-law-there-is-in/) [John Marshall Harlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan/) > [Our constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/our-constitution-is-color-blind-and-neither-knows-nor-tolerates/) [John Marshall Harlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan/) > [The law regards man as man, and takes no account of his surroundings or of his color when his civil rights as guaranteed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/the-law-regards-man-as-man-and-takes-no-account-of-his-surroundings/) [John Marshall Harlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan/) > [The humblest is the peer of the most powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/the-humblest-is-the-peer-of-the-most-powerful/) [John Marshall Harlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan/) > [The Constitution is not a panacea for every blot upon the public welfare. Nor should this Court, ordained as a judicial body, be thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/the-constitution-is-not-a-panacea-for-every-blot-upon-the-public/) [John Marshall Harlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan/) [Explore all 6 John Marshall Harlan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan/) ## More Censorship quotes > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [“Censors don’t want children exposed to ideas different from their own. If every individual with an agenda had his/her way, the shelves in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/censors-don-t-want-children-exposed-to-ideas-different-from-their-own/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/censorship-is-the-child-of-fear-and-the-father-of-ignorance/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I don't believe in censorship in any form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/i-don-t-believe-in-censorship-in-any-form/) [Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/) > [We must be talented, powerful and resilient creatures indeed given how much we manage to produce despite the constant undercutting, ridicule and needless censorship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/we-must-be-talented-powerful-and-resilient-creatures-indeed-given-how/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-a-critic-sets-himself-up-as-an-arbiter-of-morality-a-judge-of/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When there is official censorship it is a sign that speech is serious. Where there is none, it is pretty certain that the official…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/when-there-is-official-censorship-it-is-a-sign-that-speech-is-serious/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [“I agree that it's a shame some books have to suffer ratings that clearly are invalid. However I can't think of a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otis-y-chandler/i-agree-that-it-s-a-shame-some-books-have-to-suffer-ratings-that/) [Otis Y. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otis-y-chandler/) > [I think that, honestly, people's censorship issues are personal but I disagree with most of those personal choices that I see others make. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/i-think-that-honestly-people-s-censorship-issues-are-personal-but-i/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) > [Art made tongue-tied by authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/art-made-tongue-tied-by-authority/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The tendency to want what has been banned and therefore to presume that it is more worthwhile is not limited to such commodities as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-cialdini/the-tendency-to-want-what-has-been-banned-and-therefore-to-presume/) [Robert B. Cialdini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-cialdini/) > [The only thing that is obscene is censorship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-thing-that-is-obscene-is-censorship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a feature film, the question of censorship always comes up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/in-a-feature-film-the-question-of-censorship-always-comes-up/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/don-t-join-the-book-burners-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-conceal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [ If no one speaks out for \[young readers\], if they don’t speak out for themselves, all they’ll get for required reading will be the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/if-no-one-speaks-out-for-young-readers-if-they-don-t-speak-out-for/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) [Browse all 884 Censorship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“[O]ne man's vulgarity is another's lyric.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Marshall Harlan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Censorship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/john-marshall-harlan-56830_censorship_o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric_2325976.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/john-marshall-harlan-56830_censorship_o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric_2325976.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e89/john-marshall-harlan-56830_censorship_o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric_2325976.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“[O]ne man's vulgarity is another's lyric.” — John Marshall Harlan", "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 Marshall Harlan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“[O]ne man's vulgarity is another's lyric.”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/o-ne-man-s-vulgarity-is-another-s-lyric/#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 } } ] } ```